Daily Madden: The 49ers Pass A Difficult Test
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - The 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 30-22 at Lambeau Field in the season opener Sunday.
"That's about as tough as you can get, having to open up against the Green Bay Packers," John Madden told the KCBS morning crew. "(The Packers) are one of the best teams in the NFL, no matter how you cut it, and (they have) one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, no matter how you cut it. And playing at Lambeau Field where they play so well... you hate to you use the word dominant, but they darn near dominated the Green Bay Packers in that game."
Madden said the pressure on the Green Bay quarterback was key.
"The defense really set the tone," Madden said. "With that defense and with what the 49ers were doing to him, he never looked like he got into that Aaron Rodgers cool thing where he just gets in a groove and just keeps going on you."
After a year off recovering from a neck nerve injury, quarterback Peyton Manning led the Denver Broncos to a 31-19 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday.
"Peyton Manning is one of the good guys, and you just kind of root for him," John said. "He worked so hard in that year to get back to this position, it's just great seeing him do it. I kind of felt that he would do it, but to be honest I didn't feel he would do it in the first game... Peyton Manning is only going to get better."
The Oakland Raiders face the San Diego Chargers in Oakland Monday night.
"If you're going to play San Diego, now is the time to play them," Madden said. "Catch them early, because last time I saw them in the pre-season, they didn't look like they were ready to get started." John said.
While the Raiders expect a lot out of running back Darren McFadden, Madden said the quarterback position is key to the Raiders success.
"If the Raiders are going to be good offensively, Carson Palmer has to do it. The passing game has to do it." (10:00)
Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM.
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