### 49ers Struggle in Week 12 Against Packers Amid Key Player Injuries

The San Francisco 49ers faced significant challenges in Week 12 as they went up against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The 49ers were missing key players like starting quarterback Brock Purdy (right shoulder), top pass rusher Nick Bosa (hip/oblique), and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) due to injuries. Despite their determined efforts, the 49ers fell short, suffering a 38-10 defeat to the Packers.

With Purdy sidelined, ninth-year professional Brandon Allen stepped in as the starting quarterback. Allen, in his second season with San Francisco, was initially named the backup quarterback in September. Prior to this game, Allen had made nine career starts, with his most recent start being in the final game of the 2021 season with the Cincinnati Bengals. In that game, he completed 15 of 29 pass attempts for 136 yards and a touchdown. On Sunday, Allen led the 49ers on an 11-play, 65-yard touchdown drive, culminating in a three-yard score by George Kittle. This second-quarter touchdown narrowed the gap to 10 points just before halftime. Allen finished the game with 17 of 29 pass completions for 199 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

In the absence of Nick Bosa, defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu got his first NFL start. Okuayinonu played alongside Leonard Floyd and interior linemen Jordan Elliott and Maliek Collins. He contributed three tackles, including one for a loss. Floyd made notable plays with two third-down sacks of Packers quarterback Jordan Love, forcing Green Bay to punt on both occasions.

George Kittle made significant contributions, catching a touchdown pass from Allen in the second quarter. This reception marked Allen’s 10th career touchdown pass and vaulted Kittle past legendary 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark for the fourth-most receptions in franchise history, with 507 catches. Kittle later surpassed former running back Roger Craig for third-most receptions on the same leaderboard.

Injuries continued to plague the 49ers during the game. Defensive lineman Jordan Elliott was ruled out with a concussion and is now in the concussion protocol. Linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury, later being ruled out. Cornerback Renardo Green was marked as questionable with a neck injury, and offensive lineman Aaron Banks also left the game and is in the concussion protocol.

Turnovers and penalties severely affected the 49ers' performance. The team opened the third quarter with a turnover on downs and then suffered two additional turnovers in the second half, which led to Packers' touchdowns. In addition to the turnovers, San Francisco accumulated nine penalties for 77 yards, further hampering their attempts to mount a comeback.

Despite the hurdles, the 49ers showed moments of promise, particularly through the performances of Allen, Kittle, and Okuayinonu. However, the combination of key injuries, turnovers, and penalties proved too much to overcome against a formidable Packers team.