Honestly, I though Burnett played his best game in a while...that's how bad he's been this year. He made a couple plays, came close to making a play on the TD to Davis, and only missed a handful of tackles. Glad we locked this guy up on the cheap.

Ugly, 49rs cut blocks taking out two linebackers.

Bad. Offensive game plan.. Needed quick passes. This was obvious 5 minutes into the game yet we kept going for the deep ball. I sure miss jermichael.

Good. Defense played solid. They just couldn't come up with that lat stop.

The ugly: 7 three and out drives.

aaron rodgers in the bad category...you must be joking. how bout james jones in the bad for letting that pass bounce off his face mask at the one yard line. if he would have caught that, we would be talking about Carolina.

Good - Nelson, Cobb, Lacy, Starks, Williams, Rodgers (just for the escape he made and hit Cobb for a first down). I will add Kuhn as well.

Bad - McCarthy's play calling early on. Especially the first possession. 3rd down they take out Eddie Lacy and put Kuhn in. Then they do a running play with Kuhn. Seriously??? Take out Lacy and put in Kuhn to run the ball??? WTF?

Ugly - Injuries... I really think that this game would have been different if Neal and Shields stay healthy. Especially Shields. Losing him forced Capers to have to use House (who played decent overall) and Bush (who was ok).
So in yesterdays game they had to play without their top defensive player (Mathews) and then lost their 2nd best OLB, and then lost probably their 2nd best playmaker on defense.

I guess the injuries are fitting for the season.

I know Arod didn't have nearly his best game but given that he has to always play his "A" game to make for the defense it's tough to place the blame on him. Kinda like when Favre was trying to carry the team. If we don't get Rodgers some help on defense very quickly he'll waste his prime years just like Favre did. Always good enough to carry the team to the playoffs but not good enough to win in the post season without some help. This defense needs some serious upgrades or we'll be revisiting the same post next year and the year after that.....

You watch coach's like Trestmen and Kelly find creative ways to leak the TE/RB out of unconventional sets (often using motion) to counter cover-2 against good defensive units capable of pressuring without blitzing and then you watch McCarthy and/or Rodgers continue to dissect 6-7 man coverage by insisting on throwing directly into it where your windows to throw a receiver open are very, very small, if non-existant, and it's just painful.

They stress that offensive line way too much, for what reason I have no idea? So, who really needs to do the soul-searching this season? Feels like it's the tandom of MM and Rodgers more than anything. I would like to see Rodgers play 5-8 more years at a high level, not 3-5. They're on course for 3-5 if they insist on playing a high-risk game of stressing your protection, extending plays and hoping a receiver breaks free.

I'd have to add Jarrett Bush to the ugly. He overcommitted on SF's last drive which allowed Kaepernick to run for a first down and seal the game against us. If Bush just contains Kaepernick, instead of trying to sack him, we make it a lot more difficult for their kicker to make the winning field goal or maybe force Kaepernick into making a mistake.

BJ Raji should have been benched for his half hearted effort all year..I'd like to see them switch to a hybrid 4-3 with Jones and Perry/Neal at DE and Jolly/Pickett or Daniels/Boyd on the inside

Aaron Rodgers was NOT in the bad. If you are expecting 300 yards passing against that defense in that weather you are on crack.

I'd put Capers in the good. He gets a lot of crap from fans, and when he does well it needs to be acknowledged. What he did with the pieces he had yesterday was impressive.

G: Tramon, Capers, Eddie
B: Burnett, OL repeatedly collapsing against 4 man pressure
U: Injuries

Withtout even ONE of the injuries we had yesterday we win that game. It was that close. Their days of dominance over us are through. Get a safety in the draft or FA. Ditto ILB.

Start renegotiating B Jones and Burnett's contracts. Cut them if they're not amenable.

The offense deserves blame for their train wreck of a first quarter, but it doesn't remove the blame that the defense let the 49ers go all the way down the field on that final drive.

When the 4th quarter rolled around, Rodgers and the offense doubled their point production to first take the lead and then tie it up, once again adding to the total of times Rodgers has tied up the game, or given the Packers the lead in the 4th quarter of an eventual loss. It is amazing how many of these scoring drives he's led.

Unfortunately, every time the Packers scored, the defense allowed the 49ers to answer.

I think the difficult conditions contributed to shaky offensive performance by both sides. Because when crunch time arrived both Packer units performed to expectations. The offense did well and the defense did not.

Good-Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, Tramon Williams, John Kuhn

Bad-The offense on way too many drives, Devon House, Morgan Burnett

Ugly-This whole injury plagued season that showcased how bad a lot of our "talent" truly is, poor clock management costing us a chance at 4 more points, poor tackling for the 17th week in a row, and more undisciplined play.

It almost seems to me that MM sacrifices the first two series of games to see what the defense is doing. Their opening drives are just terrible, like he's not even trying to move the ball. SF had the ball on our side of the 50 the entire 1st quarter, we had 6 yards. Awful!!!!

Good: Guys I thought could be salary-cap casualties (Williams, Kuhn) this off-season.

Bad: Guys who want to get paid (Raji, Jones).

Ugly: Guy who got paid (Burnett).

I'm in the minority on House, apparently. I was not impressed. I think he's lucky the refs were letting them play in the D backfield.

You're playing one of the best run defenses in the league minus a starting cornerback. You have one of the best passing offenses in the league and a suspect defense. The weather is nasty and the best way to take advantage of nasty weather is to come out fast, hard and productive. You need to put the other team on the heels from the outset, get a lead on them and all of a sudden that cold weather starts to eat at them mentally.

How did McCarthy open the game? 3 straight running plays that went nowhere. 3 possessions that went nowhere. I like McCarthy as a head coach but I really want someone else calling the plays next year.

The defense will be fine minus one or two players that can't think and play at the same time.

Can I just say that whatever James Starks did to McCarthy I hope he makes up for in the off season.

Starks seemed to have an advantage over Lacy yesterday and yet still had what seemed like 5 carries to Lacy's 20.

Starks is quicker. Lacy is more powerful. A fabulous 1 2 punch and yet we don't use them that way. It's Lacy Lacy Lacy Lacy Starks Lacy Lacy Lacy Lacy. Starks seems to come in when Lacy has to come out.

I don't get it. Yes Lacy is a great running back and they should use him a lot, but Starks is also great. They are different runners and can be used to keep the defense off balance. And if our game plan was to try and run the ball a lot we should have rotated those backs a lot more than we did especially considering Lacy's ankle and the cold.

During Flynn's time the receivers often covered for poor throws by making great plays. On TV you can't see how open WRs are, but AR seems to hold the ball WAY too long. Has Boykin totally disappeared or is AR simply not seeing him? AR is great, but holding the ball too long is a MAJOR flaw in his game that kills drives, leads to sacks, and opens him up to injury.

Good: Fans for braving the cold
Bad: Two dropped interceptions-one in the end zone. The "O" line's pass blocking-or lack of.
Ugly: Unimaginative play calling (for the tenth game in a row). Lacey running on first down 90% of the time doesn't fool anyone, Mike. The 8yr old in the upper deck sticking pins in her Chicago Bears doll knows he's running it on 1st down. Don't remember the last time we ran a quick crossing route with the tight end. Or a wide receiver screen. Hey Mike-Aaron's getting killed out there-what about rolling him out? The play calling makes me think we have Dan Reeves' playbook from the Denver days-Run Left-Run right-Pass for 8 yards-then kick it. Hey Aaron stop holding on to the ball so long-throw it away! And It's OK to spike the ball when you don't have time outs. And receivers- when you run a side line pattern-think about being near the side line so you can step out & the kill the clock.

Well...cya around draft time. Reading this shit is just depressing.

Now Ted Thompson can start drafting offensive lineman to keep the 49er defensive line at bay. No pun intended

Aaron Rodgers bad? Are you nuts? Did you see the way he played against the No.1 or 2 D. in the NFL with no protection, receivers barely open and letting the ball hit them in the face when it got there? As opposed to Kapernich, who had all day and a 10 yd. gap to run through when no one was open and still threw a few up for grabs.

That last 1st down by Kap was on Bush, who jumped and let him break contain. I hope we've seen the last of that bum, although TT seems to have a man-crush on him.

MVP was Jordy or Eddie Lacy, who got 81 yds with no blocking, probably 75 after 1st contact.

Hyde has to make that last pick, it's the playoffs, you have to take it up a notch.

All I can say is FUCK, I'm out.

Big mistake If the pack gets rid of Kuhn. Every team in every sport needs player who do the dirty work which doesn't get noticed. Pack needs a safety and solid d lineman

Ted T is a cluster F living off a superbowl win three years ago. Since then he has brought in no free agents to help on D, no quality linemen, no defensive backs who are worth a shit.
Did you know that our O line are almost all 6'4. Our dbacks are all 5'10 or 5'11, same size, same build, same speed.
Apparently he has a formula and drafts guys that fit exactly what he is looking for. Thats why he has passed on some real talent, they didn't fit his mold. The guy is nuts.

I agree Al, Ted is the worst evaluator in football but keep in mind, it costs a hell of a lot less to pay a 5th rounder than a second rounder. Give the second up for two 6's and you get two players for the price of one.
Ted does not evaluate injury proness and he is drafting smallish guys from Div II or his Div I guys were third stringers. Thus, all the injuries are drafting guys who are used to having injuries all the time.

I hope Ted figures it out before next season. The Vikes are deep, young and talented and one QB from being a dominant team with great defense.
Lions who knows? They have talent and defense.
Bears need defense too and could improve greatly with a couple of picks.
May not be playoffs next year? Lets hope not but something has to improve on this team.

Bravo, 3 dumbass trolls posts in a row!

My opinion, McCarthy blew this one with terrible playcalling at critical times. Our last drive we were rolling down the field and lacy and starks were hot all game. then we get a 1st and goal from the 9 yard line and we dont even have either of them on the field, instead he pitches the ball to Randall Cobb as a goal line play? Just plain stupid to not give it to lacy there, that is where Lacy is at his best. Bad playcalling cost us that one.

Overall I have to give the defense a "weak good". Still frustrating when the opposing QB has no one open and can easily run for 15 or 20 yards. Might as well rush 3 and put a linebacker in contain on the QB......and Hyde had a decent rookie year but for god sake....catch that ball on the route you jumped and we are headed to Carolina!! A couple DB's over 5'10" would be nice too.

Does it still count as 3 if they're written by 1 person?

McCarthy is the worst clock manager in football. How do you not take that last timeout with 20 seconds left in first half and get 2 plays into endzone? His redzone playcalling is an embarrassment. How many of you just knew that we would settle for a field goal on that last drive and then lose the game? McCarthy needs to concentrate on being head coach and let Rogers and an offensive coordinator make the play calls.Tired of us getting outcoached every game. Defense steps up despite all the injuries and McCarthy playcalling and clock mismanagement lose the game. Seriously no throws to tight end with them loading the box?? No screen passes?Only 3-4 playaction passes? How about Rogers on a bootleg on the 4 or 5 yard line?(Worked for Luck and Alex Smith all day!)Oh well just venting!!

McCarthy is 3-7-1 without HoF Rodgers/Favre at QB.... and 1 of those wins came in a meaningless final game against the lions.

This year McCarthy went 2-5-1 without Rodgers. The Packers competed and had chances to win every game they played (except the Thanksgving day Lions game) bu lost because of McCarthy's Run, Run, pass, punt play calling strategy. The RedZone play calling by McCarthy even with Rodgers is horrid. People want to give McCarthy a pass for this year because of the injuries but even if the Packers are not injured and have a full strength team it would not change McCarthy's idiotic approach to his play calling and constant clock mismanagement game after game. The Pittsburgh game was all on McCarthy in the final minute... What coach attempts to run twice inside the 15 with less than 40 seconds and no timeouts when needing a TD and then not being aware of the situation and not telling your back up QB to spike the ball to stop the clock for 2 attempts at the endzone... McCarthy is a clueless idiot and is living off the coat tails of HOF QB's.. the end of the first half against the niners wasting 20 seconds on the clock sums up McCarthy's incompetence.

Rodgers definitely belongs in the bad.

McCarthy and Rodgers aren't changing a thing for next year. They're both too stubborn.

I talk to packers fans all the time that still think the McCarthy/Rodgers offense out scored the steelers offense in Super Bowl.

Maybe we'll get lucky again and the stars will align in 2014/2015.

Rodgers in "The Bad" and Aaron's admonition that he shouldn't "piss down his leg" for the first quarter is the kind of reactionary fluff that's getting pretty typical on this site (which I still enjoy, BTW).

Essentially, Rodgers' task was to play mistake-free football against one of the best Ds in the league dropping 8 into coverage with a o-line leakier than the Polish navy in 0 degree weather??? Oh, and protect that collarbone while you're at it.

I think AR played damn well considering the circumstances.