NFL Playoffs: Packers vs 49ers Game Thread

The divisional round of the NFL playoffs continues today with the second game of a Saturday doubleheader. In the second game we have the San Francisco 49ers visiting the Green Bay Packers in frigid Green Bay.

The 11-7 San Francisco 49ers come into this game winners of five of their last six games, including last week’s upset victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the wild card round. The 49ers are a well balanced team, ranking 7th in the NFL in offense and 3rd in defense. They run the ball well on offense and they stop the run and defend the pass well on defense. The 49ers passing game on offense is their biggest weakness, with Jimmy Garoppolo not ranking among the NFL’s better quarterbacks. The 49ers run defense has been especially effective of late, holding opponents to 90 yards or less in nine of their last ten contests

The 13-4 Green Bay Packers come into this game as the #1 seed in the NFC. The Packers won five straight games before losing a meaningless finale to the Detroit Lions. This is an impressive Packers team that went 5-1 against playoff teams this year. They feature a top 10 offense and a top 10 defense. They feature MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. The Packers almost never lose the turnover battle, largely because Rodgers almost never gets intercepted. Rodgers is the reason the Packers had the fewest turnovers in the NFL this year, and he’s the reason they will be tough to beat. The Packers are at home, where they are undefeated this season. The 49ers are 5-4 on the road. If the 49ers have a chance to win this game it will likely be because they manage to run the ball effectively, avoid having Jimmy Garoppolo throw too much, and avoid turnovers against a Packers team that lost the turnover battle just three times this season. The Packers went 0-3 in those games.

It’s the Packers and the 49ers in the second game of an NFL Saturday playoffs doubleheader.

Enjoy the game everybody.