NFC Championship Betting Pick: Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers

The NFC Championship Game is set for Sunday, and the top two teams in the Conference will be squaring off. The top-seeded San Francisco 49ers will take on the second seeded Green Bay Packers for a right to advance to the Super Bowl. Both teams finished with 13-3 records during the regular season and were division champions.

San Francisco has been building towards this season over the last few years, and they were ready to take the next step. The 49ers were able to pick up a comfortable win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Round matchup.

Green Bay is playing under first year head coach Matt LaFleur, and he was able to turn things around in a hurry. The Packers won the NFC North and then held off the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 28-23 in their first playoff game.

San Francisco is a -7.0 point home favorite in this game.

49ers Defense Can Be Dominant

The San Francisco 49ers held opponents to just 19.4 points per game during the regular season, and were even better on Saturday night. The Niners held the Minnesota Vikings to just 10 points in that win, and they should be able to slow down Aaron Rodgers in this one. San Francisco had close to 50 sacks during the regular season, and they will blitz from several different positions in an effort to stop the Packers offense.

San Francisco is averaging over 140 rushing yards per game this season, despite playing without several of their top running backs. The Niners are committed to running the football, and that strategy should allow them to dominate time of possession in this game. San Francisco doesn’t want to turn this game into a shootout, but they can certainly win that type of game.

Rodgers Will Need Help Again From Teammates

If the Green Bay Packers are going to pull off this road upset then they are going to need players to step up. Rodgers has the ability to carry this offense, but he can’t do it along against the Niners. Running back Aaron Jones was solid in the Divisional Round, and he had 16 rushing touchdowns this season. Balance on offense could be the key for the Packers to pull off an upset.

Defense hasn’t always been solid for Green Bay over the year, but that hasn’t been the case this season. The Packers are led by Preston and Za’Darius Smith, and these players have spent plenty of time hitting opposing quarterbacks. Green Bay did a terrific job of stopping the run against the Seattle Seahawks, and they will need that same game plan to reach the Super Bowl.

Packers Cover, 49ers Advance to Super Bowl

These two teams have both had terrific seasons, and this is going to be an epic battle to decide who comes out of the NFC. Green Bay is going to try to win this game behind the right arm of Aaron Rodgers, and the San Francisco 49ers wants to win this game with their defense. Homefield advantage should play a role as this game will be played in California.

Having Aaron Rodgers at the quarterback position will keep the Packers in this game. Green Bay can score points in a hurry, and they have proven that they can win on the road. San Francisco is just too good on the defensive side of the ball, and they aren’t losing this game. The 49ers will get the stops that they need, and they will come away with a victory late in this game.