49ERS vs Packers Pregame Thread - 2023 Season Divisional Round

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
I'd rather the 49ers face them than Detroit if things shaked out that way.

That was 100 percent sarcasm.

The post above yours nailed it. Any of us would take this path preseason, lol.

Another of those pesky Packer fans here. Greetings!

Just caught up with the past 20ish pages of conversation to gauge how the fan base perceives this matchup and, for the most part, it's pretty much what I expected. The confidence many of you espouse is well earned. The 49ers are solid across all phases and it'll be a tall order for the Packers to exit victorious. Just wanted to add a few items of detail to some of the conversation I've witnessed:

- Jordan Love is not the player he was back in October. For that matter, neither is the offense. There were many struggles getting Love and his young receivers on the same page and his stats suffered because of it. It was a growing and learning process for all of them but, as evidenced yesterday against Dallas, they've emerged from that early poor play. I say that to highlight points made based upon early game showings and even season long stats that are not necessarily a good anchor for arguments. Love and the offense started "clicking" about the Pittsburgh game. A better gauge of their talent and efficiency can be gleaned if you narrow your assessment from that point on.

- The loss of OLB Kingsley Enagbare is a hit but I don't necessarily think it's game changing. 2023 No. 1 pick OLB Lucas Van Ness had been held back by default through rotation but should largely be able to absorb many of those snaps. My guess is Brenton Cox Jr will be called up from the PS to give the big 3 of Smith, Gary, and Van Ness any necessary breathers.

- ILB DeVondre Campbell is not the player he was 2 years ago. He's oft injured and was being slowly phased out by Isaiah McDuffie, an undersized but tenacious defender. He, too, is banged up, though, and may not play. If Campbell goes, he's a liability.

I am most intrigued to see Matt LaFleur and KS go at each other schematically. They're each familiar with one another and it'll be interesting to see new tweaks. CMC is my biggest worry. Our DC Joe Barry has allowed some pretty ugly performances from opposing RBs and none were as talented as your guy. If Barry isn't on his game, this could be a laugher. He's been good of late, though, so hopefully we can limit CMCs damage.

Anyway, I've gone too long as it is. Hope the above provides some better insight. May the best team win…and we not be talking about referees come next Monday!

Originally posted by billbird2111:
My biggest fear for this game is the 49ers come out rusty. Three weeks off for some players. That is a long time. I know rust doesn't last forever. But if the Packers pin three first quarter TD's on the 49ers, it is going to be a long game.

I don't wanna sound like a chicken little, but I am a bit nervous about this game. I do have confidence in this group, but years like 95 give me PTSD.

Originally posted by APBd:
Another of those pesky Packer fans here. Greetings!

Just caught up with the past 20ish pages of conversation to gauge how the fan base perceives this matchup and, for the most part, it's pretty much what I expected. The confidence many of you espouse is well earned. The 49ers are solid across all phases and it'll be a tall order for the Packers to exit victorious. Just wanted to add a few items of detail to some of the conversation I've witnessed:

- Jordan Love is not the player he was back in October. For that matter, neither is the offense. There were many struggles getting Love and his young receivers on the same page and his stats suffered because of it. It was a growing and learning process for all of them but, as evidenced yesterday against Dallas, they've emerged from that early poor play. I say that to highlight points made based upon early game showings and even season long stats that are not necessarily a good anchor for arguments. Love and the offense started "clicking" about the Pittsburgh game. A better gauge of their talent and efficiency can be gleaned if you narrow your assessment from that point on.

- The loss of OLB Kingsley Enagbare is a hit but I don't necessarily think it's game changing. 2023 No. 1 pick OLB Lucas Van Ness had been held back by default through rotation but should largely be able to absorb many of those snaps. My guess is Brenton Cox Jr will be called up from the PS to give the big 3 of Smith, Gary, and Van Ness any necessary breathers.

- ILB DeVondre Campbell is not the player he was 2 years ago. He's oft injured and was being slowly phased out by Isaiah McDuffie, an undersized but tenacious defender. He, too, is banged up, though, and may not play. If Campbell goes, he's a liability.

I am most intrigued to see Matt LaFleur and KS go at each other schematically. They're each familiar with one another and it'll be interesting to see new tweaks. CMC is my biggest worry. Our DC Joe Barry has allowed some pretty ugly performances from opposing RBs and none were as talented as your guy. If Barry isn't on his game, this could be a laugher. He's been good of late, though, so hopefully we can limit CMCs damage.

Anyway, I've gone too long as it is. Hope the above provides some better insight. May the best team win…and we not be talking about referees come next Monday!

Good post. Thanks for joining in.

Originally posted by billbird2111:
My biggest fear for this game is the 49ers come out rusty. Three weeks off for some players. That is a long time. I know rust doesn't last forever. But if the Packers pin three first quarter TD's on the 49ers, it is going to be a long game.

Well to be fair, the last week they had off was week 9. We know what happened after that,

Got my tickets to the game! My first playoff game was 49ers vs packers where Kaep ran crazy all over them

Originally posted by Snider8706:
Got my tickets to the game! My first playoff game was 49ers vs packers where Kaep ran crazy all over them

181 yards

I don't think the 49ers will let the Packers get deeply open, just like the Cowboys did. The Packers ran the same play three times, and Dobbs was wide open. If the Niners let a play like that happen, they don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

The Packers killed the Cowboys with running game through the middle from under center and play-action passes with crossing routes. When the Cowboys saw Love under center they never knew if the play was going to be a run or a pass because their defense was totally unprepared.

I'm not gonna lie. I'm nervous about this game because we are in playoffs. One bad day and you're done.

Go Niners.

Originally posted by tankle104:
Packers linebackers allow an 80.3% completion rate. Kittle is about to have a game. Average yard per a catch allowed is 10+ yards.

boy oh boy.

49ers BEAT Green Bay in Green Bay last year with Aaron Rodgers. Love is definitely a plus QB, not average, but he's not *yet* Aaron Rodgers, for sure. I definitely like our chances in *our house* vs a Green Bay team that's beat up and us going into the game pretty healthy for once.

Originally posted by Baldie:

Originally posted by billbird2111:
My biggest fear for this game is the 49ers come out rusty. Three weeks off for some players. That is a long time. I know rust doesn't last forever. But if the Packers pin three first quarter TD's on the 49ers, it is going to be a long game.

That was my concern for sitting Brock on the LAR game. At least a drive or a QT maybe. Packers are going to come in with confidence like the Ravens did because they are the underdogs and just blew out the cowboys and have nothing to lose.

If Love drives down on their first drive with ease and scores a TD. It's going to be a long game.

I hope shanny doesn't come out throwing on the first 3 plays and try and get cocky.

Why do people keep saying the Packers have nothing to lose? They are one of eight teams left. Two wins from the Super Bowl. They believe they can win it all now. They have as much to lose as anyone else.

Originally posted by Monsterniner:
The Packers killed the Cowboys with running game through the middle from under center and play-action passes with crossing routes. When the Cowboys saw Love under center they never knew if the play was going to be a run or a pass because their defense was totally unprepared.

I'm not gonna lie. I'm nervous about this game because we are in playoffs. One bad day and you're done.

Go Niners.

Personally on a tangent here, the Dallas defense is built wrong in my opinion. If I'm designing a defense, it has to be strong up the middle and force teams to run outside. Doesn't matter if it's a 3-4 or 4-3 or whatever, that middle of the defense has to be impenetrable. I think that's a big Dallas Weakness there, and they will never win a playoff game with that kind of defense.

Our defense is built right - that middle of the defense can stop runs even with the Wide 9. I don't know how Kyle and Kocurek do it but - it's definitely with a ton of draft capital and cap space. As expensive as it is to do that - with the schematic disadvantage of the wide 9 - I think it's a big advantage for the 49ers defense in pretty much every playoff they have been in since 2019.

Originally posted by Rocket4989:
I don't think the 49ers will let the Packers get deeply open, just like the Cowboys did. The Packers ran the same play three times, and Dobbs was wide open. If the Niners let a play like that happen, they don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

The 49ers would have to deliberately allow guys to get this open because what the Cowboys did is f**king wild. The Packers killed the Cowboys with basic Shanahan concepts, so the 49ers' defense won't be seeing anything they haven't seen before. I mean this is Shanahan 101 y leak vs what looks like cover 1 and nobody covers the tight end.

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by Rocket4989:
I don't think the 49ers will let the Packers get deeply open, just like the Cowboys did. The Packers ran the same play three times, and Dobbs was wide open. If the Niners let a play like that happen, they don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

The 49ers would have to deliberately allow guys to get this open because what the Cowboys did is f**king wild. The Packers killed the Cowboys with basic Shanahan concepts, so the 49ers' defense won't be seeing anything they haven't seen before. I mean this is Shanahan 101 y leak vs what looks like cover 1 and nobody covers the tight end.

this is as open as I've seen a player in 11 years of writing about professional and college football pic.twitter.com/DHrVrbpUUt

— Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) January 15, 2024

Geeze Louise that is **Atrocious** defense!

Originally posted by Alfienator:

Originally posted by NoNameLeft2Take:

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:
you got our score right, packers wont get over 17

Although I can definitely see that be the case too, I love overconfidence in other teams. Packers need every advantage they can get to try and make a game of it.

Yeah, there will always be overconfidence with other team's fans. To me it's stupid because there's no guarantee especially in the playoffs. I think it'll be tough game and a close one.

whether we predict a win by 3 or 28, it has no effect on the game, lets chill lol