I will add not letting SF get off to a fast start or a clock consuming drive is just as important.

Also keeping Jordan Love's pocket clean.

Stuffing the 9er's run game.

Drop the Puck!
let's get this thing started!
Once in a lifetime opportunity for many of these guys.
I hope they appreciate that and leave it all out there.
Play cleanly but through the whistle on every play.
Pack 26 - 4t whiners 23!
GPG!

I am still optimistic about this team. Despite the issues on defense all season long - and even those times when Love had some interception issues ( I blame Lafleur's lack of motion mid season causing Love to do anything to win including under throwing many receivers and it was because of bad offense and sitting in the pocket too long.) Now I dont expect to win today - I think that the 49ers have too many weapons especially at running back ( which Dallas didnt have) and Deebo and Kittle. I am especially worried about McCaffery out of the backfield on those swing passes. So what I really hope and I am positive of Love being in a learning position and gaining the experience of playing in a high stakes game again. As long as he gets some support from Jones running the ball and has some good drives I will be satisfied with us being in this game. Having fun talking it up to my Vike and Bear supporters. Especially after what they were sniping at me mid season.

They're going to need to play stellar football for the vast majority of 60 minutes in order to win. History against previous opponents is meaningless. The 49ers are a different kind of animal, as they can beat you with defense or outscore you in a shootout. I also don't think the crowd will remotely be taken out of the game unless the Packers were able to duplicate the type of first half performance they did against Dallas.

The biggest thing the Packers can do on defense to help themselves win is keep McCaffrey under control. In three of four of San Francisco's meaningful losses, he was held in check. In the other one, he gained 103 yards on the ground, but the Ravens forced Purdy into 4 INTs. So getting pressure on him is also at the top of the list.

Who knows who is going to get the ball the first, anyway? If the 49ers do and move the ball quickly but are held to a FG attempt, that's sort of a small victory. The Packers should be prepared to battle all game long no matter who scores first; perfect starts aren't always possible.

I read that Shanahan will defer if they win the coin toss. This gives the Packers an opportunity to play ahead from the start. I think this move by SF is the wrong choice, given their Offense against the GB Defense. It would serve SF best to get the lead early and first, but they appear to have confidence to stop the 1st quarter scoring ability of GB.

They've made it this far and and not many fans thought they would myself including. 49ers are a strong, physical aggressive smash mouth style type of ball club, the type the Packers never play well against. So I would tell these young Packer athletes go out have fun stay focused and leave it all on the field. Your playing with house money the pressure is all on the 49ers. 49ers 31 Packers 17. I hope I'm wrong. Go Pack GO...

We have the WR horses to run with anyone in the NFL. Use them to get ahead and take SF out of their game plan. We should be able to move the ball in the run and pass game on them. The key will be having the right mix of/ TE's and WR's on the field to put things in our favor while slowing their pass rush. I would like to see 5 wide and see how that works for us. Our Defense will have their hands full. If we can get pressure on Purdy and get a few 3nouts or a turnover we should be able to pull ahead with points as long as we score TD's instead of 3 points.

If I were an opposing defensive coordinator, the way I'd approach Green Bay:

Do not blitz. Line up no more than 4 on the LOS, dare the Packers to run the ball. Do not bite on play action, if the Packers beat you on the ground, so be it. Ideally, generate pressure on Love from your DL by way of inside stunts, attack the interior of the OL, but keep your edge defenders at home to keep Love contained as much as possible. Play a mix of man on the edges with zone underneath; force Love to throw high to get over the zones if he wants to hit WRs over the middle.

Blitzing Love is a mistake. He understands how to identify the pressures, and more importantly, he understands how to ply his offense to take advantage of the holes in coverage created when you send the extra defender. Love has a tendency to throw high to his targets, he's been somewhat lucky so far that his WRs have been able to elevate and make tough catches that could easily become tipped balls falling into the hands of a waiting safety.

This approach is a tall order, it takes a next level defensive front to pull it off. I could even see SF putting 3 man fronts out there and uncharacteristically trotting out a dime back occasionally to help keep the passing lanes cluttered. I am concerned that the 49ers have the horses to pull off 4 man fronts and still manage the ground game and even pressure Love, and I'm concerned that the 49ers being intimately familiar with the offense they're facing will help keep them from being blinded by the pre-snap motion and theatrics at the LOS.

I have no idea if the 49ers take the approach I've laid out, but I'm concerned they might, and I'm worried it might actually stymie this high-flying Packers offense.

As I mentioned last week, this young Packers team hasn't faced a team as talented as the 49ers (or Ravens) yet- I do think these two teams are a cut above all others in the league this season. This will be a great measuring stick game for this very young, very exciting, and very talented Packers team.

All that being said... It just feels like it might be another opportunity for the Packers to upset and shock the league, doesn't it?

I am concerned, but I'm hopeful.. I can't wait to find out how this goes down and see how the story writes itself.

GPG

Jaire Alexander is listed as questionable. I think if and only if he plays do the Packers have a shot. I think the Niners have about one third of all the pro bowl players on their team. It doesn't seem fair. Didn't Dallas get whipped by the Niners too? That said,I think the media has underestimated the Pack. They are predicting Niners by 10. If I were a betting man I would take the Packers and 9.5 points. But....that's why they play the game. GPG

The last couple of yrs playing SF.. the games have been close. So I don’t understand the -9 spread. I can see it within a field goal. I just hope the officiating will be on par, but i doubt it… the officiating did just about everything they could do to give Dallas an advantage. But its games like this is why im hoping they drafted Brooks and Wooden… help slow down that rushing attack. But new year, new team. Hopefully GB can pull it out

No turnovers. Love has a tendency to throw several risky passes each game. His interception stats don't indicate a problem, but watching the game, there were several times in recent games when it was the defender simply not catching the ball that prevented the turnover.

The Packers aren't going to get far enough ahead to take Christian McCaffrey out of the game. He's a big play running back, and they will use him even if they are behind by a couple of scores. The good news is that the Packers have been playing better against the run for awhile now, even in the two games they lost down the stretch against the Giants and Buccaneers. I was wondering at the time if Barry was putting TOO much emphasis on stopping the run and leaving the defense vulnerable to throws over the middle and QB scrambles.

But starting with the Vikings game, the defense has been very good against the run AND pass. Why? Maybe Wyatt and Slaton have hit their stride. Also, they seem to have two of their top three inside linebackers healthy every week, which was often not the case earlier in the season. The safeties have not been nearly as bad as many of us feared they would be coming into the year. And maybe Valentine and Ballentine now have enough experience to be trusted in coverage. Everyone is playing together and making it work.

This is their toughest test yet. The Cowboys could be knocked off their game more easily than the 49ers can. The 49ers aren't superheroes, though. They can be had.

No turnovers and as usual our D needs to make a statement which is iffy. Win or lose GPG.