As the Green Bay Packers gear up to take on the San Francisco 49ers, they are preparing to line up against one of their biggest rivals outside the NFC North. If the Packers want to win it all this year, they will have to learn to thrive under this kind of pressure.
The NFC West is laden with opponents that have given the Packers fits over the years. The Seattle Seahawks come to mind, as the matchups against Russell Wilson have given fans reason to lose sleep at night. Hell, I just opened Instagram and was reminded that the Packers blew a 16-point lead against the Seahawks to bow out of the NFC Championship seven years ago.
A few playoff losses to the Arizona Cardinals also come to mind. Larry Fitzgerald sprinting through open pastures into the end zone will live on as one of the worst memories I have of listening to the radio. Unfortunately, one of my formative memories as a youth plants me in the backseat of my buddy’s mom’s ‘88 Honda Civic, grieving with my best friend as Brett Favre’s Green Bay career came to an end. This horror is followed closely by my recollection of Paul Allen’s call of the Minneapolis Miracle.
Historically, matchups against the 49ers have procured some of the biggest stressors for the Packers. Since Green Bay’s Super Bowl title in 2010, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are 4-6 against San Francisco. That includes four consecutive losses from 2012 to 2014 during Colin Kaepernick‘s rapid ascent.
You may remember those matchups. Kap had his way with Dom Capers’ defense, running for no less than a billion yards per game. Capers failed to adjust as Kap was shattering records, and it spelled the end of his tenure with the Packers.
Green Bay is up against this historical context on Saturday night. Although the Packers have beaten the 49ers in the last two seasons, they always play Green Bay tough.
Here’s another anniversary for you: Two years ago today, the Packers lost the NFC Championship game to San Francisco. This year’s team largely has the same core that went up against Raheem Mostert and the Niners that day. They will surely remember the pain of losing to a team that only had to attempt eight passes to blow them out.
Whether Jimmy Garoppolo plays on Saturday or not, Green Bay needs to make sure not to grow complacent with any lead. A fear of Trey Lance running all over them, while wildly unrealistic, isn’t wholly unwarranted. Over the last decade, the Packers have historically let San Francisco control the ground in losses. They just can’t stop the run, no matter who’s running.
In the 2019 NFC Championship game, Green Bay let Mostert run for 220 yards and four touchdowns. He will be inactive this time around, but the 49ers still have effective runners in Elijah Mitchell and Deebo Samuel. It is a saving grace to have Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus‘ returns looming, but two players that haven’t played in a long time will not save the Packers alone.
Joe Barry will have his work cut out for him. Not only will he be scheming against a prolific running offense, but he will have to gameplan against a decade’s worth of playoff history that could resurface at any moment. The team will also be working against its track record of playing poorly on the tail end of bye weeks. It will not be easy.
However, it is not unrealistic to think that if the Packers manage to get past this game, they should shed some of their demons — which could be very helpful the following week. Another matchup with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is on the horizon. It is time for the team to buck up and prepare to handle their business, no matter how tough it may be.
