Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers: 5 Bold predictions for NFC Championship
4. Jones, one of the 49ers running backs top 120 total yards
Raheem Mostert was the San Francisco 49ers lead running back towards the end of the regular season. Having said that, he had something going on in the Divisional Round that limited his usage overall, which put Tevin Coleman in the game more often. He shined beautifully in that role, putting up 22 carries for 105 and two touchdowns to bounce back and make a huge impact.
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Put simply, the 49ers rushing attack has been so dangerous this season because they can beat you in so many ways. Mostert, Coleman and even Matt Breida have all had their moments this year. And though the Packers run defense has played better down the stretch, they have not been a good overall group this season in that regard.
Meanwhile, Aaron Jones finally had the breakout year for the Packers that everyone has been looking for him to have for quite some time — largely because Matt LaFleur finally came in the workload that he’s clearly been worthy of. In the win against Seattle, however, Jones was not that effective. He averaged only three yards per carry and had only one reception for four yards.
One of the big issues against San Francisco for Green Bay in the first meeting was the lack of weapons Rodgers had to work with. Since then, however, they’ve consistently relied on Jones. I expect that to be part of the recipe in the NFC Championship Game as well.
Ultimately, the running backs will have a big say in Sunday’s action. It’s hard to say which 49ers running back will be the hot hand that San Francisco rides but there will be one while the Packers rely on Jones. In the end, they’ll almost negate one another as Jones and the lead Niners back will amass 120 total yards on the day.