49ers at Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and the Green Bay Packers beat the 49ers 30-24 at Lambeau Field. Rodgers finished 32-of-45 for 344. Ryan Grant ran for 129 and a touchdown. Alex Smith threw for 227 and three touchdowns, including a touchdown to Vernon Davis. Davis caught six for 108. Smith was intercepted once. The 49ers' rally fell short. The 49ers fell to 4-6 with the loss.[1][2][3]

Aaron Rodgers went 32-of-45 for 344 Sunday morning at Lambeau Field. The 49ers lost 30-24 in the kind of road game where a Packers offense at full operation, the kind of attack the conference's rising team brings to its home games, ended up enough to hold off a 49ers comeback.

Vernon Davis caught a touchdown and finished with six for 108. Alex Smith threw three touchdowns, including the late score that pulled the 49ers within six. Ryan Grant ran for 129 and a touchdown. Frank Gore added 59 rushing. The defense surrendered 30 to Rodgers and 129 to Grant.

4-6. The kind of road loss where the offensive growth, Vernon Davis's continuing pace toward the TE TD record, the throwing improvements under Alex Smith, gave the team something to point at even in defeat. The Jacksonville Jaguars come to Candlestick next Sunday on a Sunday in November. The kind of home game the 49ers desperately need to stay alive in the wild-card conversation.

Packers 30, 49ers 24. Margin: -6. Ten-game record: 4-6, -2 differential.

* Aaron Rodgers: 32-of-45 for 344, 2 TDs, 0 INTs.
* Greg Jennings: receiving TD.
* Ryan Grant: 21 carries for 129, 1 TD.
* Alex Smith: 16-of-33 for 227, 3 TDs (Davis + 2), 1 INT, 88.8 rating.
* Vernon Davis: 6 catches for 108, 1 TD (8th receiving TD of season).
* Frank Gore: 7 carries for 59.
* 49ers 4-6; Packers 6-4.

A 30-24 road loss at Lambeau Field. The 49ers fall to 4-6 in the cross-conference matchup.

How it unfolded

Green Bay scored on its opening drive with a Rodgers touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers answered with a Nedney field goal. The Packers added a second-quarter touchdown to make it 14-3. Smith hit a touchdown to make it 14-10. Ryan Grant added a rushing touchdown to push the lead to 23-10 at halftime. The third quarter was a Rodgers touchdown to push it to 30-10. Smith hit a Vernon Davis touchdown to make it 30-17, then hit another touchdown to make it 30-24. The 49ers' final possession ended without a score.

The turning point

The Ryan Grant rushing touchdown before halftime that made it 23-10. With the 49ers driving to make it a one-score game by the break, the Packers' answering touchdown pushed the lead to two scores and forced the 49ers to play catch-up the rest of the way.

By the numbers

Smith 227 passing on 33 attempts with three TDs and an INT. Davis 108 receiving on 6 catches with a TD. Crabtree 38 receiving on 3 catches. Gore 59 rushing on 7 carries. Rodgers 344 on 45 attempts with two TDs. Grant 129 rushing on 21 carries with a TD. Greg Jennings the receiving TD.

Personnel watch

Vernon Davis's eighth receiving touchdown of the season, the kind of mid-November tight end pace that has the NFL TE TD record in real sight. Alex Smith's three-touchdown passing day. Frank Gore quiet (7 carries). The defense surrendering 344 to Rodgers.

What it means

4-6 with the Jaguars at home next Sunday. The kind of road loss where the offensive growth was visible but the defense and the run game could not match the conference's rising team. The wild-card conversation is now mathematically narrow.