The Packers ended their season with a thud as they fell to the 49ers 37-20 in the NFC Championship Game.
The Packers were bad in every phase of the game and trailed 27-0 at halftime. They finally got a touchdown only to give one up when the 49ers got the ball. Perhaps their final chance to make it a competitive game was when they trailed 17-0. They had a promising drive going but then a fumble on the snap ended up in a turnover. It just got worse after that. They got some touchdowns in the second half but it was too little too late.
The Packers went 13-3, won their division, and beat Seattle to become one of the final four teams playing. As it turned out, they were not a match for this 49er team. They were blown out in Santa Clara in the regular season and now in the postseason. In order to take it to the next level, they need to add more pieces on offense and defense. Aaron Rodgers is not getting any younger and he needs some proven receivers around him. The defense made some strides this season but they need to get better as well.
There are 12 teams that make the playoffs and 11 of them end their season with a loss. They have rebounded from two losing seasons to become one of the better teams in the league. It’s time to make another leap and become the best team in the NFL next season. They are fully capable of doing that but it will take a lot of work by the front office, the coaching staff, and the players.
The team has given us so many great wins and memorable moments this season and we definitely didn’t want to see it end like this. I had fun writing about the wins and providing my game previews. Thank you all out there for your support. I look for this team to be motivated by failure and to come out looking for something to prove next season. Perhaps these moments will belong to the Packers next year. Take care Packer fans!
The Green Bay Packers are one win away from the Super Bowl, but first they have to take care of the San Francisco 49ers on the road in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday night.
The Packers are playing in this game because of their 28-23 home victory over the Seattle Seahawks while the 49ers won 27-10 at home vs the Minnesota Vikings the day before the Packers won their game. As we all know, the Packers fell 37-8 to the 49ers on the road. The Packers haven’t lost since that meeting.
Jimmy Garoppolo has two Super Bowl rings as a backup to Tom Brady, but he would like nothing more than to write his own legacy. He has a lot of great offensive weapons around him like RB Raheem Mostert and Matt Breida. He also has receivers like Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders. Arguably none of them are as intimidating as TE George Kittle. The Packers need to find a way to keep the ball out of Kittle’s hands as much as possible and if the ball should land in his hands, they need to tackle him right away. They need to make Jimmy G as uncomfortable as possible back there. They got no takeaways in their previous meeting. I think they need at least a few to win this game.
The offense had their worst performance of the season in the first meeting between these two teams. Aaron Rodgers and the offense moved the ball very well at times vs Seattle. They will need to score touchdowns once again if they are to get past SF. It all starts at the line of scrimmage and the Packers were manhandled there on that Sunday night in late November. They need to give Rodgers time to throw. Aaron Jones and the running game must produce and the receivers need to catch whatever is thrown their way. Jimmy Graham made some plays vs Seattle, including the clinching first down, and it was a first down. Let’s put that to rest. If you are out there, get open and make a play.
The 49ers have won 5 Super Bowls but none since the 1994-95 season. That was one year before the Dallas Cowboys won their most recent Super Bowl. We enjoy making fun of the Cowboys and their fans about how they are stuck in the past. In that case, we should include the 49ers as well. The 49ers were once 5-0 in Super Bowls but that perfect record ended when they lost to the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII, two years after the Packers won their most recent SB.
The Packers and 49ers have met in the playoffs 7 previous times. The Packers hold a 4-3 edge, including a win in the NFC Championship Game at SF in January of 1998. The 49ers were the last road team to win at Lambeau Field in the playoffs.
Matt LaFleur has a sibling coaching on the other team’s sidelines. His younger brother Mike is a passing game coordinator for the 49ers, so it means that one LaFleur will make it to the Super Bowl.
If any of you are wondering how the Packers could possibly win after losing in blowout fashion in the regular season, I thought of 2014 and the Seahawks. Seattle prevailed in a 36-16 rout of the Packers in the opening game of the season. The Packers went there in the playoffs and we all know that they fell short in one of the most heartbreaking losses in Packer history. The point is they had a chance to win a game after being blown out in the regular season. On Sunday, the score will be 0-0 during the opening kickoff. The only thing that matters is what happens during those 60 minutes on Sunday. Whoever is the better team on that day will be the winner and advance to Super Bowl LIV.
Since that infamous Sunday night in Santa Clara, it should have been obvious that the Packers were going to have to face the 49ers once again in order to advance to the Super Bowl this year. Not many people are giving the Packers much chance in this game and that is fine. I don’t care as long as the players and coaches believe. We all put our pants on one leg at a time. I think the Packers will be much better prepared and we will see a competitive game. This is for a spot in Super Bowl LIV. Let’s go out there and shock the world on Sunday.
The Green Bay Packers are back in the playoffs for the first time in three years and will play host to the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round on Sunday night.
The Packers finished the regular season with a 13-3 record and the #2 seed while the Seahawks finished 11-5 and the #5 seed, earning a trip to the second round of the playoffs after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 17-9 on the road last Sunday.
Russell Wilson has had an MVP-type season for the Seahawks. It will be a challenge to slow him down. Injuries have hit the running back position and they brought back Marshawn Lynch to help give them a boost at the position. Lynch and Travis Homer will probably share the load on the ground. They have some great receivers in Tyler Lockett and rookie DK Metcalf. Metcalf had a huge receiving day at Philly. Wilson only threw 5 interceptions all year but he did get sacked 48 times. The Packer defense needs to get in his face and make him uncomfortable back there.
Aaron Rodgers and the offense looked out of sync a lot of times during the regular season. They will need to be on their game during these playoffs. Aaron Jones will probably see a lot of carries and passes thrown his way. The offense is a lot better when he gets going. I think Davante Adams will make plays but they will need contributions from the other receivers. We cannot afford to have dropped passes and miscommunication out there. They need to capitalize on every scoring opportunity, and that means scoring touchdowns when they get into the red zone.
The Packers and Seahawks have met 3 times in the playoffs before, and the home team has won all 3 games. The Packers won 33-27 in overtime in January of 2004 when Al Harris intercepted Matt Hasselbeck for the winning touchdown. Hasselbeck famously said during the overtime coin toss, “We want the ball and we’re gonna score.” The Packers won 42-20 in January of 2008. That was the last victory for Brett Favre in a Packer uniform. The Seahawks won 28-22 in overtime in the NFC Championship Game in 2015. That is all I will mention about that game. You all know what happened.
The Packers went 7-1 in the regular season at home and the Seahawks are 8-1 on the road this season, including last Sunday’s win at Philadelphia. Something has to give.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing for the Packers in the regular season, but here they are in the Divisional Round of the playoffs after missing the playoffs entirely the previous 2 seasons. Matt LaFleur is the first Packer head coach to make it to the playoffs in his first year with the team. On the other side, Pete Carroll has been with the Seahawks since 2010, winning a Super Bowl and reaching another. He is no stranger when it comes to coaching this deep into January.
When it comes to the NFL Playoffs, expect the unexpected. Last week’s wild-card games are a great example of that. How many of you actually thought the Patriots and Saints would be gone by now? Had the Saints won, they would have been the Packers’ opponent in this game. The point I am trying to make is never count anything out.
If the Packers hold onto the ball and get some consistency on offense, they have a great chance of winning the game. If they get an effective pass rush and generate turnovers, they have a great chance. It’s one and done now. There is no next game. They got away with lapses on offense and defense throughout the regular season and still found a way to win 13 games. They need to be a lot better if they are to win on Sunday and beyond.
Packers Coach – Matt LaFleur
The Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers played their game on Saturday. The 49ers won the game 27-10 so that means either the Packers or Seahawks will be traveling to Santa Clara for the NFC Championship Game. The Packers just need to focus on winning this game first.
We have been waiting for the Packers to get back into the playoffs and it will be a great atmosphere at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Whether you are at the game or elsewhere, let’s get in playoff mode ourselves and be ready to cheer the team to victory on Sunday. Let’s get it done and get one step closer to our ultimate goal, and you all know what that is. All gas, no brake!
