The 49ers’ defense has allowed 20-plus points in three consecutive games for the first time all season. It won’t get any easier with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers coming to town for their highly-anticipated Sunday night matchup. The defense will need to click in all facets of the game to stop Packers head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense.
Here are the six players that will be key in doing just that:
CB Richard Sherman
Sherman was called for pass interference three times last week against the Cardinals. Sunday night he’ll be tasked in coverage plenty against wide receiver Davante Adams, who leads the Packers in targets despite missing four games. Sherman will need to be careful in coverage because the last thing the defense wants to do is give Rodgers free yards. Pass interference penalties against the Packers are especially damaging because Rodgers isn’t afraid to take deep shots.
DL Nick Bosa
Bosa is in the midst of a three-week streak without a sack. He’s been able to create pressure, but he hasn’t been able to put the quarterback on the ground. For the first time in November, the 49ers face a quarterback who isn’t known for his elite athleticism. Rodgers does have some mobility outside the pocket, and he moves inside the pocket as well as any quarterback in the league. Bosa will need to be quick getting to Rodgers before the quarterback is able to move outside the pocket. While Rodgers is an all-time great player at his position, a collapsing pocket can make him uncomfortable and keep him from dominating the game.
LB Dre Greenlaw
Perhaps the biggest change to Green Bay’s offense under LaFleur is the effective utilization of their two running backs, Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. They both average above four yards per carry and help in the pass game. Greenlaw might be one of the top 49ers players in terms of stopping the run on a defense that struggles in the category. He’ll need to come up big to slow down the duo and try to make Green Bay’s offense one-dimensional.
DL Arik Armstead
Unlike Bosa, Armstead was able to create sacks against Murray and Wilson, collecting 2.5 sacks the last three weeks. The 49ers front four will have a large task in getting to Rodgers without Dee Ford, who’s been ruled out. That means everybody on the line will need to step up and that starts with Armstead, who leads the club with 8.0 sacks.
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Witherspoon didn’t get the start last week after returning from injury, but he did step in when Emmanuel Moseley went down with an injury. Witherspoon will presumably regain his starting spot now that he’s had a full week of practice, and he will have to deal with Rodgers and the Green Bay passing attack in his return. While the quality of receivers dip for the Packers after Adams, Rodgers is good enough to make any receiver elite for a game. Witherspoon will need to play at a high level for any receiver Green Bay throws at him.
DL Damontre Moore
Moore made a huge play for the defense against the Cardinals when he stripped wide receiver KeeSean Johnson with under 30 seconds left to help seal the win. He replaced Ronald Blair in the lineup and should see more than the 21 snaps he saw Sunday with Ford out. Moore was a preseason star who just missed out on a roster spot, and only re-signed after Blair tore his ACL. Now that Moore is back, Green Bay would be the perfect team to show the 49ers made a mistake letting him go back in August.
