The 49ers and Packers on Saturday will meet for the 10th time in the playoffs since the 1995 season. San Francisco leads the all-time postseason series 5-4, and they’ve won the last four meetings between the clubs.
Most recently San Francisco ousted the Packers in the divisional round of the 2021 postseason, but despite the fact that game was just two years ago, the teams are both dramatically different.
To catch up on what’s happening in Green Bay, we touched base with the USA TODAY Sports Media Group editor most likely to win a Spartan Race, Zach Kruse of Packers Wire.
He answered a few questions for us and gave a prediction for Saturday:
Niners Wire: What's Jordan Love doing better now than he did to start the year?
Zach Kruse: A little bit of everything, honestly. He’s playing far more efficiently from clean pockets, hitting more deep shots, creating more explosive plays in rhythm and creating off-schedule, especially in the red zone. He’s also killing the blitz and avoiding turnovers. More than anything, however, I think the pieces around him have settled into place. The young, talented receivers are now consistently in the right place. The offensive line finally has continuity. Rookie tight end Tucker Kraft really took off. The run game has exploded over the last month with Aaron Jones. I truly wonder if Love was capable of this all along, but the pieces around him needed time. Now it’s all working together and the talented quarterback suddenly looks like the next big thing.
NW: What'd Green Bay do defensively that stifled Dallas?
ZK: They disrupted Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb early and then delivered the big, game-changing takeaways. The Packers created some pressure on the first few possessions, Prescott and Lamb struggled to get on the same page early in the game and both Jaire Alexander and Darnell Savage had interceptions, including Savage’s pick-six. A similar formula probably needs to be executed Saturday. Can the Packers disrupt timing and rhythm early, get a lead and pressure Brock Purdy into a mistake or two? The 49ers are 2-4 when Purdy throws a pick this season, so getting a takeaway will be a big-time key.
NW: Who would you say is the Packers' No. 1 receiver?
ZK: I truly don’t think there is one, and that’s a feature, not a bug. Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs both had over 90 targets during the regular season, but any of their top five are capable of going off. In fact, Reed, Doubs and Bo Melton have 100-yard receiving games in the last three weeks, and Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks both have produced 90 or more in multiple games this season. This is a young but dynamic group of receivers who don’t care who gets the ball down to down. And the quarterback freely distributes to whomever is open. When 100 percent, Watson is the closest to a true No. 1, but all five of the receivers are capable of handling 10 targets on a given day.
NW: Give me a player to watch on the defensive side for the Packers.
ZK: I’m going to say Quay Walker. The second-year linebacker must play well Saturday or it’s going to be a long day for the Packers, especially against the run. Back in the NFC title game in 2019, Kyle Shanahan had Raheem Mostert run circles around Blake Martinez and BJ Goodson at linebacker. The Packers are so much better at linebacker this time around, but Walker and De’Vondre Campbell have to be at their best. Walker is fast and physical, and he’s most effective when he’s shooting gaps and playing downhill. I want to see what Shanahan has in store for No. 7. That chess match might decide if the 49ers roll or if the Packers get a few big stops on Saturday.
NW: Hit me with a prediction.
ZK: My prediction: points. Lots of points. So many points. I do think both teams are going to move the ball and score on Saturday. Jordan Love is the hottest quarterback in football, Aaron Jones is slicing and dicing everyone and the Packers are rolling on offense, so I think they’ll score plenty and keep Green Bay in the game from start to finish. The hurdle I can’t get over? Kyle Shanahan vs. Joe Barry. I just can’t envision, given extra time for Shanahan to prepare and the talent gap existing between the 49ers offense and Packers defense, that Barry’s group gets enough stops to win the game. They’ve held it together the last few weeks but I think the house of cards comes crashing down Saturday. The 49ers are too well-coached, too diverse and too talented. Shanahan beats Barry in a few big spots, and the Packers come up just short. 49ers 31, Packers 27.
