Getty Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t waste any time preparing for the Green Bay Packers.
Ahead of the NFC Divisional playoff showdown between the Packers and 49ers, Shanahan revealed on Tuesday, January 16 that he didn’t even wait for the NFC Wild Card game between Green Bay and the Dallas Cowboys to conclude before focusing on Jordan Love and company.
“We were already in here,” Shanahan told reporters. “So, we were doing it that day. We started really focusing on [the Packers] halfway through the second quarter.”
The Packers, of course, went on to defeat the Cowboys 48-32, after jumping out to a 27-0 lead by the two-minute warning in the first half.
“Then they scored at the end of the second quarter,” “So, I kind of did both [teams] at halftime. Third quarter, I was set on one team.”
As the No. 1 seed in the NFC, San Francisco had a bye week in the first round of the NFL Playoffs, and the road to the Super Bowl goes through Santa Clara, California so Shanahan had the luxury of additional time to prepare for the January 20th showdown against the Packers.
Based on Green Bay’s blowout victory, the 49ers had the chance to get a jumpstart on scouting and crafting a game plan for the Packers.
Will the Packers Have to Face Christian McCaffrey?
If the Packers were hoping to avoid 49ers All-Pro running back and MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey in the Divisional Round, Matt LaFleur and his team may need to recalibrate expectations.
McCaffrey was a full participant when the 49ers returned to practice on January, 16, after suffering a calf injury in the 49ers’ Week 17 win in Washington over the Commanders. The 27-year-old was held out of the 49ers’ regular season finale against the Los Angeles Rams.
Getting McCaffrey back on the field and healthy is a benefit of the 49ers having the bye week prior to beginning their postseason run.
McCaffrey finished the 2023 regular season rushing for 1,459 yards with 14 touchdowns while averaging 5.4 yards per carry in 14 games. A threat to break off a big play whenever he touches the football, McCaffrey also added 67 receptions for 564 yards and seven touchdowns.
Green Bay enters Saturday’s game as the No. 28 ranked rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 128.2 rushing yards per game and surrendering 15 rushing touchdowns.
Jordan Love Garners National Praise
Love‘s dominant performance in the Packers’ playoff victory over the Cowboys turned a lot of heads.
The 25-year-old Love was nearly flawless at AT&T Stadium, carving the Cowboys’ defense up for 272 passing yards and three touchdowns en route to a nearly perfect 157.2 passer rating and Wild Card victory.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was wildly impressed by the Packers quarterback’s performance.
“Last nine games dating back to November,” Smith said recently on ESPN’s First Take. “21 touchdowns, one interception. On third down, since Week 9, 13 touchdowns, not a single interception. We’re paying attention. This is not a one-game fluke.”
Love will get another chance to test his postseason mettle and gain valuable experience against the 49ers and San Francisco’s No. 14 ranked passing defense, with a trip to the NFC Championship Game on the line.
“Jordan Love is the real deal,” Smith said. “It looks like Green Bay made the right decision, moving on [from Aaron Rodgers]. They said he is ready, he’s ready.”