SANTA CLARA –- Aaron Rodgers is good enough on his own that he does not need any gifts from the 49ers’ defense.
That is 49ers coach Jim Tomsula’s message this week in practices leading up to Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers is a master of using the hard count and his cadence to draw the defense offside. Then, he often unleashes nothing-to-lose deep throws.
At worst, the Packers accept the five-yard penalty. At best, Rodgers connects for a big gain against a flat-footed defense that becomes susceptible to a pass down the field.
On Monday, he caught Kansas City's defense napping with a 52-yard pass to James Jones after it jumped into the neutral zone at the snap.