Packers Hope to Avoid Vikings-Like Playoff Trend
Dustin Baker
|
The Green Bay Packers do not like playing the San Francisco 49ers in the postseason. Or, if they do, they enjoy losing.
During the last 10 seasons, the 49ers have toppled the Packers thrice in the playoffs, ending Green Bay’s season in 2012, 2013, and 2019. That’s two losses to two teams quarterbacked by Colin Kaepernick and one loss to the Jimmy Garoppolo version. You might recall the last time San Francisco downed Green Bay in the playoffs. The game was in the 2019 season en route to the 49ers Super Bowl appearance, calling on Garoppolo to throw the ball just eight times in a 37-20 drubbing. The 37-20 final score portrays the game as a lot closer than it really was, if that can be believed.
And the Packers woes versus the 49ers are a microcosm of a broader Green Bay plight. To date, the Packers have lost four consecutive NFC Championship games – just two behind the Vikings naughty little mark.
Minnesota has lost the six straight NFC Championship games.
Indeed, the Packers coughed away Super Bowl trips in 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2020. This isn’t widely announced or broadcast by national media because it makes Aaron Rodgers look foolish. However, the wins and losses are irrefutable, consistent, and stacking up by the season.
Again in 2021, the Packers have drawn the 49ers number, hosting Kyle Shanahan’s team this weekend in the Divisional Playoff Round. San Francisco narrowly escaped would-be theatrics by the Dallas Cowboys last weekend, who damn near came back from a 23-7 second-half deficit. But it was no cigar for Dallas, opting for a quarterback scamper with the game on the line while the team had no timeouts. Game over.
Usually for Packers-49ers, the media beats the drum of “Rodgers Revenge Game” because most draft brains thought Rodgers would land with San Francisco in the NFL draft 17 years ago. He did not, as the franchise chose Alex Smith over Rodgers – a silly choice in retrospect.
But that doesn’t stop the masses from believing “this will be the time” Rodgers sticks it to San Francisco for stiffing him during the draft in 2005. It’s always billed as a revenge game, yet Rodgers never actually gets revenge. The inverse occurs, in fact. The 49ers win – especially in the playoffs – thus ending Rodgers’ quest for an elusive second Super Bowl ring.
If San Francisco squeaks past Green Bay this weekend, well, the Packers will be one step closer to equaling the Vikings dubious NFC Championship sin. Vikings fans can be considered emotionally miserable at times for two reasons a) The franchise has lost four straight Super Bowls b) The franchise has also lost six straight NFC Championships.
Not ideal.
The Packers definitely have the Super Bowl history in their memory bank – the trophy is even named after a Packer alumnus – but their conference championship doldrums are unsung and accumulating.
Nobody really cares that Green Bay keeps bungling potential trips to the Super Bowl – but it’s happened four times in eight years. Almost every other year as of late, Green Bay loses an NFC Championship.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
Vikings Territory: Explained: Predictions and Analysis for Vikings-Lions
You must be logged in to post a comment.