Connect with us

Sports

49ers cruise past the Packers, stay atop the NFC

Published

on

Santa Clara – The Forty-Niners surpassed one of their biggest hurdles with ease.  The anticipated matchup against the Green Bay Packers didn’t turn out to be as exciting as we thought.  In fact, the Packers went scoreless through the first half and held Aaron Rodgers to his lowest yards per attempt in his career as a starter.

The 49ers 37-8 victory over the Green Bay keeps them atop of the NFC with only one loss.  San Francisco’s top rated defense remains tough to handle.  Rodgers was sacked five times and went 10-for-20 for 41 yards in the first half alone.  On the Packer’s opening drive, Davante Adams was charged with a 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.  On the next play, Rodgers was sacked by Fred Warner and fumbled the ball. 

“Oh, it was a big tone setter,” said DL DeForest Buckner.  “We came out guns blazing.  That’s the kind of energy you want us to start off with, especially with a team like that.  For the offense to capitalize off of it, it was just a great start to the game.” 

Nick Bosa recovered the ball for 6 yards and that setup Tevin Coleman’s 2-yard touchdown.  Green Bay’s offense got completely shut down in the first half.  The Packers recorded five penalties for 50 yards which included Kevin King’s illegal use of hands (face mask).  That put the 49ers in good field position.  Jeff Wilson Jr. rushed up the middle for 25 yards, setting up Chase McLaughlin’s 29-yard field goal to extend San Francisco’s lead 10-0.  

“We just played our game,” Richard Sherman said.  “We just played disciplined football.  Our D-Line, they hunted and in the secondary, we just tried to play tight coverage.  We played a lot of man-to-man.  [Defensive coordinator Robert] Saleh called a lot of man-to-man today and we felt like that was the plan to try and stop the run and stop [Green Bay Packers RB] Aaron Jones.”

By the second, the Green Bay continued to struggle while the 49ers picked up the pace.  Jimmy Garoppolo connected with his favorite Tight End, George Kittle (who returned after missing 2 games) for 18 and 22 yards.  That setup McLaughlin’s second field goal for 27 yards making it a 13-0 game.  At the two-minute warning, Garoppolo handed off the ball to Deebo Samuel who took flight for a 42-yard touchdown extending San Francisco’s lead 20-0.  

“It was just an end breaking route,” said Samuel.  “When I see the ball, I take the ball.  When I turn the corner all I see is the end zone.  I was like, I got to get there.”

With seconds remaining on the clock, McLaughlin kicked a 48-yard field goal to make it a 23-0 game to end the half.  This game was a must win for the 49ers.  The team played great on all sides of the ball, leaving their performance tonight as one of the best of the season.  Their win keeps them in control of the NFC and home field advantage as we get closer to the playoffs.  

“We hurt ourselves again,” Adams said.  “We just keep putting ourselves in these tough positions.  When it’s third-and- forever or second-and-forever, it’s tough to comeback against a good team like that.  We just have to put ourselves in a better position in early downs.  

They’ve got some beasts up front.  It’s tough.  We still have to take care of business but they’ve got a really good team.  They’ve got a really good front and they’ve got some impact players but we still have to come up with a game plan to stop guys like that.  We didn’t do that today and that’s what it’s about.”

A poor performance by the packers left them dejected after their first turnover.  Rodgers never got into a good rhythm and after scoring in the third, they never got that opportunity again.  Due to a few San Francisco penalties, Green Bay saw a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel in the third quarter.  Rodgers connected with Jamaal Williams for 33 and 9 yards, putting them in the best field position all night.  Rodgers scrambled for 5 yards and a penalty on Richard Sherman for unnecessary roughness put the Packers on the goal line.  

Rodgers found Adams for the 2-yard touchdown making it a 23-6 game.  Green Bay went for the two-pint conversion to extend their lead to 23-8.  But San Francisco’s two-play drive was the nail the coffin.  Garoppolo connected with Kendrick Bourne for 14 yard pass.  Garoppolo then went deep to Kittle for a 61 yard touchdown making it a 30-8 game.  By the fourth Raheem Mostert rushed up the middle for a 15-yard touchdown making it a 37-8 game.

“Oh my, we’ve been running that since Week One, and I have to run it like two or three times a week,” said Kittle regarding his 61-yard touchdown.  “That’s like a 50-yard route every single time.  I’m just like, ‘Hey [San Francisco 49ers head coach] Kyle [Shanahan], relax.  I’m a tight end.’ We finally got the call and ran it, so that was pretty fun.  It’s just a corner post.  Perfect coverage to run it against.  Jimmy gave me a perfect ball and I had to unhitch the trailer and out-run a couple guys.  It was pretty fun.” 

The 49ers improve to 10-1 on the season, marking their best start through 11 games since 1997 (11-1).  San Francisco won their only game of the season against the NFC North.  The 49ers also won their first game on Sunday Night Football since 10/6/13 vs Houston (W, 34-3).  The team is now 3-1 in primetime matchups this season.

“We’re very well aware of how tight of a race it is, but it’s way too early to sit there and focus on it,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan.  “The way things are going, I’m sure that’ll be the last week that really is worth knowing what’s out there.  There’s a lot of football to play and a lot of games and a lot of good teams out there.” 

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Community

Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame

The Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame (MESHOF) announced that it will induct Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, a former WNBA player and Oakland Technical High School graduate at its inaugural Curt Flood Platinum Award Ceremony in February. Gray-Lawson’s Platinum Award is part of the Hall of Fame’s 24th Annual Bay Area induction and award ceremony, where four other retired professional athletes will be honored.

Published

on

Photo Courtesy of Alexis Gray Lawson.
Photo Courtesy of Alexis Gray Lawson.

By Post staff

The Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame (MESHOF) announced that it will induct Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, a former WNBA player and Oakland Technical High School graduate at its inaugural Curt Flood Platinum Award Ceremony in February.

Gray-Lawson’s Platinum Award is part of the Hall of Fame’s 24th Annual Bay Area induction and award ceremony, where four other retired professional athletes will be honored.

The banquet and ceremony will be held from 5:45 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the George P. Scotlan Convention Center at Oakland’s Marriott Civic Center Hotel.

“I am truly honored to receive this incredible nomination,” said Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, who, along with college teammate Devanei Hampton, lead Oakland Tech to its second consecutive state title in 2005. “It took a village to raise me and get me here, and I truly am excited to continue the legacy.”

Gray-Lawson, a “second team” Parade All-American and an All-State honoree, as a senior in ’05, was chosen for the California Interscholastic Federation sportsmanship award. She only lost one game throughout her four-year career in high school. Her jersey was retired at Oakland Tech and placed in the National High School Hall of Fame as a four-time All-City recipient, averaging 17.2 points per game during her career.

Gray-Lawson received scholarships in volleyball, softball, and basketball before deciding to travel up College Avenue to the University of California, Berkeley. There, she played in more basketball games (143) than any other player in Golden Bears’ history. She finished her career as the Bears all-time 3-point leader (211), and she is ranked third in scoring with 1,982 points.

An All-Pac 10 and honorable mention All-American in 2010, Gray-Lawson also was the top player at 5’8” or under for the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award. Later that year, she was a third-round pick of the Washington Mystics in 2010 and played with the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association in 2011 and 2012.  She also played professionally overseas in Turkey and Israel.

Other inductees are Clifford Ray (Basketball); Lee Lacy (Baseball); Spencer Haywood (Basketball); and Mohinder Singh Gil (Track & Field).

Organizers say the event promises to be a “historic and celebratory evening,” and iconic personalities from across the professional sports industry and its various disciplines will attend.

The no-host cocktail hour begins at 5:45 p.m.; dinner at 6:45 p.m.; and the ceremony at 7:45 p.m. All times are prompt. General tickets are $250.00; Seniors (65 and older) $150.00, and students $50. This includes dinner and the ceremony. Tables of 10 are available as well, and early purchase is recommended.

MESHOF is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring athletes from all corners of the globe who have made significant contributions to the world of sports and broadening the public’s understanding of the contributions people of color have made to professional sports; and to provide educational life skills and mentorship opportunities for deserving youth. Proceeds will help maintain the City of Oakland’s Curt Flood Field, Oakland Parks & Recreation, and MESHOF’s after school and mental health initiatives.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.multiethnicsportshof.com. For additional information, please contact: Arif  Khatlib @ afrosportshall@aol.com  or  India Alston @  india@beamcreativehouse.com

Continue Reading

Entertainment

O.J. Simpson, 76, Dies of Prostate Cancer

Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson, who rose to fame as a college football player who went on to the NFL and parlayed his talents in acting and sportscasting, succumbed to prostate cancer on April 10, his family announced.

Published

on

Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson. Wikipedia photo.
Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson. Wikipedia photo

By Post Staff

 Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson, who rose to fame as a college football player who went on to the NFL and parlayed his talents in acting and sportscasting, succumbed to prostate cancer on April 10, his family announced.

Born and raised in San Francisco, the Galileo High School graduate was recruited by the University of Southern California after he was on a winning Junior College All-American team.

At USC, he gained wide acclaim as a running back leading to him becoming the No. 1 pick in the AFL-NFL draft in 1969 and joining the Buffalo Bills, where he had demanded – and received — the largest contract in professional sports history: $650,000 over five years. In 1978, the Bills traded Simpson to his hometown team, the San Francisco 49ers, retiring from the game in 1979.

Simpson’s acting career had begun before his pro football career with small parts in 1960s TV (“Dragnet”) before “Roots” and film (“The Klansman,” “The Towering Inferno,” Capricorn One”).

He was also a commentator for “Monday Night Football,” and “The NFL on NBC,” and in the mid-1970s Simpson’s good looks and amiability made him, according to People magazine, “the first b\Black athlete to become a bona fide lovable media superstar.”

The Hertz rent-a-car commercials raised his recognition factor while raising Hertz’s profit by than 50%, making him critical to the company’s bottom line.

It could be said that even more than his success as a football star, the commercials of his running through airports endeared him to the Black community at a time when it was still unusual for a Black person to represent a national, mainstream company.

He remained on Hertz team into the 1990s while also getting income endorsing Pioneer Chicken, Honey Baked Ham and Calistoga water company products and running O.J. Simpson Enterprises, which owned hotels and restaurants.

He married childhood sweetheart Marguerite Whitley when he was 19 and became the father of three children. Before he divorced in 1979, he met waitress and beauty queen Nicole Brown, who he would marry in 1985. A stormy relationship before, during and after their marriage ended, it would lead to a highway car chase as police sought to arrest Simpson for the murder by stabbing of Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994.

The pursuit, arrest, and trial of Simpson were among the most widely publicized events in American history, Wikipedia reported.

Characterized as the “Trial of the Century,” he was acquitted by a jury in 1995 but found liable in the amount of $33 million in a civil action filed by the victims’ families three years later.

Simpson would be ensnared in the criminal justice system 12 years later when he was arrested after forcing his way into a Las Vegas hotel room to recover sports memorabilia he believed belonged to him.

In 2008, he received a sentence of 33 years and was paroled nine years later in 2017.

When his death was announced, Simpson’s accomplishments and downfalls were acknowledged.

Sports analyst Christine Brennan said: “… Even if you didn’t love football, you knew O.J. because of his ability to transcend sports and of course become the businessman and the pitchman that he was.

“And then the trial, and the civil trial, the civil case he lost, and the fall from grace that was extraordinary and well-deserved, absolutely self-induced, and a man that would never be seen the same again,” she added.

“OJ Simpson played an important role in exposing the racial divisions in America,” attorney Alan Dershowitz, an adviser on Simpson’s legal “dream team” told the Associated Press by telephone. “His trial also exposed police corruption among some officials in the Los Angeles Police Department. He will leave a mixed legacy. Great athlete. Many people think he was guilty. Some think he was innocent.”

“Cookie and I are praying for O.J. Simpson’s children … and his grandchildren following his passing. I know this is a difficult time,” Magic Johnson said on X.

“I feel that the system failed Nicole Brown Simpson and failed battered women everywhere,” attorney Gloria Allred, who once represented Nicole’s family, told ABC News. “I don’t mourn for O.J. Simpson. I do mourn for Nicole Brown Simpson and her family, and they should be remembered.”

Simpson was diagnosed with prostate cancer about a year ago and was undergoing chemotherapy treatment, according to Pro Football Hall of Fame President Jim Porter. He died in his Las Vegas, Nevada, home with his family at his side.

He is survived by four children: Arnelle and Jason from his first marriage and Sydney and Justin from his second marriage. He was predeceased son, Aaren, who drowned in a family swimming pool in 1979.

Sources for this report include Wikipedia, ABC News, Associated Press, and X.

Continue Reading

Arts and Culture

Gov. Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom Host 2024 Hall of Fame Ceremony

Former Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and three other African Americans were among 10 luminaries inducted into the 2024 Class of the California Hall of Fame on Feb. 8. The 17th Annual California Hall of Fame ceremony was held at the California Museum.

Published

on

Willie Brown, Former California Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor, was proud to be among the Hall of Fame inductees. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
Willie Brown, Former California Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor, was proud to be among the Hall of Fame inductees. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

By California Black Media

Former Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and three other African Americans were among 10 luminaries inducted into the 2024 Class of the California Hall of Fame on Feb. 8.

The 17th Annual California Hall of Fame ceremony was held at the California Museum.

“The California Hall of Fame is one of our families’ favorite traditions as it is a time to come together to celebrate remarkable Californians as well as their loved ones because we know that it is about partnerships,” Siebel Newsom said. “The governor likes to say that California is a dream factory because it doesn’t matter what zip code or background you come from, the California dream is alive and well to everyone who calls this state home.”

The other Black honorees were filmmaker Ava DuVernay; Federal Judge and civil rights leader, the Hon. Thelton Henderson; and basketball Hall of Fame player and broadcaster Cheryl Miller.

“It’s what I’ve been waiting for and to be among a great group of individuals that also deserve the honor,” Brown told California Black Media on the event’s red carpet before the ceremony began. “No, I never thought someone from Texas would be recognized this way. But here I am, and it all happened in the great state of California. It’s a fantastic feeling.”

Other 2024 inductees are: master chef and “mother of fusion cuisine” Helene An; computer scientist and “father of the internet” Vincent A. Cerf; all-female pop punk band The Go-Gos; Chicano Rock band Los Lobos; former U.S. Secretary of Defense and Congressman Leon E. Panetta; and artistic director and choreographer Brenda Way.

This year’s honorees join a history-making club with over 150 inspirational Californians previously inducted for their groundbreaking achievements and personifying the state’s innovative spirit.

“It’s just a humbling experience. I want to thank the Governor and First Partner. Who would have thought 100 years ago (that I would be inducted?) It’s incredible,” Miller said after her induction. “I want to thank the governor and First Partner for an incredible event.”

During his acceptance speech, Henderson said he was deeply honored.

“You know, it really would have been a really big deal to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the area where I grew up, for example, South Central Hall of Fame, or the Watts Hall of Fame, or the Straight Out of Compton Hall of Fame,” he said. “But being inducted into the California Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame of the greatest state in the country in this great nation is something else.”

Continue Reading

Subscribe to receive news and updates from the Oakland Post

* indicates required

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND POST

ADVERTISEMENT

WORK FROM HOME

Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540

Facebook

Trending

Copyright ©2021 Post News Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.