Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers are heading towards Santa Clara to take on Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers. Green Bay is coming off of a dominant 48-34 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, as Dallas became an early-exit yet again in the postseason. San Francisco is coming into the Divisional Round well-rested after clinching the #1 seed during the regular season. This’ll be a real David vs. Goliath matchup, as Green Bay’s defence will need to play lockdown against an offence that has an abundance of superstars.
How Can Green Bay Pull It Off?
1) Stop the Run
It’s clear that the Green Bay defence has to play stellar football. The 28th-ranked-defence will have to stop RB Christian McCaffrey very often. San Francisco is 1-3 in games that CMC rushes for less than 60 yards. LBs Quay Walker and De’Vondre Campbell will have to step up against the run. Both have struggled mightily against the run this season, but it will be worrisome for the Packers if CMC breaks out for multiple 10+ runs on Saturday.
2) Get Pressure Early and Often
We’ve witnessed Brock Purdy force many throws throughout his career when he is under pressure, especially in Week 16 against the Ravens. A stout DLine that has standout pass rushers like Rashan Gary, Kenny Clark, Preston Smith, and Devonte Wyatt can make Purdy really uncomfortable in the backfield. When Purdy is sitting back there with no pass rush getting home, he can pick a defence apart. I expect to see Packers’ DC Joe Barry rush 5 quite a bit this game to ensure that each of Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, and Clark to see more 1 on 1 matchups.
3) Protect Jordan Love
The Green Bay Packers are 3-5 when Jordan Love is sacked at least 2 times. Against Dallas, Green Bay’s OLine allowed no sacks. Against a defensive line that has Demarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, and Micah Parsons, Love’s mobility and ability to release the football quickly contributed to this mark. Green Bay’s OLine will receive another difficult test on Saturday against a 49ers’ DLine consisting of Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Javon Hargrave, and Chase Young.
How Can San Fran Avoid The Upset?
1) Brock Purdy Playing Turnover-Free
Brock Purdy is essentially the X-Factor for the 49ers’ offence. San Francisco is 2-4 in games where Purdy throws for at least 1 interception. Limiting these turnovers is necessary for Brock Purdy to play well and for the 49ers to host the NFC Championship game. Getting the ball to the abundance of superstars (George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, and Brandon Aiyuk) should be his only concern.
2) Stopping Aaron Jones
The 49ers were 3rd in the NFL against the run, giving up only 89.7 rushing yards per game. Aaron Jones has rushed for over 100 yards in 4 straight games (including Wild Card Game @Dallas). To nobody’s surprise, Green Bay is 4-0 in these contests. Establishing a run game is crucial for the Green Bay offence, as Jordan Love is deadly in play action. Limiting Aaron Jones and making Green Bay’s offence one-dimensional is necessary for a San Fran victory.
Final Thoughts
The Green Bay Packers have had a very successful season with Jordan Love, going 9-8 and winning a playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys. As for San Francisco, they have also had a successful year in Brock Purdy’s first full season at QB. This will be a key contest between two of the best defensive lines in the NFL. It will be interesting to see how this mini-playoff-rivalry continues with two brand new QBs leading their squads.
Head Ref: Alex Kemp