Aaron Rodgers and Packers on their way to Super Bowl

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are on the way to the Super Bowl after beating the Chicago Bears 21-14.  The Packers will try to win their 13th NFL Championship in their first visit to the title game since Brett Favre took them in 1997 when they lost to the John Elway led Denver Broncos.  The Packers lead all of the NFL in championships with three Super Bowl victories and nine championships.

Rodgers, the former Cal Bears quarterback, will make his first appearance in the Super Bowl after leading the #6 seed Green Bay Packers through the playoffs.  Even though Rodgers threw two interceptions, he did enough throughout the game that the Packers defense was able to shut down the Chicago Bears.  B.J. Raji's pick-6 and Sam Shields' two-interception performance were the main reasons why the Bears could not get anything going on the offensive side of the ball.   

It also didn't help that Jay Cutler left the game early in the third quarter with a knee injury.  Todd Collins was brought in and after throwing four incompletions was replaced by the third string quarterback, Caleb Hanie.  Hanie played rather well and brought the Bears to within a touchdown of tying the game.  His only mistake was the interception he threw that was picked off by B.J. Raji and ran back for the touchdown, which included an Aaron Rodgers-like celebration, and ended up being the difference in the game. 

San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers: What An Ugly Uniform

Date: December 5, 2010

Time: 10:00 PST
Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Records: 49ers (4-7) Packers (7-4)
Spread: Packers (-9.5)

Injuries

San Francisco: Out - CB Will James (concussion), K Joe Nedney (leg), T Joe Staley (leg); Questionable - C David Bass (concussion), LB Parys Haralson (ankle), CB Shawntae Spencer (quad); Probable - WR Josh Morgan (shoulder), RB Brian Westbrook (ankle)

Green Bay: Out - CB Patrick Lee (ankle); Doubtful - S Anthony Smith (ankle), S Atari Bigby (hamstring); Probable - WR Greg Jennings (foot), RB Dimitri Nance (concussion), T Chad Clifton (knee), S Nick Collins (shoulder), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), CB Charles Woodson (toe), T Brian Bulaga (ankle)

Inactives

San Francisco: QB David Carr (3rd QB), T Alex Boone, LB Thaddeus Gibson, OLB Parys Haralson, DB William James, LB Keaton Kristick, K Joe Nedney, T Joe Staley

Green Bay: S Atari Bigby, CB Patrick Lee, G Nick McDonald, RB Dimitri Nance, T Marshall Newhouse, LB Matt Wilhelm, DE Jarius Wynn

It is 22 degrees currently in Green Bay with a chance of snow.  It may work out for the 49ers that Brian Westbrook will be primary running back as he is used to playing in this weather unlike Frank Gore who is from Miami.

Parys Haralson is inactive and therefore Ahmad Brooks and Travis LaBoy will get a bunch of work today.

And one final thing.  God those are ugly uniforms that the Packers are wearing...

49ers-Packers: Injury Report - Jeff Reed a 49er for the Rest of the Season

Here’s is the final injury report for the 49ers-Packers game.  No surprises regarding injuries other than word out of Santa Clara is that Nedney’s recovery is not going well and is set to be re-evaluated on Monday but all indications are that he may be done for the season.

Earlier this week, the 49ers signed Jeff Reed to take over for Joe Nedney as the kicker for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers.  But according to Matt Barrows, Reed told the media today that he will be with the team for the remainder of the season.  That means that the 49ers could be without their two top offensive weapons, Frank Gore and Joe Nedney, for the remainder of the year.

And now for the injury report….

San Francisco

Out: CB Will James (concussion), K Joe Nedney (leg), T Joe Staley (leg)
Questionable: C David Baas (concussion), LB Parys Haralson (ankle), CB Shawntae Spencer (quad)
Probable: WR Josh Morgan (shoulder), RB Brian Westbrook (ankle)

Green Bay

Out: CB Patrick Lee (ankle)

Doubtful: S Anthony Smith (ankle), S Atari Bigby (hamstring)

Probable: WR Greg Jennings (foot), RB Dimitri Nance (concussion), T Chad Clifton (knee), S Nick Collins (shoulder), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), CB Charles Woodson (toe), T Brian Bulaga (ankle)

49ers-Packers: Injury Report (Thursday) - Westbrook Expected To Play Sunday

Here's the practice report from both the 49ers and the Packers.  The big name on the report is the new starting running back Brian Westbrook is listed but all indications is that he will be the starter for Sunday.  At Westbrook's age there is little reason for him to practice everyday and without Frank Gore for the rest of the season they will need to have Westbrook fresh.  

San Francisco

Out: T Joe Staley (fibula)
Did Not Participate: C David Baas (concussion), LB Parys Haralson (ankle), CB William James (concussion), K Joe Nedney (knee), CB Shawntae Spencer (quad), RB Brian Westbrook (ankle)
Limited Participation: WR Josh Morgan (shoulder)

Green Bay

Did Not Participate: S Atari Bigby (hamstring), CB Patrick Lee (ankle), S Anthony Smith (ankle)
Limited Participation: WR Greg Jennings (foot), S Nick Collins (shoulder), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), CB Charles Woodson (toe)

49ers vs. Packers: Offense Introducing Thunder & Lightning

With a short week for the 49ers, Mike Singletary met with the media again (transcript after the jump).  The discussion was around the absence of Frank Gore and what that means as far as how the new running backs will be used.  First thing first, Frank Gore's injury is not as bad as expected and therefore it will not require surgery according to Singletary.  

On another injury front, Singletary expects center David Bass to play after suffering an injury in Monday nights game.  If Bass could not go then Tony Wragge would take his place.

Now to the running backs that are expected to play Sunday.  Mike Singletary said that the 49ers are going to use a "thunder and lightning" approach with Brian Westbrook obviously the lightning and Anthony Dixon the thunder.

On whether he will use both Westbrook and RB Anthony Dixon:

“Yes; kind of ‘thunder and lightning.’ You know, that’s been used a lot through the years with running backs but with both those guys it literally is applicable.”

On whether Dixon is thunder:

“He’s going to be thunder.”

Singletary was also asked about Anthony Dixon's wide known problem of dancing around in the backfield before he hits the hole.  Singletary has been critical of Dixon from the beginning of training camp about this and would like Dixon just to run through the hole whether it is there or not.

On Dixon looking like thunder but playing like lighting:

“You know what, he’s got great feet and, you know, that’s something for him that, a lot of people would say is a negative thing because he has such great feet he can continue to try and fill the hole. But I think for what we want to, what we want him to do is be a little more disciplined toward hitting the hole and hitting it now and if it’s not there then try and make it there; try and make one there. I just think that he’s still learning what his style is going to be, but I’m very excited about the possibilities there.”

And finally before the transcript.  The 49ers signed three players to the practice squad today.  WR Bakari Grant, guard Nick Howell, and running back Xavier Omon were all added.  Bakari Grant, as you may remember, was in training camp with the 49ers earlier this year.

Al Harris is Available, But Not an True Option for the 49ers

There was a rumor (or a blogger suggestion) going around last week that cornerback Al Harris was going to be cut by the Green Bay Packers and the 49ers should try to sign him.  The rumor may now become a reality.  According to the National Football Post, Harris' agent is in negotiations with multiple teams. 

What does this mean?

It means that if there is truly multiple teams then he will not be signing with the 49ers.  There is no way if there is more than the 49ers interested that he will be signing with them. 

Although other teams may have a worse record there is not another worse team in the NFL than the 49ers unless we are talking about the Dallas Cowboys.  Either way, I just don't see why the 49ers would sign him and why he would accept.