Aaron Rodgers Seeking Personal History Against The 49ers
Aaron Rodgers expressed elation after leading the Green Bay Packers to field goal range against the San Francisco 49ers in under 40 seconds and with zero timeouts.
Moments later, Mason Crosby kicked the winning field goal, giving the Packers their second win in three games.
However, that moment of jubilation is a rare moment from the often calm and collected three-time NFL MVP.
Rodgers pumping his fists was not just about leading his team to an improbable victory.
Instead, it’s about the squad he defeated in that epic Week 3 showdown.
Rodgers’ Kryptonite
Growing up in Chico, California, Rodgers fell in love with the game thanks to the 49ers.
His hometown team was the league’s premier franchise after winning four Super Bowls in the 1980s.
Unfortunately, the same team became Rodgers’ nemesis throughout his career.
The 49ers deemed him an inferior quarterback when they selected Alex Smith first overall in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Rodgers agonizingly waited for his moment 23 picks later when the Packers were on the clock.
Worst, the Packers haven’t defeated the 49ers in the playoffs since Rodgers became the team’s starter.
The former Cal standout took over from Brett Favre in 2008 and faced the 49ers in the postseason thrice.
The first encounter happened in 2012 when the Packers took home the NFC North title with an 11-5 record.
However, the 49ers ended their run during the Divisional Round, 45-31.
The Packers won another division crown a year later and hosted the 49ers for their Wild Card encounter.
Home-field advantage wasn’t enough as the Niners edged the fourth-seeded Packers, 23-20.
The third face-off was the most painful because it occurred during the 2019 NFC Championship Game.
San Francisco made good use of playing at Levi’s Stadium to end the Packers’ Super Bowl hopes, 37-20.
This defeat might be the toughest to accept because Jimmy Garoppolo only had 77 passing yards.
Fourth Time’s The Charm?
It will be Green Bay and San Francisco again in the Divisional Round, but it looks like the Packers have the advantage.
First, the 49ers prefer to play in warm weather, which will not be the case at Lambeau Field.
Weather Underground predicts the temperature during kickoff at three degrees.
But accounting for the winds at five miles per hour makes the situation feel like minus seven degrees.
Garoppolo hasn’t played in an NFL game that is colder than 32 degrees.
Second, some of the Packers’ starters are back in action.
Randall Cobb will be lining up alongside Davante Adams, giving Rodgers more options on offense.
All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari will also protect Rodgers’ blindside for the first time this season.
Third, Rodgers is coming in with another MVP-worthy season, tallying 4,115 yards, 37 touchdowns, and only four interceptions.
However, the Packers cannot be complacent against a 49ers team brimming with confidence.
Green Bay’s offensive line must be wary of Nick Bosa and the 49ers’ pass rush.
Deebo Samuel can also affect the game from any part of the field.
Rodgers will consider these factors as they play again after two weeks.
He and the Packers hope to exorcise the demons from previous playoff encounters against the 49ers
