Packer Central

Packers vs. 49ers: Five Keys to Green Bay Victory

The Green Bay Packers will face a huge challenge against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Here are the five keys to the game for the Packers.

Casey Hibbard

The Green Bay Packers must get pressure on 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
The Green Bay Packers must get pressure on 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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In a rematch of last year’s NFC divisional playoff game, the Green Bay Packers will host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Can the Packers turn the tables and beat their rivals? Here are five keys to the game.

One: Containing CMC

The 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey is easily one of the league’s best running backs, and his return from an Achilles injury that sidelined him for the first eight games is a big storyline for this game as well as the 49ers’ playoff hopes.

While he’s still getting into his groove, his presence alone changes the dynamic of the offense. The last time McCaffrey faced the Packers, he rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns and caught a game-high seven passes to help San Francisco beat the Packers 24-21 in last year’s playoffs.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur had high praise for McCaffrey, calling him “the best back, probably, in the game.”

Defensive coordinator Jeff Haffley echoed those thoughts, describing McCaffrey as “one of the most dynamic backs in this league,” highlighting his speed, contact balance and ability to dominate in the pass game and red zone.

In his first two games, McCaffrey has rushed for 118 yards but with only a 3.7-yard average and zero touchdowns. Still, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year is a player who can break out at any time.

The Packers, after surrendering 179 rushing yards at the Bears, need to step up against the run. Containing McCaffrey will be critical if Green Bay wants to bounce back defensively.

Two: Winning the Turnover Battle

The Packers have 19 takeaways this season, tying them for fourth in the league and showcasing their ability to create game-changing plays. However, despite this impressive total, they’ve gone two consecutive games without forcing a turnover.

This matchup could be an opportunity to reignite their knack for creating takeaways. The 49ers rank 20th in the league in giveaways with 1.3 per game, with quarterback Brock Purdy 23rd in interception percentage.  

In a game like this, the turnover battle could be the deciding factor. With two explosive offenses, mistakes are bound to happen, and the team that avoids costly errors will have a significant edge. Securing a takeaway or two could help swing the game’s momentum in Green Bay’s favor.

Three: Jordan Love Looking To End Streak

Speaking of turnovers: Packers quarterback Jordan Love is looking to break a bad streak. He’s thrown at least one interception in each of his eight starts, totaling 11 interceptions – tied for the most in the NFL. Going back to last year’s playoff loss at the 49ers, that streak extends to nine consecutive games.

Love’s struggles put him in rare, albeit unwanted, company. He’s the first quarterback to throw an interception in each of his first eight games since Case Keenum in 2018 and the first Packers quarterback to do it since Irv Comp back in 1944.

For Love, ending this streak isn’t just about the numbers; it’s about helping the offense find consistency. Limiting turnovers will be a big piece in a game against a strong 49ers defense, which ranks seventh with 11 interceptions and ninth with 16 takeaways.

The Packers went 9-2 last year when Love did not throw an interception. The 49ers are 4-0 when they’ve won the turnover battle this year.

Four: Disrupting Brock Purdy

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy enters this game managing right shoulder soreness, an issue he dealt with during last week’s loss against the Seahawks.

Assuming he plays, the injury could limit his ability to make deep throws, so expect Purdy to focus on quick passes to keep the offense moving. Fortunately for the 49ers, they boast a strong offensive line, ranking 10th in the league with a 64 percent pass block win rate, according to ESPN. Their protection has been key in helping Purdy operate efficiently.

On the other hand, the Packers’ pass rush has struggled, ranking 29th in pass-rush win rate at just 33 percent. Their lack of a consistent rush could make disrupting Purdy’s rhythm a significant challenge.

Without pressure, Purdy could have ample time to exploit mismatches and lean on San Francisco’s high-powered playmakers. The absence of All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander only amplifies the problem.

To keep themselves in this contest, the Packers must find a way to elevate their pass rush and force Purdy into hurried throws.

Five: Being Better in Red Zone

The Packers’ red zone struggles have been a glaring issue.

They rank 27th in the NFL in red-zone success with a touchdown rate of 48.7 percent. While they went 3-of-5 last week at Chicago, coming up empty twice almost cost them the game.

“Every week is another challenge, and this is one of the top defenses in the league,” LaFleur said. “I think there’s a lot of things that we can improve upon, namely the situational ball, third down, red zone, just trying to keep drives alive.”

Quarterback Jordan Love also addressed the team’s struggles, saying it’s about analyzing what’s gone wrong and finding ways to improve.

“It’s a lot of just looking at what we’ve been doing, what defenses have been doing to try to stop us, and just trying to find better plays, find out what we can do better, what I can do better to get us in that end zone,” Love explained.

Despite the season-long difficulties, Love believes it’s a correctable problem entering a game against the 49ers’ 23rd-ranked red-zone defense.

“I definitely think it’s something that’s fixable,” he said. “You look at last year, I think we were a lot better in the red zone, it definitely hasn’t been up to the standard we’re trying to have it at.”

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Casey Hibbard
CASEY HIBBARD

I am a student at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, set to graduate in 2026 with a degree in communications, emphasizing sports communication and journalism. Growing up in the small town of Two Rivers, Wis., sports have always been a huge part of my life. I've been a three-sport athlete for as long as I can remember, and working in sports has been a lifelong goal. Last year, I joined the Green Bay Blizzard of the Indoor Football League as their color commenator while writing pregame and postgame reports.