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The 38-year-old veteran looks to lead the top-seeded Packers to
the NFC title game for the sixth time in his tenure as starting
quarterback when Green Bay plays host to the sixth-seeded San
Francisco 49ers on Saturday night.
Rodgers has won just one Super Bowl during his famed run in
Green Bay and his future with the franchise remains uncertain.
He would like to take advantage of this chance with the Packers
coming off a bye and possessing home-field advantage throughout
the NFC playoffs.
"This is a special opportunity. We're not gonna make it bigger
than it is," Rodgers said. "We've gotten this far being
level-headed and even-keeled and not riding a roller coaster of
emotions, and we're gonna keep on doing the same thing. If it
was good enough to get us this far, it's good enough to get us
past this point."
The 49ers represent one of the recent stumbling blocks for the
Packers.
San Francisco whipped Green Bay 37-20 in the 2019 NFC title game
when Raheem Mostert rushed for 220 yards. Last season, it was
Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who finished Green Bay
off with a 31-26 victory in the NFC Championship Game.
If the Packers win Saturday, they would become the first team to
reach three straight NFC title games since the Jim Harbaugh-coached
49ers from 2011-13.
Green Bay defeated the host 49ers 30-28 in Week 3 of the 2021
regular season when Mason Crosby kicked a 51-yard field goal as
time expired.
While the Packers were resting last weekend, the 49ers booted
the Dallas Cowboys out of the playoffs with a 23-17 road win.
Despite that, San Francisco is the biggest underdog of the four
Divisional Playoff games. Green Bay is favored by 3.5 points and
the Packers are being backed by 72 percent of the bets and 75
percent of the spread-line money at DraftKings and 71 and 78,
respectively, at PointsBet.
"If you look at them as of late, this is a confident group,"
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said of the 49ers. "You can see it
on tape. You can see it in how they've played. We're going to
have to play every play like it's our last play for the duration
of the game."
However, San Francisco was a beat-up squad after the win over
Dallas. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo sprained his right shoulder
to go with the torn ligaments in his right thumb, defensive end
Nick Bosa sustained a concussion and linebacker Fred Warner
sprained his right ankle.
Bosa was practiced Thursday and was officially cleared to play
Friday. He had 15.5 sacks in the regular season.
Warner and Garoppolo were full participants again Thursday and
are expected to play, as is top running back Elijah Mitchell
(knee).
The only players listed as questionable are defensive lineman
Jordan Willis (ankle) and cornerback Ambry Thomas (knee)
Garoppolo said he hurt the shoulder during a fall in the game
against Dallas while he was trying to protect the thumb.
"If you're a quarterback, it affects every throw. It definitely
had some impact," Garoppolo said of the shoulder ailment. "But
if I'm out there and I'm in that spot, I've still got to make
the play. No excuses or anything like that."
The 49ers sdefense that corralled the Cowboys didn't have an
answer for Packers star Davante Adams in the Week 3 matchup.
Adams caught 12 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Rodgers passed for 261 yards and two touchdowns, while Garoppolo
threw for 257 yards, two TDs and one interception.
That game was played in Santa Clara, Calif. This one will be in
frosty Green Bay, where forecasts call for a Saturday night low
of 2 degrees.
The Over/Under is 47.0 points at DraftKings, with the Over
backed by 61 percent of the bets and 54 percent of the money.
The market is slightly higher at 47.5 at PointsBet, where the
Over is also receiving strong action with 62 and 61 percent,
respectively.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan knows it won't be easy to win
at Lambeau Field in January.
"To go (to Green Bay) in the playoffs with the caliber team that
they have, with the quarterback that they have, it is going to
be a real special game," Shanahan said. "It's going to be a huge
challenge and it's going to be something that I, myself, and
everyone involved with us, will remember for our lives."
The Packers activated Randall Cobb (core muscle) off injured
reserve Thursday. Cobb missed the final five regular-season
games.
Green Bay left tackle David Bakhtiari (knee) didn't practice
Thursday and is listed as questionable. Wide receiver Marquez
Valdes-Scantling (back) also missed practice and is listed as
doubtful. Cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder) practiced and is
expected to play, though he's officially listed as questionable.
--Field Level Media
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