SANTA CLARA – Everything came together for the 49ers on Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers.
The 49ers rolled to a 37-8 victory over the Packers at Levi’s Stadium with the defense putting on a suffocating performance against Aaron Rodgers and Co., and the offense doing more than its share of the heavy lifting, too.
The 49ers won a total of 10 games in the first two seasons with Kyle Shanahan as head coach. Now, they’ve won 10 of their first 11 games this season. And Shanahan loves how his team got to this point and the mindset of the locker room while times are good.
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“You always worry if that’s going to change people, but our guys haven’t changed at all,” Shanahan said. “We’re locked in and more focused. They’re not just pumped about where we’re at, they’re pumped about the possibilities of where we can go.
“That’s what excites them the most, and hopefully we can keep working and make that happen.”
The 49ers had the most-difficult three-game stretch this late in the season for any team in the NFL’s Super Bowl era. The first game of the gauntlet couldn't have been much easier against the Packers, who fall to 8-3. Next up are Baltimore (8-2) and New Orleans (9-2).
Linebacker Fred Warner forced a fumble with a sack of Rodgers and Nick Bosa recovered it at the Green Bay 2-yard line on the fifth play of the game. Tevin Coleman scored on the next play, and the rout was on. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had one of his best games, as he raised his passer rating for the season to 100.6 with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
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“I’ve been very impressed with our guys since we got together in OTAs,” Shanahan said. “We got a really good group of people. We got a smart group. We got guys who love football. Very high character in how much they work and how much they dedicate to football.
“I think that’s what started us out this year, playing so tough, playing so well together.”
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The 49ers maintained their one-game lead in the NFC West over the Seattle Seahawks, as well as for the top spot in the NFC over Seattle and New Orleans.
“We’re very well aware of how tight the race is,” Shanahan said. "But it’s way too early to sit there and focus on it. The way things are, I’m sure it’ll be the last week when it’s worth knowing what’s out there. There is a lot of football to play and a lot of games and a lot of good teams out there.”