Packers kick off their playoff run by hosting the 49ers on Saturday night
The playoffs are finally here for our beloved Green Bay Packers as they get ready to host the San Francisco 49ers at 7:15 pm (Central Time) Saturday night.
The Packers are the #1 seed after finishing the regular season 13-4, clinching the top seed with a week to spare. The 49ers are the #6 seed and finished the regular season 10-7. They advanced to the Divisional Round of the playoffs after eliminating the Dallas Cowboys 23-17. The 49ers were the only road team last weekend to win and advance.
The Packers and 49ers played each other in Week 3 in Santa Clara on a Sunday night. The Packers won it 30-28 on a 51-yard field goal by Mason Crosby as time expired.
Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to play despite having a sprained shoulder on his throwing arm. He has an excellent running attack in Elijah Mitchell and Deebo Samuel, who they often put in the backfield. Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are quite an explosive receiving combination. We cannot forget about TE George Kittle either. The Packers will have their hands full trying to slow down this offense. They need to shut down the run and force “Jimmy G” to try to beat them. They also need to know where Deebo Samuel is at all times. If he is unaccounted for, he can change the whole dynamic of this game. Rookie Trey Lance will be in at quarterback if Jimmy G can’t finish the game or is unable to start.
Aaron Rodgers has heard it before. He puts up excellent numbers in the regular season but has only one Super Bowl ring to show for it. He is looking to change the narrative and has the pieces to do it. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon combine to make quite a powerful running attack. Davante Adams will find a way to get his yards, but I expect the 49ers to make him work for it. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard will need to make plays. Randall Cobb is expected to return, which will help a great deal. David Bakhtiari is also back after playing a bit in the regular-season finale at Detroit. They need to avoid a slow start, something the Cowboys were unable to do last Sunday. Move the ball early and often and finish drives in the endzone instead of setting for field goals or failed 4th-down conversions.
The Packers have been shaky on special teams at times this year. Mason Crosby made the game-winner at Santa Clara and one at Cincinnati, but this has not been one of his better years. Hopefully the time off has helped and he is at the top of his game. We definitely need him to be.
The Packers and 49ers have met in the playoffs eight previous times, and the teams have split those games 4-4. The Packers won the first three meetings and four of the first five, but they have dropped the previous three games to SF. It is time to change that and get back on the winning side.
The 49ers won (or escaped) last weekend’s game vs the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. They looked very good at times but also showed some cracks as the Cowboys rallied back and almost had a chance at a miracle finish at the end. You can give your opinion on the final play whether the referees messed up, but the players and coaches cannot allow themselves to get in such a position like that. Hopefully the Packers do a much better job at clock management, and not committing 14 penalties, which the Cowboys did, will also help a great deal.
I know some of you are nervous about this game. I admit that I considered the 49ers the toughest matchup of the four possible opponents for the Packers in this round of the playoffs. I do not expect this game to be easy, and in the playoffs, it shouldn’t be. I do expect the Packers to win though. The 49ers are physical on both sides of the ball, but I believe the Packers can handle it just fine. They got out of Santa Clara with a victory and GB will have some starters back who didn’t play in that Week 3 game. The weather will be much different and the Packers will have the crowd on their side. We got this!
It will be a very cold one, especially since the game will be played at night. Dress warm if you are going to the game. Be ready to cheer louder than you ever have before. Let’s enjoy this weekend as the Packers move another step closer to their goal. Their season does not end on Saturday. I really believe it. Let’s get it done!
Get Loud Lambeau!
Go Pack Go!
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