(Photo: Clutchpoints)
NFC Divisional Playoff
(7) Green Bay Packers at (1) San Francisco 49ers
Packers: I wasn’t expecting that on Sunday! They were dominant and I haven’t seen that from them in quite some time. I’m talking about the offense was clicking on all cylinders and the defense wasn’t too shabby either (until later in the game). I understand fans want success right out the gate with certain players, but allow these guys to fully develop and most importantly, let them grow as football players. That was by far the case with Jordan Love and it wasn’t always smooth sailing with him throughout the year. The page turned on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit against the Lions and since then, he’s been rolling. On Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, the Packers were locked in, had their foot on the gas and never let up. At one point, they were up by 27 points and shut a strong Dallas offense out for most of the first half. I think what stood out to me the most was the game Jordan put together. Dan Quinn thought it would be cute to come out and play zone defense when they primarily play man coverage and the young Quarterback picked it apart. Aaron Jones was my X factor for the Packers entering this game and he singlehandedly picked apart one of the best defenses in the league. I always say lean on him and things will be easy for you and the rest of the offense moving forward. The NFL Playoffs expanded in 2020 and back then, only two teams were Wild Card teams, now, we have three and for the first time since the expansion, the Packers became the first seven seed to win a playoff game. Remember, the postseason isn’t about the best teams or who has the best records. It’s all about who plays the best when it matters the most and they showed that on Sunday. Believe it or not, they haven’t lost a game at AT&T Stadium since it opened. They’ve already faced one top seed and on Saturday night, they will face the number one seeded team in the NFC Playoffs this year.
49ers: A few weeks ago, I was asked who the biggest threat is to this football team. My answer was simple. Themselves and I will explain what I meant. They are their biggest threats and I say that because anytime something goes wrong with them, they end up losing a key player on either side of the football. When this group is healthy, they are a strong force. This is that bully that I always refer too. The group that wants to dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, move the ball up and down the field with a balanced offensive attack and most importantly, play that stingy brand of defense they display on the field throughout the season. The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the best teams in the league and as expected, they won their division along with being the one seed in the playoffs for the second time under Kyle Shanahan since 2019. For as good as they have been, they can be had on any given game day or night. The way you beat them is to play them at their own game. Make the game ugly, play down hill and most importantly, punch them in the mouth repeatedly and they will fold eventually. I’ve used a saying anytime they were outclassed in the physical department and that’s “the bully doesn’t like to get bullied” and no statement could be more accurate. They’ve had a roller coaster of a year en route to the top seed in the NFC. Remember, they started off 5-0, then lost Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams both to injuries and ended up losing three in a row which many thought the world was ending. They acquired Chase Young from the Washington Commanders and throughout all that happened, this was still a dominant football team as they were ranked third in scoring offense and ranked third in scoring defense. On Saturday, they will look to punch another ticket to the NFC Championship Game, their third in a row and would be fourth under Kyle. A familiar face will be in town at Levi.
Packers X-Factor: Kenny Clark– The big man in the middle! Kenny is what holds that Packers defensive line together. He’s that clog in the middle that gathers all the attention and everyone else around him benefits because of the attention he commands. What’s always stood out to me anytime I watch him is his ability to rush the passer from the interior. His first step is electric and he brings pressure consistently. As I always say, rushing the passer isn’t always bringing the Quarterback down, it’s affecting the pocket and making the Quarterback hesitate to throw the football and that’s exactly what Kenny does.
49ers X-Factor: Brandon Aiyuk– Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel are all stars and key pieces to the engine that allow this 9ers offense to run. Brandon is just as important as those three I listed. This season, he averaged three yards per route and led the 49ers with 1,342 yards receiving. Brandon is so dynamic at the catch point as he is elusive with the ball in his hands and physical after the catch. He’s a tough piece to defend and he makes you work on every snap. This is a stacked offense and Brandon can not be underestimated or overlooked. You do that, he will make you pay.
Final Thoughts: This is such a classic matchup. These two have come to know each other well over the last decade or so. Saturday will make the fifth time these two have met in the playoffs since the 2012 postseason. The last time they met in this round of the playoffs, they were the sixth seed and went into frigid Green Bay and upset the Packers. That would end up being Aaron Rodgers’ final playoff appearance in the green and yellow. The Packers enter this game with all the confidence in the world after stunning Dallas last weekend. For them to pull off a bigger upset, they must get physical in the trenches and throw pressure at Brock Purdy. Also, keeping Deebo in check is key because when he gets it going, he’s a tough guy to stop and they will continue to feed him the football. San Francisco on the other hand must get off to a quick start and Purdy must be poised. The 49ers must also avoid those careless turnovers because that hurts them as it would any other team when they don’t take care of the football. I see this being a close game and the 49ers will make a key stop of the Packers offense late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. The 9ers will advance once again to the NFC Championship Game.
Prediction: 49ers 26, Packers 21
