In 17 years playing in the National Football League, Aaron Rodgers has done just about it all. He's beaten every team at least once - some, like the Bears and Lions, on repeat. He's been a Super Bowl MVP. Walk-off hero...and near pool shark.
But, one team in particular has given him trouble throughout his career - in fact, even before playing his first down in the NFL. That would be his childhood favorite, the San Francisco 49ers, who squandered what were likely lifelong dreams of playing in red and gold when they selected Alex Smith instead of Rodgers with the first pick of the 2005 NFL draft.
Since then, it's been a competitive series between San Francisco and Rodgers' Pack: an even 6-6 during his time as starter in Green Bay. But, the Niners have gotten the best of the Packers when it mattered most, beating them three separate times in the postseason, all of which came after a particularly lopsided meeting during the regular season. Two of those three Niners teams went on to reach the Super Bowl, the other falling just short in the NFC title game.
Whether just tough luck or truly having the Packers' number, San Francisco has single-handedly altered Rodgers' standing in the eyes of sports nation: the difference between a surefire Hall of Famer versus being recognized as the wholly undisputed, greatest of all time (GOAT).
After all, without rings (plural), Rodgers' individual accomplishments will continue to be just...stats.
Reaching the Super Bowl is never an individual task. Rodgers' supporting cast plays a vital role in the Packers getting back to the game's ultimate stage and sweetening his legacy in the progress. For Rodgers to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at least once more, he'll need some help.
It's a fact that the Packers' defense has been trending the wrong direction for weeks, becoming particularly vulnerable against talented backfields and especially soft in the trenches. That won't bode well for a Niners offense that thrives on a ground game infused with heavy doses of creativity.
While the run defense is a concern, there's reason to feel confident in other areas of the roster. Head coach Matt LaFleur expects a number of key personnel to return to the lineup on Saturday, namely Rodgers' blindside guardian David Bakhtiari and go-to target Randall Cobb. Whether these familiar faces can make a difference in their first real game back in some time is to be seen.
Packers fans' storybook ending to this magical 2021 season doesn't consist of a home loss to the Niners in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs. But, the Packers - as a team - will need to play more like their chippy early-season selves, rather than the unit that has simply glided by over the past month. Failing to execute, like they have in so many prior postseasons, would be tragic not only for the organization, but for the player that has curated so many spectacular memories for Packers Nation over the past decade.
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