On Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, the Green Bay Packers will travel to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., to face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship. Green Bay leads the all-time series between the two teams, 36-31-1, as well as playoff series, 4-2. The last time the two teams met was in 2014 and the last time they met on the San Francisco home turf was 2013. The 49ers come into the playoffs 14-3 on the season and defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round last week after having a bye for the wild card round. The 49ers are heavily favored to win this game and advance to the Super Bowl with a 71.9 percent win probability and are aiming for their first Super Bowl appearance since 2012.
The 49ers in 2019
San Francisco is 4-1 against common opponents and recorded 381.1 offensive yards and 281.8 defensive yards on average each week. Jimmy Garoppolo recorded 329 of 476 completed passes for 39,178 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions for a 102.0 rating on the season. Raheem Mostert led in rushing with 137 carries for 772 yards and eight touchdowns, while George Kittle caught 85 receptions for 1,053 yards and five touchdowns. Arik Armstead led the team with 10 sacks on the season and Richard Sherman with three interceptions. Robbie Gould added 110 points to the books for the season with 41 of 42 extra points made and 23 of 31 field-goal attempts.
Last week, the 49ers advanced to their first NFC Conference Championship game since 2013, won the NFC West for the first time since 2012, and won 13 or more games for the first time since 2011.
If San Francisco advances this weekend, head coach Kyle Shanahan could become one of three head coaches to reach the Super Bowl in their first postseason appearance in franchise history.
In the NFC divisional round, San Francisco also posted six team sacks, which tied for the second-most in a postseason game in franchise history. The 49ers have four players selected to the 2020 Pro Bowl: Nick Bosa, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle, and Richard Sherman.
49ers Season Notables
Garoppolo’s 3,978 passing yards were the most by a San Francisco quarterback since Jeff Garcia in 2000; he joined Hall of Famers Steve Young and Joe Montana as the only 49ers quarterbacks with a 100 or more rating in a single season since 1950. In the Week 12 meeting against the Packers, he passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns and an impressive 145.8 passer rating.
Tevin Coleman posted 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the victory over the Vikings and is going for his third postseason game in a row with 90 or more scrimmage yards. When Coleman was with the Falcons, he scored his only postseason touchdown against the Packers and is aiming to add to this tally as a 49er.
Mostert has been monumental this season with the number of rushing touchdowns he has posted, including the touchdown in the Week 12 meeting against Green Bay as well as a rushing touchdown in his past three of four games at home.
Kittle had six catches for 129 yards and a touchdown in the matchup earlier in the season. He has 2,945 career receiving yards and surpassed Hall of Gamer great Mike Ditka for most receiving yards in the first three seasons in NFL history.
Rookie Deebo Samuel ranked fourth among rookies in catches and receiving yards and posted three games with more than 100 receiving yards, which is the most by a rookie in franchise history. Samuel also scored a touchdown in the earlier meeting against the Packers.
Bosa, also a rookie, recorded six tackles, two sacks and a pass deflection in his postseason debut last week, and in the Week 12 meeting, he also posted a sack and fumble recovery. Arik Armstead recorded two sacks in the last meeting and also recorded a sack last weekend against Minnesota.
Deforest Buckner also posted a sack last week, adding to the already-strong San Francisco defensive production in addition to Fred Warner posting the team-high 11 sacks and a forced fumble in the last meeting, and Richard Sherman recorded his third career postseason interception last week and is looking to add to this statistic.
The game will be televised on FOX at 6:40 p.m. EST and is sure to be a game that will be water-cooler discussion for many on Monday morning.
The stage is set and it’s picture perfect.@LevisStadium pic.twitter.com/kA6hicMiGY
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 19, 2020
