Packers: Best-, worst-case scenarios for each round of playoffs

Conference championship

If the Packers make it to the NFC Championship Game, there’s still a chance it could be played at Lambeau Field. But for that to happen, the San Francisco 49ers would need to be eliminated in the divisional round.

Best-case scenario: Eagles

This was a choice between the Eagles and Vikings. For all the same reasons as mentioned previously, the Eagles would make for the most favorable matchup in the conference championship.

Yes, they made it all the way just a few years ago and are 1-0 against Green Bay this season. And yes, the Packers have beaten the Vikings twice already this season, but I’d prefer to take on the Eagles than a division opponent with an elite defense. Beating the same team three times in the same season is not an easy task. And if Dalvin Cook is healthy, it’d be a different game than the one we saw a few weeks ago.

I’d like the Packers’ chances against either team with the game being played at Lambeau, but the best-case scenario would be to face the Eagles.

Worst-case scenario: 49ers

If the Packers make it this far, any other opponent would mean the game is played at Lambeau Field. So of course, a 49ers-Packers conference championship would be the worst-case scenario as it’d take place at Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers have also been the best team in the NFC this season and dominated the Packers with a 37-8 blowout victory in November.

Is it possible Matt LaFleur would learn a lot from that defeat and enter the rematch with a better game plan? Absolutely. That’s what happened under Mike McCarthy back in 2015. The Packers were beaten 38-8 by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16 but then forced overtime in the rematch in the playoffs in what was a much more competitive game.

The same could happen here, but the 49ers would present by far the toughest possible matchup in the NFC Championship Game.