Hometown Broadcasting Sports Monday 11/25/19
25 November 2019 Sports
Jimmy Garoppolo threw two long touchdown passes and the San Francisco harassed Aaron Rodgers all night, leading the 49ers to a 37-8 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. The loss dropped the Packers, now 8-3, into a tie with the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North.
Garoppolo connected on a 42-yard touchdown strike to Deebo Samuel in the second quarter and a 61-yarder to George Kittle in the third to get San Francisco (10-1) off to a resounding start.
Rodgers lost a fumble on the opening drive, one of the five sacks he took, and failed to convert a single third down on 13 tries before getting pulled late in the fourth quarter. He finished 20 for 33 for 104 yards and Green Bay averaged an anemic 1.7 yards per pass play when he was in the game. Davante Adams had seven catches for 43 yards and a two-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter for the Packers only score. Jamaal Williams led the running game with 45 yards on 11 carries while Aaron Jones was held to 38 yards on 13 carries. After allowing 78 points the past three weeks in two games against Arizona’s Kyler Murray and one against Seattle’s Russell Wilson, the Niners’ defense was back to its dominant form. San Francisco allowed 198 yards on 70 plays, didn’t allow a single completion longer than 15 yards and got a key stop against Aaron Jones on a fourth-and-1 run in the first half when the outcome was still in doubt.
Garoppolo then put it away with the two long touchdowns, part of a day when he went 14 for 20 for 253 yards and most importantly committed no turnovers. He was helped by the return of Kittle, who had six catches for 129 yards in his first game back after missing the past two contests with injuries to his knee and ankle.
The 49ers broke it open late in the first half after forcing the Packers to punt following the two-minute warning. Garoppolo threw a 42-yard TD pass to Samuel to cap a three-play drive that made it 20-0. The Niners then forced a three-and-out and took over at their 48 with 24 seconds left. Garoppolo completed a 22-yard pass to Kittle that set up Chase McLaughlin’s 48-yard field goal.
On the injury front, right tackle Bryan Bulaga left in the first quarter with a knee injury.
The Packers are on the road again Sunday against the Giants.
Elsewhere in the NFC North, Chicago won at home over the Giants, 19-14 and the Lions lost at Washington, 19-16. The Vikings had their bye.
Tonight, Baltimore plays on the road against the Rams.
Jonathan Taylor rushed for at least 200 yards for the 12th time in his career and No. 14 Wisconsin defeated Purdue 45-24 on Saturday in the Badgers’ final home game of the season. Taylor finished with 222 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries for Wisconsin (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten, No. 12 CFP), which extended its winning streak over the Boilermakers to 14 games. The junior has a career average of 254 yards rushing in three games against Purdue. Jack Coan completed 15 of 19 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns against one interception for the Badgers.
With the loss, the Boilermakers (4-7, 3-5) dropped their seventh straight at Camp Randall Stadium and failed to qualify for a bowl game. Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell finished with a career-high 289 yards passing with two scores.
The Badgers (9-2) plays at Minnesota (10-1) on Saturday for the Big Ten West Championship. The winner will play Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game.
UW-Oshkosh lost Saturday at Central College of Iowa 38-37 in overtime in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championships. The Titans finished the season at 8-3.
Wisconsin climbed one spot to 13th in the latest AP Rankings. LSU remains number one, followed by Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia and Alabama. Utah, Oklahoma, Florida, Minnesota and Michigan round out the top ten.
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