San Francisco 49ers 30
Green Bay Packers - 33
Green Bay 33, San Francisco 30 - Not sure what it is between these two teams, but they always seem to play one another tough, and bring out the best in each other. Even when neither team is particularly impressive (which is the case this season), they wind up playing a very memorable game, even a classic. The first such game that I remember was when the upstart Packers, led by Donald "Majik Man" Majkowski, stunned the dominant 9-1 San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick park in the 1989 season. It would be the last loss that the 49ers would suffer for more than a year's span of time, as they would win out in incredible fashion to win their second straight Super Bowl, and go on to start the 1990 season at 10-0.
Some years later, in the 1995 season, when the 49ers were the defending champions and had that huge rivalry with the Cowboys, the Packers began to look good enough that some people were suggesting that they had joined this exclusive rank of elites. They met in the divisional playoffs, with the Packers talking with clear confidence prior to the game. I remember Steve Young dismissing this, saying that the Packers were young and new to this kind of thing. But Green Bay jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter, and took a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, and they would go on to win. They fell short against Dallas in the NFC title game, but this established them clearly as one of the elite teams to watch.
In 1996, the Green Bay Packers were the dominant team in the league. But one of the key games was a very tough game at Lambeau Field against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. The Packers won, but barely, and they got a break in so doing. By the time that the two teams met again in the playoffs, however, Green Bay dominated, en route to their first Super Bowl title in 30 years. The two teams met again in the playoffs in the 1997-98 NFC Championship Game, with the Packers once again dominating the 49ers on the soggy field at Candlestick Park. But the Packers would lose the Super Bowl in a shocker, as John Elway and the Denver Broncos effectively ran all over the field against them.
In the 1997-98 season, the two teams split. Green Bay won the regular season game, 36-22, at Lambeau. It was the fifth straight win for Brett Favre, Mike Holmgren, and the Pack against the 'Niners. When the two teams met again in the Wild Card at Candlestick Park, the 49ers would exact a measure of revenge. The game went back and forth, with the Packers taking a lead late in the fourth quarter when Favre hit Antonio Freeman for a touchdown just at the two minute warning to take a late 27-23 lead very late, seemingly to win the game. But San Francisco came back with a miracle, as Steve Young hit Terrell Owens on a 25-yard touchdown to stun the Pack. That play came to be known as the "Catch 2."
The two teams both fell out of relevance for a couple of seasons thereafter, but would meet in the playoffs again years later, following the 2001 season, with the Packers beating the 49ers convincingly again at Lambeau Field. But both teams once again more or less fell out of relevance for years, until Aaron Rodgers took over in Green Bay, and Harbaugh and Kaepernick entered the picture in San Francisco.
The Packers managed to win the Super Bowl in 2010, and seemed like a very strong contender for years thereafter. But they kept losing in the playoffs, and two years in a row, those losses came against those pesky 49ers, once at Candlestick, and another time at Lambeau Field. For some reason, San Francisco has remained an albatross for the Green Bay Packers in recent years. Even this season, when logic suggested that the Packers should be able to make short work of a weak and injury plagued 'Niners team, they barely squeaked by, and needed a bit of luck to earn the win.
It was a great game if you love offensive football, as the two teams combined to produce over 900 yards total. There were 31 points scored in the first quarter alone!
Aaron Rodgers completed 25 of 46 pass attempts for 425 yards, with two touchdown throws. Green Bay had three receivers that picked up at least 100-yards. Davante Adams got 10 catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns, Jimmy Graham had five for 104 yards, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling had three catches for 103 yards.
C.J. Beathard had a solid game for the 49ers, as he completed 16 of 23 for 245 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. Marquise Goodwin picked up 126 yards and two touchdowns on four receptions, and was a huge factor for San Francisco. On the ground, Raheem Mostert picked up 87 yards on 12 carries, and Matt Breida had 61 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries.
The 49ers opened the scoring with a three yard touchdown run by Matt Breida that 7 play, 75-yard drive, but the Packers responded with a lot of quick scores after that. They got a touchdown very shortly after to tie it, a field goal after a 49ers turnover minutes later, and then another touchdown later in the first quarter to take a 17-7 lead. But the Niners came back with yet another touchdown.
All of that in the first fifteen minutes of play!
Both defenses tightened up a bit after that, and the game became a back and forth affair. But some of the keys in this game that helped decide it were the turnovers. San Francisco committed three turnovers, while Green Bay had none. The 'Niners offense stalled in the final minutes of the game, when they had a chance to ice it themselves. They could not pick up the first down, and Beathard threw his first and only INT, although it obviously proved to be a costly one, to Kevin King The Pack then quickly moved the ball 81 yards down the field to set up a field goal try at the very end of this contest.
In the end, the Packers gave placekicker Mason Crosby a chance at redemption. Just one nightmarish week after missing five kicks which proved costly, Crosby had a chance to be the hero and kick the game winning field goal from 27 yards out. He did, and Green Bay secured the win on this final play to remain relevant and tied for first place in the NFC North.
My pick: Barely Accurate
Some years later, in the 1995 season, when the 49ers were the defending champions and had that huge rivalry with the Cowboys, the Packers began to look good enough that some people were suggesting that they had joined this exclusive rank of elites. They met in the divisional playoffs, with the Packers talking with clear confidence prior to the game. I remember Steve Young dismissing this, saying that the Packers were young and new to this kind of thing. But Green Bay jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter, and took a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, and they would go on to win. They fell short against Dallas in the NFC title game, but this established them clearly as one of the elite teams to watch.
In 1996, the Green Bay Packers were the dominant team in the league. But one of the key games was a very tough game at Lambeau Field against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. The Packers won, but barely, and they got a break in so doing. By the time that the two teams met again in the playoffs, however, Green Bay dominated, en route to their first Super Bowl title in 30 years. The two teams met again in the playoffs in the 1997-98 NFC Championship Game, with the Packers once again dominating the 49ers on the soggy field at Candlestick Park. But the Packers would lose the Super Bowl in a shocker, as John Elway and the Denver Broncos effectively ran all over the field against them.
In the 1997-98 season, the two teams split. Green Bay won the regular season game, 36-22, at Lambeau. It was the fifth straight win for Brett Favre, Mike Holmgren, and the Pack against the 'Niners. When the two teams met again in the Wild Card at Candlestick Park, the 49ers would exact a measure of revenge. The game went back and forth, with the Packers taking a lead late in the fourth quarter when Favre hit Antonio Freeman for a touchdown just at the two minute warning to take a late 27-23 lead very late, seemingly to win the game. But San Francisco came back with a miracle, as Steve Young hit Terrell Owens on a 25-yard touchdown to stun the Pack. That play came to be known as the "Catch 2."
The two teams both fell out of relevance for a couple of seasons thereafter, but would meet in the playoffs again years later, following the 2001 season, with the Packers beating the 49ers convincingly again at Lambeau Field. But both teams once again more or less fell out of relevance for years, until Aaron Rodgers took over in Green Bay, and Harbaugh and Kaepernick entered the picture in San Francisco.
The Packers managed to win the Super Bowl in 2010, and seemed like a very strong contender for years thereafter. But they kept losing in the playoffs, and two years in a row, those losses came against those pesky 49ers, once at Candlestick, and another time at Lambeau Field. For some reason, San Francisco has remained an albatross for the Green Bay Packers in recent years. Even this season, when logic suggested that the Packers should be able to make short work of a weak and injury plagued 'Niners team, they barely squeaked by, and needed a bit of luck to earn the win.
It was a great game if you love offensive football, as the two teams combined to produce over 900 yards total. There were 31 points scored in the first quarter alone!
Aaron Rodgers completed 25 of 46 pass attempts for 425 yards, with two touchdown throws. Green Bay had three receivers that picked up at least 100-yards. Davante Adams got 10 catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns, Jimmy Graham had five for 104 yards, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling had three catches for 103 yards.
C.J. Beathard had a solid game for the 49ers, as he completed 16 of 23 for 245 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. Marquise Goodwin picked up 126 yards and two touchdowns on four receptions, and was a huge factor for San Francisco. On the ground, Raheem Mostert picked up 87 yards on 12 carries, and Matt Breida had 61 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries.
The 49ers opened the scoring with a three yard touchdown run by Matt Breida that 7 play, 75-yard drive, but the Packers responded with a lot of quick scores after that. They got a touchdown very shortly after to tie it, a field goal after a 49ers turnover minutes later, and then another touchdown later in the first quarter to take a 17-7 lead. But the Niners came back with yet another touchdown.
All of that in the first fifteen minutes of play!
Both defenses tightened up a bit after that, and the game became a back and forth affair. But some of the keys in this game that helped decide it were the turnovers. San Francisco committed three turnovers, while Green Bay had none. The 'Niners offense stalled in the final minutes of the game, when they had a chance to ice it themselves. They could not pick up the first down, and Beathard threw his first and only INT, although it obviously proved to be a costly one, to Kevin King The Pack then quickly moved the ball 81 yards down the field to set up a field goal try at the very end of this contest.
In the end, the Packers gave placekicker Mason Crosby a chance at redemption. Just one nightmarish week after missing five kicks which proved costly, Crosby had a chance to be the hero and kick the game winning field goal from 27 yards out. He did, and Green Bay secured the win on this final play to remain relevant and tied for first place in the NFC North.
My pick: Barely Accurate
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