4 ways Packers can pull off upset over 49ers in divisional round

Nobody gave the Green Bay Packers a chance last week.

There's no way their defense can stop the league's No. 1 scoring offense. Jordan Love can't score enough points against a dominant defense on the road. Well, the Packers destroyed the No. 2-seed Dallas Cowboys, 48-32.

Six days on, we're told the Packers can't stop the San Francisco 49ers' No. 3 scoring offense. Love can't lead Green Bay to enough points against the No. 3 scoring defense.

We say, why not?

The Packers are playing with house money. We know that. Even reaching this round exceeded any preseason expectations. But the reality is they are two wins away from the Super Bowl. The time to worry about the future is in the offseason. The Packers have an opportunity to win now.

Eliminating the 49ers would give the Packers every chance of reaching their first Super Bowl in over a decade. But overcoming this hurdle will be challenging.

What must Green Bay do to upset San Francisco on Saturday night?

How the Packers can shock the world and upset 49ers in divisional round

Packers must start fast

The Packers have already pulled off their share of upsets this season, defeating the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, and most recently, the Cowboys. There was a common theme in each of those games. Green Bay took the ball, scored a touchdown on the opening drive, and never gave up the lead.

Matt LaFleur's team must start fast again. There's a good chance they will start with the ball.

"Nope," said 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan when asked if the Packers' fast start at Dallas would make him consider taking the ball first if they win the coin toss.

If Green Bay takes an early lead, it puts all the pressure on San Francisco to respond. The Packers have won with this formula many times this season. They need to fly out of the gates at Levi's Stadium.