49ers look to sink Packers – TD Sports Debate p1
By Dan Salem
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
It’s NFL Playoff time! There are some killer matchups in the Wildcard Round, all in the NFC. The 49ers face the Packers and of course we disagree. Dan Salem and Todd Salem tackle this topic head on in part one of this week’s TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate sports.
TODD:
There were quite a few wild finishes to games in week 17. It was a great end to the regular season and excellent precursor for the playoffs.
Looking at the matchups for the first weekend, the one that sticks out at me the most is Sunday afternoon’s NFC game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers.
San Francisco had a great year. They are certainly one of the top four teams in the conference. However, because Seattle finished ahead of San Fran, the 49ers got stuck with a round one road game. Their defense is good; their running game is excellent. The only knock on this team is the consistency of Colin Kaepernick when throwing the football. His best receiving weapons have been in and out of the lineup, which didn’t help his production, but he still struggles to get much going through the air on a weekly basis.
The 49ers’ opponent is a bit unexpected. Green Bay was probably thought of as the best team in the NFC North early in the year. That was far from the case though after Aaron Rodgers missed week after week with his broken collarbone. Yet the division kept Green Bay in it. The Detroit Lions had plenty of chances to run away with the division title. They faltered and eventually knocked themselves out of playoff contention. Chicago had quarterback and defensive injuries of its own to battle through, preventing it from grabbing a hold of the division crown either.
And there lurked Green Bay, waiting in the weeds for its chance. That chance finally came in week 17. Rodgers returned, as did the team’s number one wide receiver, Randall Cobb. The Packers wrestled the victory and the North title away from the Bears and muscled their way into the playoffs.
Rodgers having now gotten a game under his belt after missing all that time and Green Bay hosting this round one matchup, am I crazy or are the Packers one of the scariest teams in the playoffs?
I would have liked San Francisco to advance over nearly anyone. Green Bay though is probably the most talented 8-7-1 team in NFL history that got healthy at the perfect time. The defense is still a train wreck, especially without Clay Matthews. In these playoffs though, they are hardly alone in that regard.
DAN:
Wonderful soliloquy, but you’re freaking crazy. The only reason you went into that long-winded story about Green Bay’s unexpected ride to the playoffs was to convince yourself they are in fact a good football team. Their defense has been horrid, leaving their otherwise strong offense little time on the field. That’s a lose, lose situation in the playoffs.
San Francisco is going to dominate the Packers on Sunday. I’m high on rushing and passing ranks now that the season is over and San Fran is ranked third in rushing offense and fourth in rushing defense. Add to that the seventh ranked passing defense and the Packers are in for a long, cold afternoon. I don’t care about Aaron Rodgers and home field advantage. The twelve win 49ers are NOT losing to the eight win Packers. Moving on….
I have to keep things in the NFC here, as the AFC games appear one-sided. New Orleans on the road in Philadelphia. Woah!