3 ways 49ers were able to contain Aaron Rodgers, Packers

No. 2: 49ers slowed down Aaron Rodgers’ main weapon, Davante Adams

Wide receiver Davante Adams has been Aaron Rodgers’ go-to option for the last several years. This season saw Adams finish second in the NFL in receiving target shares with 31.6 percent.

In the Week 3 contest, Adams chewed up the 49ers secondary with 12 receptions for 132 yards. With 37 seconds left in the game, Rodgers hit Adams twice for 42 yards pushing the ball downfield and setting the Packers up for the winning field goal.

In Saturday’s matchup, Adams started the game off red hot, gaining three receptions for 35 yards on the first offensive possession. The chemistry between quarterback and receiver was unstoppable, and the Niners didn’t seem to make slowing them down a high priority.

After the first few drives, San Francisco’s defensive line had about enough of the completed passes and started getting to Rodgers before he could hurl deep passes in the direction of Adams.

Whether it was by defensive design or not, the receptions Adams started to get in the second half were shorter, more manageable catches that didn’t hurt the 49ers as much. By the end of the game, Adams had a stat line of nine catches for 90 yards, a big improvement made by the Niners secondary.

Adams wasn’t shut down by any means, but the Packers’ star didn’t wreck the game as he did in Week 3. San Francisco kept him in front and took smart angles and sound tackling to limit his yards after the catch.

Controlling Adams went a long way in keeping Rodgers from going off in this game.