NFL Divisional Game - Green Bay @ San Francisco (SETTLED)

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Green Bay (12-5) at San Francisco (11-4-1)

When: 8 p.m. ET Saturday on FOX

Reviewing Round 1: The Packers rebounded from a Week 17 loss to Minnesota with a 24-10 victory at Lambeau Field. Boosted by the surprising late scratch of Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (elbow), Green Bay’s defense finally held running back Adrian Peterson under the century mark — albeit barely — after being gashed for 409 yards in two 2012 matchups. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was turnover-free but Green Bay’s offense sputtered in the final 1 1/2 quarters.

Last meeting: San Francisco posted a 30-22 road victory in the Week 1 opener. Running back Frank Gore paced the 49ers offense, finding success outside the tackles while rambling for 112 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. San Francisco made the Packers one-dimensional by snuffing out the running game. That allowed the 49ers to control time of possession and tee-off on Rodgers (three sacks, one interception). The flow of the game was disrupted by shoddy work from the replacement referees used during the first three weeks of the regular season.

Packers player to watch: Running back DuJuan Harris. He has made the improbable leap from briefly working as a used-car salesman in October while waiting for another crack at the NFL to becoming a Packers starter. The diminutive Harris, who signed with Green Bay’s practice squad before being promoted in early December, has provided a spark as both a rusher and receiver. Harris produced 100 yards from scrimmage and Green Bay’s first touchdown against the Vikings. Packers running back Cedric Benson, who is now on injured reserve, gained only 18 yards on nine carries in Week 1 against San Francisco.

49ers player to watch: Quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Now is when we will learn whether 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh made the right call sticking with Kaepernick instead of Alex Smith, who suffered a concussion in Week 10 and was never reinserted to the starting lineup after being cleared to return. Kaepernick was 5-2 as a starter with 10 touchdown passes and three interceptions in his seven starts. He has a better arm than Smith and provides more of a rushing threat, which could be a key offensive strategy against a Packers defense that rarely faced read-option attacks in 2012. No one, though, knows how Kaepernick will respond to the pressure of starting his first playoff game.

Summary: Both teams have reason to sweat if this game comes down to a field-goal attempt. The Packers are hoping that a string of five straight FGs has lifted Mason Crosby out of a brutal season-long slump. San Francisco’s David Akers, who tied the NFL record for longest field goal with a 63-yarder against the Packers in September, is suffering complications from the sports hernia surgery he underwent during the offseason. Billy Cundiff — the goat of Baltimore’s loss in the AFC Championship Game last season — was signed last week to provide competition for Akers. The 49ers must do a better job accounting for Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews, who had 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries in the season-opener. Torn knee ligaments have sent two of San Francisco’s top wide receivers (Mario Manningham and Kyle Williams) to injured reserve, but Michael Crabtree has picked up the slack with a career-high 85 catches for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns. The 49ers were 6-1-1 at home; Green Bay was 4-4 on the road.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

The moneyline was used to set the odds for this game.

[FBD]

while I think san fran is going to get up early and then choke with rodgers rifling passes all over once they find a hole or two and undermine the strategy....I still bet on them they just better not stop the pressure. When they start sitting back and going we dont need to keep the pressure up since we're ahead, that's when the holes appear and get exploited.

[Acid Trip]

that's when the holes appear and get exploited.

That's what she said.

[RBP]

San Fran in the upset

[Teh One Who Knocks]

San Fran in the upset

How can it be an upset if they are favored to win?

[RBP]

They are? Very surprised by that.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Niners are a 3 point favorite according to most sports books