Daunting matchup awaits Packers in divisional round vs. 49ers
The Green Bay Packers will need to be at their best to advance to the NFC Championship Game.
We will see a rematch of the 2019 NFC title game at Lambeau Field next week as the Packers host the San Francisco 49ers, who narrowly escaped a fourth-quarter collapse against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
With the Philadelphia Eagles eliminated earlier in the day, the 49ers’ victory over the Cowboys means they are the lowest seed remaining in the NFC, sending them to Green Bay next week. The winner of the Arizona Cardinals-Los Angeles Rams game will meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Daunting matchup awaits for Packers
There are no easy games in the divisional round of the playoffs, but one has to wonder how many Packers fans were hoping this matchup would be avoided.
Green Bay’s playoff record versus San Francisco in recent years hasn’t been good, with the Niners ending the Packers’ season three times in the past nine seasons. One was at Lambeau Field.
The way to defeat this Packers team is to run the ball effectively and play strong defense. That perfectly describes the San Francisco 49ers.
READ MORE: What to expect from 49ers in divisional round
The Cowboys almost pulled off a playoff comeback for the ages, but in reality they were second best all afternoon against the 49ers.
San Francisco ran the ball for fun, piling up 169 yards with two touchdowns on the ground. The defense delivered with five sacks and an interception, while limited Dallas to just 17 points. At a frozen Lambeau Field, that style of play could prove to be successful.
The Packers will need an answer for the run, which wasn’t the case when they met in the 2019 playoffs. The offense has to cool the 49ers’ pass rush and control the game.
Green Bay defeated San Francisco on the road earlier in the year. It now has an opportunity to get some playoff revenge to advance to a third straight NFC Championship Game.