There will be NFL football played tonight in Green Bay, Wisconsin. On the 22nd of January, 2022, the San Francisco 49ers (11-7) come into Lambeau Field to battle the hosts, the Green Bay Packers (13-4). Here is everything you need to know to get you ready for tonight’s NFC Divisional Playoff Showdown.
Point Spread: Packers -5.5 (Via FanDuel)
Over/Under: 47.5
FPI: The Packers have a 65% chance to win according to ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index)
Venue: Lambeau Field – Green Bay, WI
Game Time: 7:15pm CST
Weather: Projected 11 Degrees Fahrenheit at Game Time with a Wind Chill of -1
TV Network: FOX
Broadcasters: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
All Time History: Packers lead the All-Time Series with a 38-32-1 record. In the playoffs, these franchises have met 8 times total, with each team winning 4 games.
Team Preview: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are no stranger to road games this season. Including playoffs, this bunch has played in 10 road games and showcases a 7-3 record. Their best road win of the season, besides last week against Dallas, came on December 12th in Cincinnati, when the 49ers squeaked out a 26-23 Overtime game.
San Francisco is 8-2 in their last 10 games. During that stretch, they’ve beaten the Rams twice, Dallas, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Houston and Jacksonville. Both of their losses came on the road – once as 4 point favorites at their division rival Seattle and another time as 3 point favorites against Tennessee.
Here’s how the 49ers ranked in the regular season in several different statistics:
Passing YPG: 248.3 (12th) Packers Passing YPG: 253.8 (8th)
Rushing YPG: 127.4 (7th) Packers Rushing YPG: 111.8 (18th)
Points Scored Per Game: 25.1 (13th) Packers Points PG: 26.5 (Tied for 9th)
Turnover Differential: -4 (Tied for 23rd) Packers Turnover Differential: +13 (3rd)
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 206.5 (6th) Packers Passing Yards Allowed PG: 219.1 (10th)
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 103.5 (7th) Packers Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 109.1 (Tied for 10th)
Points Allowed Per Game: 21.5 (Tied for 8th) Packers Points Allowed PG: 21.8 (Tied for 13th)
Total Sacks: 48 (Tied for 5th) Packers Total Sacks: 39 (Tied for 15th)
Last Match Up:
As you know by now, the last time the 49ers and Packers played, Green Bay won 30-28 on a buzzer beating field goal by Mason Crosby. That game was played in Week 3, in Santa Clara, California with temperatures in the mid sixties.
What a lot of people seem to forget, going into that game, was the fact that San Francisco was favorited and expected to win by lots of people. The 49ers started off the regular season 2-0, with road victories in Detroit and Philadelphia. Playing on Sunday Night Football in their home-opener, San Fran had an opportunity to start the season 3-0.
Green Bay, meanwhile, was still picking up the pieces after their almost unexplainable 38-3 loss to New Orleans in Week 1. The Packers bounced back in Week 2, securing a 35-17 win against Detroit but everyone needed to see more. The 49ers certainly looked like a big test and provided a measuring stick on just how good, or not, the Packers really were.
Injuries
San Francisco has all of their main guys going in tonight’s game. QB Jimmy Garoppolo is banged up. To what extent, we really don’t know but we do know he’s healthy enough to play. The 49ers will also have their superstar DE Nick Bosa, who cleared concussion protocols on Friday, giving him the green light to play. 49ers All-Pro LB Fred Warner had an injury scare last week against the Cowboys but he is also good to go.
Green Bay gets starting RT Billy Turner back – although replacement RT Dennis Kelly had been playing very good football. More notably, they see the return of OLB’s Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus. Smith, a 2020 second team All-Pro, hasn’t played since Week 1. Mercilus, a very productive NFL veteran, returns after last playing on November 14th.
Green Bay’s other All-Pro’s, LT David Bakhtiari and CB Jaire Alexander, are questionable to play. Bakhtiari played in 27 snaps in Green Bay’s meaningless Week 18 game against Detroit, his first snaps of the season. Jaire Alexander, meanwhile, hasn’t played since Week 4.
On the wide receiver front, Randall Cobb returns to the field, who’s been out since November 28th. However, speedy deep-threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game. In Week 3 against the 49ers, MVS had a productive game, catching 3 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Synopsis
Both of these teams are very good. Green Bay has the advantage, due to their MVP Quarterback and playing at home. The Packers will need to play their game – which is efficient, productive and turnover-free football. If they do that, and play a modest game on Special Teams, they will advance. Knowing what to do and doing it are two different things though. Buckle up..a lot is on the line tonight! Let’s Go Packers!
Alex grew up in a family of Chicago Bears fans in the suburbs of Chicago but was always a Packers guy. Alex\'s AIM name when he was in elementary/middle school was PackerAlex. He now lives in Nashville, Tennessee and you can follow him on twitter at @Alex_Mayer93.
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