:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70400188/1343624468.0.jpg)
Familiarity breeds contempt.
That proverb is definitely true for the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers who will face off for the second time this season and the second time in three postseasons Saturday night at Lambeau Field.
Given the Packers’ recent history against the 49ers in the playoffs, fans would be forgiven if they are a bit worried about this matchup but the truth is this is the strongest position the Packers have been in to face the 49ers in the playoffs in 20 years.
In the Aaron Rodgers era, the Packers are 0-3 against the 49ers in the postseason but two of those losses have come in San Francisco and they were, as we all remember, blowouts. Both times the Green Bay defense was run all over by San Francisco, first by Colin Kaepernick in 2013 and then by Raheem Mostert in 2012.
Now San Francisco’s rushing attack is arguably their biggest weakness with having to rely on rookie Elijah Mitchell and receiver Deebo Samuel for the bulk of their run game production and indeed Mitchell had 27 carries yesterday in the win over the Dallas Cowboys, averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
People may point to how Green Bay needed a walk-off Mason Crosby field goal to beat San Francisco this year. However don’t forget the Packers dominated most of that game before some poor officiating led by Jerome Boger (whose crew has been banned from the rest of the playoffs for a botched whistle) gave San Francisco a boost. A Green Bay defense still adapting to Joe Barry also didn’t help.
If you’re going “San Francisco? AGAIN?!” this morning, take a deep breath. It’s no sure thing Green Bay wins this game (anything can happen in the playoffs) but this is the weakest 49ers team the Packers will face in the playoffs in the Rodgers era.
If Fred Warner and Joey Bosa are both out Saturday, that tilts the field very much in the Packers’ favor. Ironically the 49ers are built very similarly to the team the Packers got blown out by two year ago. It’s the Packers who are the much different and dare we say much improved team.
Packers will face 49ers in NFC Divisional playoff—Packers.com
The postseason series between both teams is tied at 4-4. Someone will have the edge after Saturday night in a classic postseason rivalry that dates back to the divisional playoffs in 1996 where the Packers initially had 3-1 lead in the series from 1996-1999.
Many changes for Packers-49ers, even the Matt LaFleur-Kyle Shanahan angle—ESPN
The LaFleur vs Shanahan angle will be played up as nauseum this week especially after the icy handshake the two coaches shared after their regular season contest. The truth is getting pasr San Francisco in the playoffs would clear a huge psychological hurdle for the Packers’ coach who spent several years under Shanahan’s tutelage.
It’s wild that not even six months ago the Packers’ season was teetering on the edge as Rodgers had not yet decided whether or not he would come back for the 2021 season. Not only did he return but here we are again not only on the precepice of another Super Bowl run but it seems like the quarterback and team have patched things up and perhaps even grown closer.
3 cats have outmaneuvered their 2 humans to hold a blender hostage for weeks—NPR
There is no word yet on what the cats’ demands are and the blender is said to be in good condition and treated well.
Loading comments...