3 ways 49ers were able to contain Aaron Rodgers, Packers

The 49ers had an enormous task against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Here are three ways they were able to contain him and advance in the NFL playoffs

The San Francisco 49ers faced an enormous test Saturday night, facing the one-seeded Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs and the swirling snow descending on Lambeau Field. Once the clock hit zero, it was the Niners who were advancing, thanks to a Robbie Gould game-winning field goal.

Both teams left everything out on the field in an old-school defensive battle that had very few offensive highlights. A win is a win, no matter how ugly, and San Francisco will take this 13-10 victory and move on to the NFC Championship game to face the Los Angeles Rams for the third time this year.

This game had a different feel from the first matchup, where the Packers edged the 49ers 30-28 on a last-second field goal in Week 3. Saturday’s game was predicated on how the Niners would respond to the frigid temperature, and it didn’t look pretty early on.

From the start, San Francisco came out flat, dropping balls and making mental mistakes that seemed to be a direct result of the weather. On the other side, the Packers were not fazed, sifting through the 49ers defense with ease to take an early 7-0 lead.

There were a few moments where it looked as though the Packers were just too good to be defeated. Thanks to the Niners’ defensive unit, which played its best game of the year, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Co. couldn’t move the ball easily and were forced into several 3-and-outs.

After halftime, San Francisco made a concerted effort to commit to the run game, but Green Bay was up for the challenge. Both offenses traded possessions back and forth, but it was the 49ers’ special teams that swung the pendulum in the favor of the red and gold.

The blocked field goal by safety Jimmie Ward right before the half, and the blocked punt by EDGE Jordan Willis which led to a Talanoa Hufanga touchdown, signaled a shift in momentum towards the Niners.

Although the Packers were undefeated at home this year, San Francisco decided this game was for the taking. With grit and determination, the 49ers made just enough plays to win the ballgame.

The Niners have gained plenty of praise from their performance, knocking off the NFC favorite on its home field. Rodgers, the likely 2021 MVP of the league, struggled to keep his offense on the field for large periods of time and ended the game with only 225 passing yards and no touchdowns.

Here are three ways San Francisco contained Rodgers and limited his scoring opportunities to advance to the NFC Championship.