The Sconi

The Green Bay Packers probably spent Jan. 16 watching football, as the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys would determine which of those teams would come to Wisconsin for a playoff game Jan. 22.

San Francisco, the seventh seed in the division, upended the Cowboys 23-17, earning a rematch against the Packers. This game, though, is more meaningful as the season will end for the losing team.

"That’s what excites me. That’s what scares me. The finality of it all," Mercedes Lewis, a Green Bay fan, tweeted.

The Niners and Pack faced off in San Francisco in late September, and the Packers held on for a 30-28 win.

"What a beautiful opportunity," Lewis tweeted. "The playoffs!! #GoPackGo."

Much will rest on the shoulders of the quarterbacks, of course. 

Aaron Rodgers leads a balanced Pack attack, but he needs the offensive line to offer him good protection, according to an article in dairylandexpress.com.

But that works both ways. Green Bay's defense will feature the return of Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus, who are expected to put pressure on San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. If the pass rush can force him into hurrying his passes, that opens the door for possible interceptions by the Packers.

The Packers have postseason experience on their side. They made it to the Conference Championship last year and in 2019, they lost to the Niners. They also saw postseason play to varying degrees from 2010 to 2016, with a Super Bowl win in 2010.

Betting odds favor the Packers (-6).