The San Francisco 49ers may be the divisional round favorites over Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers, but they do not underestimate their opponents. Simply ask Niners linebacker Fred Warner.
After the Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round, becoming the first seventh-seeded team to win a playoff game, Warner and the rest of the 49ers became suspicious of them. They understand that they cannot make the same mistakes as Mike McCarthy’s soldiers.
Warner also mentioned how well Love performed against the Cowboys, and he believes the 49ers will be the next victims if they do not take the Packers seriously.
“Jordan Love had the game of his life in his postseason debut. He’s been outstanding down the stretch. This weekend is going to be a big test for us. “I’m not taking the Packers lightly,” Warner told The 33rd Team.
“The Cowboys must have taken the Packers lightly. We’ll need to plan a terrific week of preparation. I stated from the start, “Whoever needs to come into Levi’s, bring it on.” It’s going to be such an exciting atmosphere to be a part of. It’ll be one for the ages.”
The San Francisco 49ers are well rested and have every advantage imaginable. They have two MVP candidates: quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey. They will enjoy a home field edge. More importantly, they are a battle-tested team, as opposed to a young squad like the Green Bay Packers.
Nonetheless, the Packers are full of confidence, which may be problematic for the Niners. Fred Warner and company cannot afford to make mistakes if they are to defeat Matt LaFleur’s team.
Green Bay Packers Have a Chance vs. the San Francisco 49ers
The Green Bay Packers are huge underdogs on Saturday, with the ESPN Matchup Predictor giving them a 21.4% probability of defeating the San Francisco 49ers.
Those aren’t good odds, but keep in mind that they also had a roughly 26 percent chance of beating the Dallas Cowboys. But look what happened.
While it will be challenging, the Packers can win any game. Nonetheless, their hopes depend on Jordan Love playing another perfect game and the defense stepping up.
If the Packers can limit Christian McCaffrey’s touches while putting pressure on Brock Purdy, they will have a chance. Of course, they’ll need the offense to stay going, especially Aaron Jones.
The Cowboys had a better defense than the 49ers throughout the regular season, but the Packers outperformed Dallas. With that said, it’s wrong to write Green Bay off, even if they’re up against a squad on another level.
