GREEN BAY – The Packers used a productive ground game and a flurry of turnovers on defense to run away from the 49ers on Sunday at Lambeau Field, winning 38-10 to improve to 8-3 on the season.
The 49ers, playing without starting QB Brock Purdy, fell to 5-6. Green Bay remains in third place in the NFC North behind the 10-1 Lions and 9-2 Vikings, with Miami visiting Lambeau on Thanksgiving night.
The Packers pounded out 169 rushing yards, with RB Josh Jacobs carrying 26 times for 106 yards and three TDs, tying his career high for scores. RB Emanuel Wilson added nine carries for 41 yards.
Green Bay jumped out to a 17-0 lead before San Francisco cut it to 17-7 at the half on a TD reception by TE George Kittle, who had six catches for 82 yards.
From there the turnovers were the story of the game, as S Xavier McKinney's seventh interception of the season, a strip-sack by DL Lukas Van Ness (recovered by DL Kenny Clark), and a forced fumble by CB Keisean Nixon (recovered by DL Karl Brooks) all were turned into touchdowns by Green Bay's offense.
QB Jordan Love finished 13-of-23 for 163 yards with two TDs and a 107.7 rating. TE Tucker Kraft and WR Malik Heath caught the TD passes. WR Romeo Doubs had three receptions for 54 yards before leaving the game with a concussion.
For the 49ers, backup QB Brandon Allen was 17-of-29 for 199 yards with one TD, one INT and a 76.7 rating. RB Christian McCaffrey was held to just 31 yards on 11 carries.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers lead 49ers 10-0 after first quarter
an Francisco won the opening coin toss and deferred. After starting at the Green Bay 33, running back Josh Jacobs broke an 18-yard run on his first carry to cross midfield.
Three more Jacobs carries gained 12 yards before back-to-back passes to Jayden Reed picked up another 13 to the San Francisco 31. A 9-yard Jacobs runs converted a third-and-4 and moved Green Bay into the red zone.
A holding penalty pushed the Packers back to their 24 but Jordan Love got it right back with a 13-yard pass to Reed off play-action.
On the next play, tight end Tucker Kraft bullied his way into the end zone for the 11-yard touchdown to put Green Bay up 7-0 with 7 minutes, 35 seconds left in the first quarter. The 12-play, 67-yard scoring drive lasted 7:25.
Colby Wooden made his first NFL start, playing defensive end opposite Rashan Gary. George Kittle gained nine yards on a first-down dump off but a false start penalty on Domnick Puni pushed San Francisco back on second down.
On third-and-5, Quay Walker came on an inside blitz to help pressure 49ers backup quarterback Brandon Allen into a strip sack by Rashan Gary for a loss of two yards. Allen recovered and the 49ers punted back to Green Bay, which started its second series from its own 19.
John FitzPatrick caught a 2-yard pass on first down and Jacobs gained 10 yards on back-to-back carries to convert the initial first down. Jacobs then gained eight yards on a pass thrown behind him.
Emanuel Wilson gained nine yards up the middle and then found space on a 19-yard run up the sideline to the 49ers' 33.
Brandon McManus made a 51-yard field goal to extend Green Bay's lead with 11 seconds left in the first quarter. It was the Packers' first attempt at a 50-plus-yard field goal this season.
The first quarter ended with a holding penalty on Puni. Jacobs and Wilson combined for 87 yards on 10 carries in the first quarter. The Packers had 126 total yards to the 49ers' eight in the first 15 minutes.
Packers lead 49ers 17-7 at halftime
Quay Walker nearly intercepted Allen on a second-and-15 pass but couldn't hold onto it. The 49ers punted after an 8-yard pass to Kittle on third down.
Green Bay started at its 29 after a 7-yard Reed punt return. The Packers faced third-and-11, but Love converted with a 29-yard pass to Romeo Doubs off a deep post.
Doubs wasn't done on the money down. He converted two more third downs – first on a 10-yard slant on third-and-5 and then a 15-yard slant on third-and-10 to the San Francisco 13.
The 49ers got called for 12 men on the field prior to Jacobs gaining four yards on second-and-2 and then punching in the 1-yard TD to push the Packers' lead to 17-0 with 6:33 left in the first half.
San Francisco moved the ball on its third possession with Kyle Juszczyk gaining 14 yards on first down. Kingsley Enagbare missed a sack of Allen on the next play and the 49ers moved deep into Green Bay territory when Allen connected with Deebo Samuel for 21 yards off a flea flicker.
A 7-yard pass to Jauan Jennings set up third-and-1 from the Packers' 9 but Puni was flagged for a false start, his third penalty on as many series. The 49ers still converted with a 10-yard pass to Kittle on third-and-6 after the two-minute warning.
Kittle caught a 3-yard touchdown on third-and-goal to cut the Packers' lead to 17-7 with 1:02 left in the first half.
Jacobs gained 21 yards on two carries and Love nearly had Christian Watson for a 49-yard touchdown, but the third-year receiver couldn't bring it in. The Packers punted with 15 seconds left.
Packers lead 49ers 24-10 after three
Deebo Samuel had a long kickoff return to start the second half brought back by a holding penalty. The 49ers moved across midfield after two McCaffrey runs for 11 yards and a Jordan Mason 16-yard pickup to the Packers' 47.
After an Allen 6-yard scramble, San Francisco tried to go for it on fourth-and-2, but Xavier McKinney broke a fourth-and-2 pass to McCaffrey in the flat.
The Packers went three-and-out after Love and Doubs couldn't connect on second down and then Love was sacked on third down to force the punt. San Francisco took over at its 10 after a holding penalty on George Odum.
The 49ers gained the initial first down with two McCaffrey runs before Allen connected with Kittle for 31 yards down the middle of the field.
T.J. Slaton recorded back-to-back tackles of McCaffrey, holding him to two yards and then no gain to set up third-and-8. Allen then sailed a pass across the middle that McKinney intercepted and returned 48 yards to the 49ers' 26.
Watson picked up four yards on an end around and then Jacobs gained four more. On third-and-2, Doubs drew a defensive pass interference penalty against Renardo Green in the end zone.
Doubs was slow to get up after the play. Jacobs punched in a 1-yard TD on the next play to put the Packers up 24-7 with 4:28 left in the third quarter. Jacobs ran to the locker room after the score to address a cramping issue.
The 49ers came right back with a 20-yard pass to Jennings and a 21-yard pass to Kittle down the seam to the Packers' 33. The drive stalled after two Allen incompletions, but Jake Moody made a 48-yard field goal to cut Green Bay's lead to 24-10 with 2:12 left in the third quarter.
Doubs was ruled out with a concussion before the Packers' next possession. A tripping penalty was called on Chris Brooks on second down, which led to Green Bay going three-and-out. Jacobs ran back out from the locker room during Daniel Whelan's punt.
The third quarter ended with the 49ers facing third-and-11 after McCaffrey was tackled for a 1-yard loss on second down.
Packers rout 49ers 38-10, improve to 8-3
Allen was forced to throw the ball away on third-and-11, with Green Bay taking over at its 37 after a 13-yard Reed punt return.
Jacobs returned to the game, gaining five yards on first down, but the Packers went three-and-out after Love was sacked on third down. Whelan booted a 51-yard punt that was fair caught by Ricky Pearsall at the San Francisco 10 with 12:37 remaining.
Lukas Van Ness recorded a strip sack of Allen on first-and-5, which was recovered by Kenny Clark at the 49ers' 16. Kraft caught an underneath pass from Love for 15 yards to the San Francisco 1.
Jacobs was stopped for no gain on first-and-goal, but the Packers went right back to their All-Pro running back on second down and he scored his third 1-yard TD run to push the Packers' lead to 31-10 with 10:59 left in regulation.
The 49ers ran a quick pass for McCaffrey who gained 23 yards before Keisean Nixon punched the ball out, which Karl Brooks recovered at the Green Bay 44.
Love hit Dontayvion Wicks for 25 yards on a deep slant to move back into 49ers' territory. Malik Heath then caught a 12-yard pass.
Running mostly behind Brooks, the Packers moved the ball all the way down to the San Francisco 9. On fourth-and-1, Love pulled off a successful sneak to set up first-and-goal from the 7.
The Packers made it a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone when Love hit Malik Heath for a 3-yard TD, extending Green Bay's lead to 38-10 with 4:18 remaining.
San Francisco went four and out, turning it over on downs at its 38-yard line after Evan Williams tackled Jennings two yards shy of the first down. Malik Willis then relieved Love at quarterback.
