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Boy, the Green Bay Packers must be sick of the San Francisco 49ers. Green Bay went 12-4 last season including winning streaks of four and five games where they seemed absolutely unstoppable, but were licked by this physical, misdirection-loving squad in each encounter: losing 30-22 and 45-31 in games they trailed by much more. The Packers have a chance to exact some measure of revenge in Week 1 of the 2013 NFL regular season, slated for the FOX 4:25 p.m. ET slot on Sept. 8.
Packers Week 1 Spread: Packers 4.5 underdogs at 49ers
Packers Breakdown and Preseason Effect: Green Bay basically had the ball run down their throats in those two losses against San Fran last season, with Frank Gore ripping off 7 yards per carry in the first meeting and Colin Kaepernick breaking the quarterback single-game rushing record in the playoff meeting. Perhaps this unit will fair much better after letting Erik Walden walk, who was regularly one of Pro Football Focus’ worst-graded outside linebackers. The Packers will be counting on the continued development of 2012 top pick Nick Perry to start at outside backer opposite Clay Matthews, and others will battle in the preseason to figure in that rotation. The lack of anything threatening at all opposite Matthews has been killing this team the past couple years, especially against San Fran.
Aaron Rodgers is most of the most exciting players in the league but there’s little point to dissecting his play this preseason, and it’s easy to expect him to remain sterling again in 2013. While he’s never torn apart the Niners, Rodgers was far from shut down in either contest last season. The receiving spot will, on the other hand, be in intriguing over the next month, with Randall Cobb, James Jones and Jordy Nelson heading into their first Week 1 without Greg Jennings in the mix. The unit will surely be more than fine, but where the extra targets go is up for debate.
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
