2020 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 9
Green Bay Packers (5-2) at San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
Thursday, November 5, 8:20PM ET
This one is going to come down to timing for the San Francisco 49ers. They’ve shown well at times this season, but the injury bug has bitten them hard in recent weeks. As good as this roster has the potential to be, playing severely hobbled isn’t going to help them in Week 9.
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Jimmy Garoppolo is out due to injury, and George Kittle won’t be seeing the field anytime soon. The San Francisco running stable has been decimated, and the defense hasn’t been able to avoid injury either. Staying healthy just hasn’t been an option for the 49ers, who are looking like a fringe playoff contender at best right now.
Enter the Green Bay Packers, who are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Prior to that, though, they had the look of a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Aaron Rodgers has put together another terrific campaign, and the Green Bay defense has done its part — for the most part. All of the pieces are there if Matt LeFleur can fit them together correctly.
The Packers have the edge, if anything because of relative health. The 49ers are missing too many weapons, and their defense should be able to corral Nick Mullens. Another loss won’t help San Francisco’s odds of competing in the deadly NFC West in 2020.
Prediction: Packers win 34-18