It doesn’t quite have the juice of a matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears, but the Packers have had quite a heated rivalry with the San Francisco 49ers since the two iconic NFL franchises first met in 1950.
This is a rivalry with 73 total meetings, and the Packers boast a 38-34-1 all-time series record against the 49ers. With that said, San Francisco has been the bane of Green Bay’s existence as of late, especially in the playoffs. The 49ers have won the past two matchups, which both happened in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs. The 49ers beat Jordan Love and the Packers, 24-21, last season, and Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, 13-10, in January of 2022. In recent memory, they’ve also beaten the Packers in the 2012 Divisional Round (which was Colin Kaepernick’s playoff debut), the 2013 Wild Card Round, and the 2019 NFC Championship Game.
Yes, the 49ers have the Packers’ number as of late, and Kyle Shanahan is 4-2 against his good friend Matt LaFleur. Still, there’s reason to believe this 2024 Packers team will be a dangerous opponent for the 49ers in Week 12.
Jordan Love and the Packers know what is at stake
The Packers are 7-3 and certainly a playoff contender, but nothing is a guarantee this season, especially because they’re technically in third place in the NFC North. The Detroit Lions are 9-1, and they’re likely going to run away with the NFC North crown. The Minnesota Vikings are a somewhat shaky 8-2, but the Vikings did beat the Packers once already this season. Green Bay is 1-2 against NFC North opponents so far.
They still have to play the Lions, Vikings, and Bears one more time, so the rankings can switch up a bit more. Frankly, though, with the way the Lions are playing right now, Green Bay’s best shot at making the playoffs will come through the Wild Card. That makes every win and loss vital from here on out, especially against an NFC opponent.
Love and the Packers are also still smarting over their last playoff loss to the 49ers.
“I think just ending the season, getting into the playoffs, and being knocked out by the 49ers — whoever it would have been — that game is definitely going to sit with you,” Love said Wednesday, according to ESPN. “That’s what you’ve got to kind of just sit with all offseason, is going back, watching that game, trying to see what you could have done better, could have done differently in that game. It definitely sits with you through the offseason, and then you obviously move on. Just knowing that that’s the team that knocked us out, we’re definitely hungry for this game.”
Josh Jacobs has been on a tear for the Packers
The Packers gave Josh Jacobs a four-year, $48 million contract this offseason while moving on from Aaron Jones because they felt Jacobs would be able to recapture his All-Pro form from 2022. In that season, he rushed for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns while also adding 400 yards through the air as a receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders.
There’s still time left to go, but so far, the contract has been so good for the Packers. Jacobs has rushed 176 times for 838 yards (which is third-best in the NFL) and four touchdowns. He’s also been involved in the Packers’ passing game, having caught 23-of-29 targets for 186 yards and a touchdown.
Most importantly for the Packers, Jacobs — true to his workhorse nature — seems to be getting better as the season goes on. He rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown against the Chicago Bears. He put up 95 yards on a strong Lions’ defense, and in Week 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns.
Jacobs is hitting his stride, which makes him very dangerous for the 49ers’ defense.
The Packers are due for a turnover on defense
New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense hasn’t been perfect in 2024, and far from it. With that said, the Packers have thrived in creating turnovers. Considering their lack of pass rush and banged-up secondary the past few weeks, it’s the best thing this unit does.
The problem for Green Bay? The Packers didn’t notch a turnover against the Lions, and they also couldn’t take the ball away from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears. If you want to count the tipped field goal that won them the game against the Bears, go for it, but the truth of the matter is that the Packers have forced zero turnovers in the past two games.
That means they’re due for one, and a superstar safety like Xavier McKinney can only be quiet for so long. He has six on the season and put together a streak of five straight games with a pick earlier in 2024. Expect him to pick off Brock Purdy in his one.
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