Packers vs. 49ers: The story behind the renewal of a great NFL rivalry

2012 Divisional Round

Even though the Packers-49ers rivalry began to rekindle after the 2005 draft, it didn’t really speed up until the 2012 NFL playoffs. The 1990s rivalry was fueled by almost annual playoff matchups, but this game marked the first playoff matchup between the two teams since 2001. The Niners went 11-4-1 and were the two seed in the NFC. The Packers went 11-5 and were the three seed. Green Bay defeated divisional-rival Minnesota in the Wild Card round to clinch a matchup with the 49ers.

The game started well for the Packers. Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick threw an early pick-six to Packers cornerback Sam Shields to give the Packers an early 7-0 lead. It was all downhill from there for Green Bay, however.

Kaepernick torched the Packers defense with his legs. According to ESPN, Kaepernick ran for a quarterback record 181 yards on just 16 carries. Rodgers and the offense couldn’t keep up, and the Packers were sent home during the divisional round for the second year in a row after winning Super Bowl XLV, losing the game 45-31. The 49ers would go on to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, although they would lose to the Baltimore Ravens.

2013 Wild-Card Round

The 2013 regular season was a disappointing one for the Green and Gold.  After starting the season with four straight wins, star QB Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone. However, the Packers limped to the top of the NFC North with a dismal 8-7-1 record, highlighted by Rodgers returning for a Week 17 win against Chicago to clinch the division.

The Packers, seeded fourth in the NFC, matched up with the 12-4 Niners, who were seeded fifth, unable to beat the Seattle Seahawks in a talented NFC West. The game was closer than the teams’ records would predict. Kaepernick again attacked the Packers with his legs, but the Packers managed to slow him down more than in their previous matchup, Kaepernick only managing a still impressive 98 yards on the ground, per ESPN.

The game came down to the wire, but Phil Dawson knocked through a 33-yard field goal as time expired to give the 49ers the win, and send the Packers home. It was the second consecutive year that the Niners ended the Packers’ Super Bowl dreams, but the first time they were able to do it at the hallowed Lambeau Field.

2019 NFC Championship Game

The Packers, behind the leadership of first-year head coach Matt LaFleur, made a surprising run to the NFC Championship Game in 2019. They finished with a 13-3 record, and defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round to clinch a trip to the Bay Area to face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.

Green Bay’s Cinderella run would come to a screeching halt against the 49ers. Led by a strong running game, the Niners blew out the Packers in the NFC Championship Game, taking a 27-0 halftime lead on the way to a 37-20 victory.

Per ESPN, the Niners ran for 285 yards against Green Bay, including Raheem Mostert’s 220 yards and four touchdowns. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo only needed to throw the ball eight times in the blowout victory. The Niners would go on to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.