However brief the satisfaction may have lasted, Aaron Rodgers finally got the best of one of the Bosa brothers on Sunday night.
The 35-year-old Packers quarterback showed off his guile with a terrific play-fake that left 49ers star rookie Nick Bosa looking lost on a first-half play.
"Sunday Night Football" analyst Cris Collinsworth laughed after watching the replay of Rodgers faking out Bosa for a 4-yard gain _ "He didn't even realized Rodgers had the ball" _ but it was one of the rare positive plays in the game for Green Bay, which trailed 23-0 at halftime on its way to a 37-8 loss.
And, however humbling the play may have been for Bosa, it wound up being nothing more than a harmless viral moment. That's because Bosa and the 49ers made life rough for Rodgers and the Packers early and often, beginning with a game-altering fumble that Bosa recovered in the game's opening minute.
Rodgers lost the ball while being sacked by Fred Warner on Green Bay's third play from scrimmage, and Bosa pounced on the ball at the 2-yard line.
The 49ers' Tevin Coleman scored on the next play and San Francisco was on its way to a thoroughly dominant night.
In addition to his fumble recovery, Bosa had one of the 49ers' three sacks in the first half as he continued his family's assault on Green Bay's future Hall of Fame quarterback. Just three weeks ago, Nick's older brother, Joey, harassed Rodgers while recording four quarterback hurries and a tackle for a loss in the Chargers' 26-11 win over Green Bay.
In the loss three weeks ago, Rodgers was 11-of-19 passing for just 61 yards through three quarters. Nick and the 49ers did a similar number on Rodgers Sunday night, holding him to just 41 yards passing on a 10-for-20 effort in the first half. The former Cal star finished the game with only 104 yards in the Packers' lopsided loss Sunday. Rodgers, who completed 20 of his 33 passes, finished with the lowest yards per pass attempt in his storied 15-year career (just 3.2 yards).
Three weeks ago, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Joey Bosa was a headache all game long that day. "Certainly he was a big factor," LaFleur said then.
Sort of like little brother Nick was on Sunday night.
