SF 49ers: 3 silver linings from otherwise ugly Week 9 loss to Packers

The SF 49ers were both shorthanded and walloped by the Packers on Thursday Night Football in Week 9, but there are some positives.

In fairness, the SF 49ers had no business somehow beating the visiting Green Bay Packers in Week 9 on Thursday Night Football.

Following the Niners’ blowout loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks a week ago, head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. endured a week where they watched two of their best offensive players, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle, go on injured reserve with injuries. And if that wasn’t bad enough, left tackle Trent Williams and wide receivers Kendrick Bourne and Brandon Aiyuk all landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list just days before the game.

So the 34-17 defeat at the hands of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers shouldn’t be too big a surprise.

Green Bay essentially secured the win by halftime, getting out to a 21-3 lead while watching No. 2 SF 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens struggle to move the ball through the air with a fill-in pass-catching corps and a makeshift offensive line. The lack of offensive continuity ultimately meant San Francisco’s defense gradually wore down in the face of Rodgers, running back Aaron Jones and wide receiver Davante Adams, who began picking up chunk after chunk of yards as the game drew on.

Hard to find positives in all that, right?

Well, there are actually some bonuses stemming from the game; proverbial “bright spots” in the dark night emanating around a still-empty Levi’s Stadium amid the pandemic.

They may not quell the pain and ugliness of the Thursday night loss. But at least they’re positive takeaways fans can feel somewhat happy about in the aftermath.