Packers: 3 Problems Green Bay Might Face vs. 49ers in NFL Playoffs Divisional Round

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - Christian McCaffrey (#22) of the Carolina Panthers runs the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the second quarter in the game at Lambeau Field on November 10, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo : Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Green Bay Packers hogged the spotlight last week after their emphatic win over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wildcard round.

They now enter the Divisional Round to face top seed and American Football Conference West winners San Francisco 49ers.

Like the Cowboys, they went 12-5 in the regular season. The Packers should have the confidence to pull off a victory. 

However, the fact that they played last week already exposed their strategies. The 49ers also had a bye week as the top seed.

A fan website surveyed their supporters, and 45 percent believe they will beat the Packers by 10-14 points. Twenty-five percent think it will be a 5-9 point margin victory.

Fans have high hopes, and the 49ers have the talent and schemes to achieve their goals.

They are a problem.

The Packers need more than enough preparations to repeat their upset over the Cowboys.

Read more: Lions vs. Buccaneers Divisional Round Odds, Spread, Betting Lines, Pick and Preview for NFL Playoffs

The 49ers are more than just Brock Purdy. 

Here are some areas that the Packers should focus on if they want to continue their incredible run.

1. Defense against rushing offense

Jordan Love will get his part done, and the 49ers know that. He will ignite the Packers' offense as usual. For 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, the key to winning is stopping his partners on the field, especially running back Aaron Jones.

"The number one thing is, we have to try and stop this run, to try and make them one-dimensional," Wilks shared after practice on Wednesday.

"When they're very effective running the ball, I think it just opens up the play-action and that's when you see [Packers QB Jordan Love] being really effective in taking his shots down the field and finding an open receiver."

The Packers and Love should devise varied offensive schemes and surprise their opponents' rushing defense.

The 49ers have an elite lineup when it comes to the defensive end. Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Charvarious War, and the rest of the defenders will surely step up their game.

2. Faltered defense

Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel can pounce on any defender on any given night. The Packers defense cannot afford to blink with this two on the field.

Brandon Aiyuk is seventh in the league in receiving yards with 1342. Samuel is also one of the league's most dangerous players with the ball in his hands. He is hard to tackle and can run really fast.

The Packers must show that what happened against the Cowboys was not a fluke. They are 28th in the league when it comes to defensive DVOA.

3. Christian McCaffrey and 49ers' ground game

People seem to forget that there are two MVP candidates from the 49ers - Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey.

The former gets most of the attention, but he is mostly efficient in each game because of the talents around him. The best of the crop is Christian McCaffrey, who produced a league-leading 60 touchdowns in the elimination rounds.

The wider receivers and running backs will find their spot on the field if the Packers let their guard down.

Related article: 49ers vs. Packers Divisional Round Odds, Spread, Betting Lines, Pick and Preview for NFL Playoffs

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