The top two seeds in the NFC have advanced to the conference championship. The Green Bay Packers withstood a furious comeback from the Seattle Seahawks in their divisional playoff game, prevailing 28-23. The Seahawks simply could not stop the Packers on third down, as Aaron Rodgers completed pass after pass on long third downs, and Seattle could not get back out there for that last scoring drive. The 49ers beat the Minnesota Vikings with comparative ease, and now they welcome the Packers in a rematch of a game they played on November 24 — a game that San Francisco won in a rout, 37-8, also at Levi’s Stadium. Can the Packers turn things around and advance to the Super Bowl? Or will the 49ers beat Green Bay twice in the same season? Before you lock in your wagers, read our sports betting preview.
Packers vs 49ers 2020 NFC Championship Odds, Preview & Pick
- When: Sunday, January 19, 2020, 6:40 pm ET
- Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
- TV: FOX
- Radio: Westwood One
- Live Stream: NFL League Pass
- NFL Odds: San Francisco -7.5 / O/U 45
Why should you bet on Green Bay?
The Green Bay Packers have a 9-1 record in games decided by eight points or fewer, including that win over Seattle on Sunday. They posted a 6-0 record in NFC North play and put up a 13-3 record overall. They find themselves in the NFC Championship for the first time in four years and have a chance to make the Super Bowl for the first time in ten seasons.
That loss to San Francisco galvanized the Packers, as they have now won six games in a row, permitting just 15.7 points per game since that 37-8 beating they took. San Francisco has an exciting offense, but Green Bay has locked down on defense the last six weeks. They will need every bit of that defense on Sunday night, because their offense has only scored 24.3 points per game in this streak. Sometimes it’s Aaron Rodgers making perfect throws; sometimes it’s Aaron Jones pounding the ball on the ground. If you like the Packers, you see Rodgers turning back the clock and having a dynamic first half…and leading a late drive for the win.
Why should you put your money on San Francisco?
The San Francisco 49ers have been out of the postseason for a long time — seven years, in fact. They made it as far as the NFC Championship that year, falling to Seattle, 23-17. This year, San Francisco had some struggles along the way, having to claw off the upstart Arizona Cardinals in both of their meetings, and they only won three of five down the stretch. Their defense, which was a major part of their early success this season, crumbled, as the team permitted 31.8 points per game over their last four contests. However, that defense stood tall against Minnesota in their divisional playoff game, with the 49ers winning 27-10.
San Francisco has a 7-2 record at Levi’s Stadium this year, including that playoff win, and for the season, that defense still ranks eighth in points permitted, at 19.4 per game. Their offense ranks second in the league, at 29.9 points per game. At home, those numbers are slightly better, as they have scored 31.8 points per game while permitting just 18.6. If you like San Francisco, you think that they will get after Aaron Rodgers in the pass rush and use a balanced offensive attack to wear down the Green Bay defense.
Final Score Prediction
I picked Seattle to knock off Green Bay in the divisional round, because I thought that the Packers’ 13-3 record was a mirage. I still think that, to some degree; if the Seahawks had been able to keep the Packers from converting third-and-long situations, they would have won the game. However, injuries in the Seahawks’ linebacker group and secondary ended up playing a bigger role than I thought. The 49ers don’t have the same sort of injury questions, so they should be able to shut Green Bay down again. I predict a final score of San Francisco 24, Green Bay 13.
