Why the 49ers are Facing the Most Dangerous Version of the Packers

This version of the Packers that the 49ers are facing in the divisional playoff round are better than the ones they played in 2020 and 2022.

Having to play a No. 7 seed in the divisional playoff round is usually a fantastic matchup for the No. 1 seed.

In the case of the San Francisco 49ers, having to play the lowest seed in the Green Bay Packers should be viewed as a great thing. The 49ers have had the Packers' number under Kyle Shanahan in the playoffs, and that is likely to continue when they face off on Saturday night.

However, it won't really be a walk in the park, especially compared to the last playoff matchup between these two teams at Levi's Stadium. When the 49ers host the Packers in the divisional playoff round, they will find themselves facing a dangerous team. In fact, this is the most dangerous version of the Packers that the 49ers will have ever faced. This team is better than the ones the 49ers played in the 2020 NFC championship and the 2022 divisional playoff game.

For starters, the Packers are playing with house money. They were not supposed to be this far into the playoffs, let alone make the playoffs. And they're coming off a complete beatdown on the Dallas Cowboys. The morale and momentum of the Packers cannot be overlooked. They essentially have nothing to lose, while the 49ers have everything to lose since they are expected to win. All the pressure is on them.

It isn't even just the win over the Cowboys in the wild card round for the Packers. They have been surging since November with a record of eight wins and three losses. Green Bay certainly has its flaws, especially defensively, but they are in rhythm right now and there is nothing more dangerous than a team that has it. Momentum is everything in football both going into a game and during a game with successive drives.

The Packers have two players right now who have all the momentum in the world starting off with their quarterback Jordan Love. In his last 10 games, Love has a 68.5 completion percentage with 271.1 yards per game, 23 touchdowns, three interceptions, and an 111.3 quarterback rating. He has been nothing short of awesome and was outstanding in the win over the Cowboys. The 49ers will have their challenges defending against him.

And they might have their fits when they defend against running back Aaron Jones. He has run for over 100 yards in the last four games. His season has been plagued by injuries, but now that he is finally healthy he is finding massive success on the ground. Green Bay is not a team to be overlooked. Just ask the Cowboys. And while I don't believe the 49ers will do that, they will be in for a tougher game than initially thought when the playoff bracket was finalized.

Facing a surging team that has a quarterback playing at a high-level and with nothing to lose makes them extremely dangerous. The mindset from the Packers is sure to be stronger than it was in the previous two playoff matchups.