After holding on to get a road playoff win over a longtime rival in the Cowboys, the 49ers will … head back on the road to face a longtime rival in the Packers.
And while the Dallas-San Francisco rivalry started back in the 1970s, the 49ers rivalry with the Packers has been far more fierce in recent times — and the frequency of the postseason matchups will now be historic.
Here’s what you need to know about the No. 6 seed 49ers and No. 1 seed Packers:
Kickoff: Saturday, 5:15 p.m. on FOX (KTVU-2 in the Bay Area)
Playoff history: Tied 4-4
Next week’s matchup in Green Bay will be the ninth between the 49ers and Packers in the postseason, which is tied with Rams-Cowboys for the most frequent playoff matchup in NFL history. They first squared off in the playoffs in 1995, which would turn out to be the first of four straight seasons of postseason battles. In that run, the Packers had the 49ers’ number, winning the first three matchups: 27-17 at Candlestick in 1995, 35-14 at Lambeau in 1996 and 23-10 back in the Bay in 1997.
Those three consecutive losses are what made The Catch II so cathartic for the 49ers in 1998, as Steve Young’s game-winning pass to Terrell Owens gave the 49ers a 30-27 win in the wild-card round. Still, that win was the only one the 49ers would get over Brett Favre in 12 matchups across both the regular season and postseason, which included a 25-15 loss at Lambeau in the 2001 wild-card round.
But since Aaron Rodgers took over as the Packers quarterback, the 49ers have been far more competitive — especially in the playoffs. While the Packers are 6-3 in regular-season games with Rodgers at quarterback, the 49ers have won all three postseason matchups in the last decade.
In what ended up being the final postseason game the 49ers played at Candlestick Park, Colin Kaepernick ran for 181 yards — a then-49ers record for most rushing yards in a postseason game and still the NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a game — as the 49ers won 45-31 in the 2011 divisional round.
In the next year’s wild-card round, with gametime temperature at 5 in Green Bay, the 49ers and Packers were tied at 20 with 5:06 left. But led by Kaepernick and Frank Gore, the 49ers went on a game-sealing 14-play, 65-yard drive to set up a Phil Dawson 33-yard field goal and win 23-20 at Lambeau.
Their most recent postseason matchup was the 2019 NFC Championship, when the 49ers ran all over the Packers in a 37-20 demolition to send San Francisco to the Super Bowl. Raheem Mostert broke Kaepernick’s team record with 220 yards rushing, and Jimmy Garoppolo only attempted eight passes in the pummeling of the Packers.
All-time series: Packers lead, 38-32-1
Recent games: This game is the sixth matchup between the 49ers and Packers in the last four seasons, the most frequent non-NFC West 49ers opponent in the Kyle Shanahan era. When they faced off in Week 3 this year at Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers came from behind to take a 28-27 lead with 37 seconds left. But that proved to be enough time for Rodgers to connect with Palo Alto native Davante Adams twice for 42 yards and set up a 51-yard walk-off field goal for Mason Crosby, giving the Packers a 30-28 win.
Packers to watch: Rodgers is likely to repeat as the NFL’s MVP, even after an offseason of speculation over whether he wanted to stay in Green Bay. Adams is a legitimate superstar on the outside who will challenge the emerging 49ers secondary. Both were on the All-Pro team. On defense, tackle Kenny Clark earned a Pro Bowl nod with a solid season inside and he’ll challenge San Francisco up front — especially if he lines up against the right side of the offensive line.
Injuries of note: Green Bay was able to get All-Pro left tackle and San Mateo native David Bakhtiari back for the first time all season in Week 18 after a year-long recovery from a left ACL tear. Starting guard Lucas Patrick was added to the COVID reserve list on Wednesday but is expected to play. Reports indicated that linebackers Whitney Mercilus (biceps), Za’Darius Smith (back) and Ty Summers (hamstring) were all designated to return from injured reserve during their bye week, running back Aaron Jones (knee) practiced but wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (back) didn’t. More news will come this week, but the Packers seem to be getting healthy at the right time.
Opening odds: Green Bay (-4.5); over/under 47.5.
