Packers potential playoff opponent: A closer look at the 49ers
The Green Bay Packers have suffered playoff exits to the San Francisco 49ers three times in the past nine years.
It’s easy to see why some Packers fans would be concerned about another potential meeting with the Niners in the postseason, even with the game being played at Lambeau Field.
But what could we expect from a potential rematch with the 49ers?
How the Packers can meet the 49ers
As the sixth seed, should the 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys, there’s a strong possibility they would be heading to Lambeau Field in the divisional round. The only scenario that would prevent that would be if the lowest-seed Philadelphia Eagles beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
How they got here
Four straight losses in October — including one to the Packers — threatened to derail the 49ers’ season. At one stage, they were 2-4. But Kyle Shanahan’s team bounced back admirably, going 8-3 down the stretch to enter the postseason with plenty of momentum. In that time, they swept the Los Angeles Rams and picked up an impressive win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Player to worry about
Deebo Samuel.
A first-team All-Pro this season, Samuel has been simply unstoppable. Samuel had an incredible 1,770 all-purpose yards (1,405 receiving, 365 rushing), and 14 total touchdowns in the regular season.
In terms of yards, his worst game of the season actually came against the Packers. He had just 52 receiving yards and no rushing yards. But that’s one game. Samuel’s work over the course of the season shows just how good he is. If the Packers play the 49ers, they absolutely must have an answer for Samuel.
How Packers can win
San Francisco has a team built for the playoffs. It runs the football well and has a strong defense. This team could make a Super Bowl run.
If the Packers are to eliminate the 49ers, it starts with preventing a repeat of the NFC Championship Game from two years ago. Stopping the run is priority number one. San Francisco’s offense ranks seventh for rushing. They run the ball 47.71 percent of the time, fourth-most in the NFL, according to Team Rankings.
Jimmy Garoppolo has been solid this season with 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, but the best chance to beat the 49ers is to make him win the game.
We all remember January 19, 2020 at Levi’s Stadium. San Francisco ran the ball 42 times, while Garoppolo only attempted eight passes. The 49ers beat the Packers 37-20 and advanced to the Super Bowl.
The team that stops the 49ers in the playoffs will stop the run. That’s where it all starts.