49ers post first hurdle in Rodgers’ latest playoff drive
Aaron Rodgers understands time is running out on his hopes of winning a second Super Bowl title with the Green Bay Packers.
The 38-year-old quarterback’s latest postseason run begins Saturday night as he tries to beat the team that has served as the three-time MVP’s biggest playoff nemesis.
Rodgers owns an 0-3 playoff record against the San Francisco 49ers, though he’s beaten them in the regular season each of the last two years. The topseeded Packers (13-4) and 49ers (11-7) face off again Saturday night in an NFC divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field.
“I think football mortality is something that we all think about,” Rodgers said. “And we all think about how many opportunities we’re going to be afforded moving forward, and each one is special.”
Since stumbling to a 3-5 start, the 49ers have won eight of 10 while showing a knack for delivering away from home. They secured a playoff berth by rallying from a 17-0 deficit to win an overtime road game with the Los Angeles Rams, and followed that with a 23-17 wild-card victory at Dallas.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo says San Francisco’s slow start caused the 49ers to adopt a playoff mentality ahead of schedule.
“Putting that pressure on your team early, it creates a mindset,” Garoppolo said. “It creates an atmosphere in the locker room of a sense of urgency that we have to win now and we have to make some plays.”
The Packers beat the 49ers 30-28 on the road back on Sept. 26, with the 49ers erasing a 17-0 deficit to take the lead in the final minute before Rodgers drove Green Bay into position for Mason Crosby’s 51-yard field goal as time expired. The Packers also beat the 49ers 34-17 on the road last season.
But the 49ers can lean on their successful postseason history against Rodgers’ Packers, including a 37-20 victory in the NFC championship game two seasons ago.
“This is a special opportunity,” Rodgers said. “We’re not going to make it bigger than it is. We’ve gotten this far being levelheaded and even-keeled and not rising a roller coaster of emotions and we’re going to keep on doing the same thing. So if it was good enough to get us this far, it’s good enough to get us past this point.”
DYNAMIC DEEBO
Deebo Samuel has added another role to his do-everything season.
The dynamic receiver and runner showed off his prognostication skills last week. After San Francisco intercepted a pass, Samuel told coach Kyle Shanahan to get him the ball and he’d score. Shanahan called for a handoff on the next play, and Samuel took it 26 yards for a TD.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve never, ever, ever been around a football player that called his own shot,” 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said. “I get in basketball, but when you’re playing with 22 people are on the field, 11 of them are trying to tackle you with every ounce of being that they have. And you just say, ‘Hey yeah, give me the ball, I’m going to put the ball in the box,’ and for him to do it, that was a special moment that only a special player could accomplish.”
Samuel has 1,880 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns this season, including the playoffs.