Reasons why 49ers face the most dangerous version of the Packers…

Having to go against a team that is ranked seventh in the divisional playoffs is typically a very favorable matchup for the team that is ranked first.

For the San Francisco 49ers, the fact that they are required to play the Green Bay Packers, who are the team with the lowest seed, ought to be regarded as a positive development. During the playoffs, the 49ers have been able to defeat the Packers under the direction of Kyle Shanahan, and it is likely that this trend will continue when the two teams meet on Saturday night.

On the other hand, it won’t exactly be a stroll in the park, especially when compared to the previous playoff showdown that took place between these two teams within Levi’s Stadium. When the 49ers play home to the Packers in the divisional playoff game, they will be facing a club that is extremely dangerous. Indeed, this is the most dangerous version of the Packers that the 49ers will ever have to contend with in their entire history. Both the team that the 49ers faced in the divisional playoff game in 2022 and the squad that they faced in the NFC championship game in 2020 are below standards.

In the first place, the Packers are going to be playing with their own money. They were not supposed to be this far into the playoffs, let alone make the playoffs. And they’re coming off a complete beatdown on the Dallas Cowboys. The morale and momentum of the Packers cannot be disregarded. They literally have nothing to lose, while the 49ers have everything to lose since they are supposed to win. All the pressure is on them.

It isn’t even just the win over the Cowboys in the wild card round for the Packers. They have been soaring since November with a record of eight victories and three losses. Green Bay clearly has its issues, especially defensively, but they are in rhythm right now and there is nothing more dangerous than a club that has it. Momentum is crucial in football both going into a game and throughout a game with successive drives.

The Packers have two players right now who have all the momentum in the world starting out with their quarterback Jordan Love. In his last 10 games, Love has a 68.5 completion percentage with 271.1 yards per game, 23 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 111.3 quarterback rating. He has been nothing short of fantastic and was excellent in the win over the Cowboys. The 49ers will have their issues defending against him.

And they might have their fits when they defend against running back Aaron Jones. He has rushed for over 100 yards in the last four games. His season has been marred by injuries, but now that he is finally healthy he is having enormous success on the ground. Green Bay is not a team to be overlooked. Just ask the Cowboys. And while I don’t believe the 49ers will achieve that, they will be in for a tougher game than initially projected when the playoff format was determined.

Facing a surging squad that has a quarterback playing at a high-level and with nothing to lose makes them highly dangerous. The mindset from the Packers is sure to be greater than it was in the last two playoff matchups.