San Francisco 49ers: Studs and duds vs. Packers in Week 12
Stud: George Kittle
Despite a report on Sunday morning that George Kittle suffered a broken bone in his ankle in Week 9, the tight end returned to action on Sunday night for the Niners. And it’s clear just how much he means to this team and this offense as he looked unstoppable in primetime, continuing to establish himself as the best player at the position in the NFL.
Kittle finished the game with six receptions on as many targets for 129 yards and a touchdown, which came on a monster 61-yard grab. He’s everything you could want in a tight end, able to move the chains consistently but also able to break the game open with big plays. Now that Kittle is back in the fold, this 49ers offense once again looks dangerous, which is scary considering the performance of their defense as well.
Dud: Blocking Za’Darius Smith
For the most part, the San Francisco 49ers offensive line did a nice job of keeping Garoppolo clean throughout the night against a Packers defense that has played well this season. With Joe Staley out of the lineup and Justin Skule starting at left tackle, though, Za’Darius Smith was able to have his way for much of the night and get after the quarterback.
NFL Power Rankings: 49ers thrash Packers, Pats handle Cowboys. dark. Next
In an overall dominant performance for the Niners, it’s hard to really put them down too much for not being able to contain a great player. Having said that, not every game is going to be a blowout like the one on Sunday night. And if Skule is forced into action again, he and Mike McGlinchey need to be better about keeping pressure off of Jimmy G.