Aaron Rodgers expressed elation after leading the Green Bay Packers to field goal range against the San Francisco 49ers in under 40 seconds and with zero timeouts.
Moments later, Mason Crosby kicked the winning field goal, giving the Packers their second win in three games.
However, that moment of jubilation is a rare moment from the often calm and collected three-time NFL MVP.
Loved this bit from #Packers Aaron Rodgers presser today.
He explained getting emotional about the moment De’Vondre Campbell was named First-Team All-Pro.
Campbell broke the team down & said: “From day one you guys made me feel important & special & apart of something special” pic.twitter.com/7kGizHTklb
— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) January 18, 2022
Rodgers pumping his fists was not just about leading his team to an improbable victory.
Instead, it’s about the squad he defeated in that epic Week 3 showdown.
Rodgers’ Kryptonite
Growing up in Chico, California, Rodgers fell in love with the game thanks to the 49ers.
His hometown team was the league’s premier franchise after winning four Super Bowls in the 1980s.
Unfortunately, the same team became Rodgers’ nemesis throughout his career.
The 49ers deemed him an inferior quarterback when they selected Alex Smith first overall in the 2005 NFL Draft.
“How disappointed are you that you will not be a 49er?”
“Not as disappointed as the 49ers will be that they didn’t draft me.”
— Aaron Rodgers #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/UGSag6wQ92
— IKE Packers Podcast (@IKE_Packers) January 17, 2022
Rodgers agonizingly waited for his moment 23 picks later when the Packers were on the clock.
Worst, the Packers haven’t defeated the 49ers in the playoffs since Rodgers became the team’s starter.
The former Cal standout took over from Brett Favre in 2008 and faced the 49ers in the postseason thrice.
The first encounter happened in 2012 when the Packers took home the NFC North title with an 11-5 record.
.@LRiddickESPN says Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are on upset alert 👀
"[The 49ers] have already shown this to Green Bay before, in years past, that they can go ahead and just absolutely take the LIFE out of them with their physicality!" pic.twitter.com/w3zF5f87i3
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 20, 2022
However, the 49ers ended their run during the Divisional Round, 45-31.
The Packers won another division crown a year later and hosted the 49ers for their Wild Card encounter.
Home-field advantage wasn’t enough as the Niners edged the fourth-seeded Packers, 23-20.
The third face-off was the most painful because it occurred during the 2019 NFC Championship Game.
Can the 49ers defense slow Aaron Rodgers without blitzing?
Rodgers led the NFL in pass EPA vs four-or-fewer pass rushers in back-to-back seasons.
He faces a 49ers defense that generated the 3rd-highest pressure rate (29.4%) when not blitzing this season.#FTTB | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/djXa9oz6jp
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 21, 2022
San Francisco made good use of playing at Levi’s Stadium to end the Packers’ Super Bowl hopes, 37-20.
This defeat might be the toughest to accept because Jimmy Garoppolo only had 77 passing yards.
Fourth Time’s The Charm?
It will be Green Bay and San Francisco again in the Divisional Round, but it looks like the Packers have the advantage.
First, the 49ers prefer to play in warm weather, which will not be the case at Lambeau Field.
Weather Underground predicts the temperature during kickoff at three degrees.
But accounting for the winds at five miles per hour makes the situation feel like minus seven degrees.
.@RealSkipBayless has a message for Aaron Rodgers ahead of 49ers matchup:
"You better live up NOW." pic.twitter.com/PnJsRr1yUL
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 21, 2022
Garoppolo hasn’t played in an NFL game that is colder than 32 degrees.
Second, some of the Packers’ starters are back in action.
Randall Cobb will be lining up alongside Davante Adams, giving Rodgers more options on offense.
All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari will also protect Rodgers’ blindside for the first time this season.
🗣 "Revenge is a dish best served cold."
California kid Aaron Rodgers is 0-3 in the playoffs against the 49ers…
Will Rodgers get his revenge as Green Bay welcome San Fran to a frigid Lambeau Field on Saturday night? 🥶🤔
📺 49ers @ Packers | Sky Sports NFL | Sunday | 1.15am pic.twitter.com/XwhDk42Fin
— Sky Sports NFL (@SkySportsNFL) January 21, 2022
Third, Rodgers is coming in with another MVP-worthy season, tallying 4,115 yards, 37 touchdowns, and only four interceptions.
However, the Packers cannot be complacent against a 49ers team brimming with confidence.
Green Bay’s offensive line must be wary of Nick Bosa and the 49ers’ pass rush.
Deebo Samuel can also affect the game from any part of the field.
The #Packers will play the 49ers in primetime on Saturday night football.
Aaron Rodgers over his last 12 primetime games:
• 12-0
• 73.1% completion
• 253.7 pass YPG
• 34 pass TDs
• 2 INTs
• 122.3 passer ratingGood luck to the 49ers defense 😏 pic.twitter.com/sf01oLNeA2
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) January 17, 2022
Rodgers will consider these factors as they play again after two weeks.
He and the Packers hope to exorcise the demons from previous playoff encounters against the 49ers
