Published 18:00 IST, January 17th 2020
NFC Championship 2020: Steely 49ers look to repeat 37-8 heroics against Packers
The last time the San Francisco 49ers faced off against the Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers and co were dealt a heavy 37-8 defeat at the Levi's Stadium.
Two teams with similar records in the regular season will face off against each other at the Levi's Stadium in San Francisco this weekend. The 49ers will look to make it through to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2012. The Packers, on the other hand, will have the heavy 37-9 defeat they suffered in the hands of the 49ers on the back of their minds as they compete for the NFC Championship 2020.
NFC Championship 2020: Packers look to conquer demons from 8-37 defeat to the 49ers
Some National Football League (NFL) analysts believe that too much has been read into the heavy defeat the Packers suffered to the 49ers in their last outing. The 49ers absolutely dominated the Packers at the Levi's Stadium that night. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for a massive 253 yards to condemn the Packers to defeat.
However, since then, the Packers have rebuilt their season in convincing fashion. They ultimately ended the season with a 14-3 record, with Aaron Rodgers leading the way in offence. Aaron Rodgers has just one Super Bowl to his name, back in Super Bowl XLV in which he also secured the MVP. However, that will count for little against a 49ers team renowned for their steely defence.
The Packers have also been heavily reliant on their wide receiver Davante Adams. The combination of Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams has worked well for the Packers as seen in the match against the Seahawks, but Adams had 83 receptions this season, while the next wide receiver Allen Lazard has just 35 receptions. Adams was, therefore, the only real threat in the Packers' attack.
NFC Championship 2020: San Francisco 49ers look to continue excellence in defence
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was full of praise about Aaron Rodgers' abilities earlier this week. “His arm talent is just unbelievable, his athletic ability is unbelievable", the 49ers coach told reporters. However, that could very well have been a ploy to draw some attention away from their 37-8 win over the Packers earlier in the season. Jimmy Garoppolo throwing for 253 yards was the catalyst in that win.
However, more focus has been on the 49ers defence this season. No team has allowed fewer passing yards than the 49ers. They also allowed the fewest passing yards per attempt, passing yards per completion and passing yards per 20+ yards. These numbers, combined with the fact that Jimmy Garropolo is tied for the fifth-most touchdown passes this season (27), could spell trouble for the Packers at the Levi's Stadium this weekend.
Updated 18:00 IST, January 17th 2020