Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers: Week 1 2012 NFL Season Live scores, blog

The standout match up for Week 1 of the NFL season will see two powerhouse Superbowl contenders in the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers lock horns at Lambeau field.

Join us for kick off at 6:25am as we bring you all the action in what promises to be an action filled heavyweight battle.

Both squads will be looking to jump out of the blocks early and start this season on a positive note in their quest to make amends for Playoff defeats to the eventual Superbowl Champion New York Giants.

Monday morning’s clash will see last seasons regular season MVP and leader of the second best offense in the league Aaron Rodgers go head to head against last seasons league leading 49ers road defense.

Rodgers led his Packers team to a 15-1 regular season record before finding himself sacked four times in a shock loss to Eli Manning and the eventual Superbowl Champions ended their year.

Despite a premature finish Green Bay, and more specifically Rodgers, had a year to remember. Rodgers threw for over 4,500 yards last season with 45 touchdowns, a completion rate above 68% and all the while throwing just six interceptions.

Behind Rodgers season the Packers were an offensive juggernaut and would rank Inside the league’s top five in points per game, yards per game, first downs per game, red zone scores per game and first overall for touchdowns per game. Any chance the Packers have at overcoming the brick wall 49er defense starts and ends on the offensive side of the field and in the hands of Aaron Rodgers.

Receivers Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings combined for 24 touchdowns least season and tight end Jermichael Finley added eight so there’s no shortage of targets for the reigning league MVP.

The 49ers are coming off an NFC West crown and 13-3 season. A 20-17 overtime loss in the NFL title game to Eli Manning’s Giants would bring their year to an end. For the 49ers the entire offseason was focused on adding upgrades on the offensive end.

Veteran receivers Randy Moss and Mario Manningham will join a receiver core which already consists of Michael Crabtree and tight end Vernon Davis, with Frank Gore leading the ground game.

Quarterback Alex Smith will look to continue his impressive playoff form and work with the newly acquired talent to improve on the 49ers pedestrian offense which ranked outside the league’s top twenty in total yards, first downs, touchdowns and red zone scores per game.

The cornerstone of the 49ers is their defense and it will once again be the catalyst if San Francisco are going to steal an upset road win against the more fancied Packers.

The 49ers had the league’s best road defense last season allowing just 17.8 points per game. San Francisco also ranked inside the league’s top five for fewest opponent touchdowns per game, red zone scores per game and offensive touches per game.

It’s the age-old battle of great offense versus elite defense only it’s taking place between two loaded Superbowl contenders so you can bet the house on this one being a barn burner with plenty of Fireworks. The two teams haven’t met since 2010, a match up which Green Bay won comfortably 34-16.

Given the Packers owned a 13 game home win streak prior to the loss to the Giants in last years playoffs and the fact that the 49ers ranked 29th overall for opponent passing attempts per game, 25th for opponent completions per game, 22nd for opponent passing yards per game and 15th for opponent passing touchdowns per game, I’m picking Rodgers to continue his surgical MVP form from last season and lead the Packers to a 29-24 victory.