4 reasons why 49ers stand no chance vs. Packers in NFL playoffs

For the pessimistic crowd out there, Niner Noise explores why the 49ers won’t be able to pull off the upset against the Packers in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

Yes, of course, the San Francisco 49ers have an actual chance of beating the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs this Saturday at Lambeau Field.

But, at least for the negative crowd out there who sees this high-profile matchup between two rivals as the likely last time quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suits up in a Niners uniform, this one is for you.

As fun and easy as it is to predict all the reasons why San Francisco can stage an upset, and there are many, it’s also important to acknowledge why the 49ers will simply lose to the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a Packers team that went 13-4 during the regular season and whose last loss came in a meaningless Week 18 game when it rested its starters after halftime.

This isn’t exactly a prediction piece, although our initial prediction for this contest doesn’t exactly state the Niners will win.

It is, however, more of an explanation behind why San Francisco loses this game, if that winds up being the case this Saturday with these four reasons why the 49ers’ postseason push comes to an end this weekend.

Especially if you’re feeling pessimistic.

Reason No. 4: 49ers face longest odds out of any underdog remaining in NFL playoffs

The Niners can take comfort in being part of the “elite eight” remaining in the postseason, and this year’s campaign can already be marked as successful after making it into the playoffs and securing that memorable win over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round.

That said, the oddsmakers over at WynnBET originally listed Green Bay as a 4.5-point favorite, which shouldn’t be too big a surprise considering home teams are almost always granted an automatic three-point lead regardless of the context.

Since the opening spread, though, WynnBET has shifted it to the Packers being a six-point favorite, perhaps citing either the money going to San Francisco or recent news of Garoppolo’s shoulder sprain.

That’s the widest spread out of all games to be played during the divisional round, suggesting the differences between the two teams is wider than the other contests remaining.

While the 49ers may ultimately cover, taking on that spread isn’t favorable.