No other team had a better start to the 2024 NFL playoffs than the San Francisco 49ers. And they didn’t even technically play yet. Their first game of the postseason will come against the surging Green Bay Packers, a team they are heavily favored to beat. But the bigger development may have taken place last week during the Wild Card round.
- What: San Francisco 49ers vs Green Bay Packers
- Date: Saturday, January 20, 2024
- Time: 8:15 p.m. eastern standard time
- Where: Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
- Point Spread: 49ers (-9.5), Packers (+9.5)
The NFC is universally considered weaker than the AFC this season. Especially at the top. That sentiment was reinforced during Wild Card Weekend when both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles fell to opponents that they were favored over. This has ostensibly left the Niners with a wide-open path to Super Bowl 58…if they can take care of business. That starts with the Packers, and the latest NFL online betting odds suggest that they will in a big way:
As always, please remember to double-check these online NFL playoff betting odds until you actually submit your wager. Our 49ers vs. Packers betting odds are accurate entering Wednesday, January 17. That gives the best NFL online betting sites plenty of time to make adjustments leading into opening kick-off on January 20.
The Niners, for their part, enter this matchup having won seven of nine games. And one of their two losses came during a throwaway outing in Week 18. As of now San Francisco is the only NFL team that ranks inside the top three of both offense and defense. Not even the Baltimore Ravens crack the top three of each category.
In the Packers’ defense, they are far from a pushover. They just chopped down the Cowboys’ high-octane offense for crying out loud. Green Bay is also on a tear of their own. They have won eight of their past 11 games, including the Wild Card upset over Dallas.
Which team should you bet on to make the NFC Championship? Let’s find out!
The San Francisco 49ers May be Super Bowl 58 Favorites, But the Green Bay Packers Have Juice
Penciling in the 49ers for a victory and trip to the 2024 NFC Championship is perfectly fine. Just don’t do it without giving the Packers their appropriate credit.
At one point, Green Bay looked like it was running an inconsistent, if not broken, offensive system. That has also changed in recent weeks. Quarterback Jordan Love has seen his usage and completion rate skyrocket. On top of that, he came in at the peak of his powers against a tough Cowboys defense.
Granted, the Niners are stingier on the defensive side than Dallas. But as Pro Football Network’s Brian Blewis pointed out, that may not matter:
“While the San Francisco 49ers have a better defense than the Cowboys and won’t lay an egg quite like they did on Sunday, this Packers offense seems matchup-proof at the moment. This dates back to even before Sunday’s game, as they were one of the best offenses in the NFL during the regular season, finishing top 10 in yards per play, DVOA, EPA/play, and success rate. Unfortunately for the Packers’ defense, however, they’ll be facing the top-ranked offense in each of those categories.”
That final line is why we have to pick the 49ers to beat the Packers. Every metric available paints them as the best offense in the NFL. And seldom do such high-powered attacks get paired with an elite-level defense.
OSB Prediction: San Francisco 49ers (-480)
Green Bay May Be Able to Hang with San Francisco for Longer Than Most Think
If you thought the long layover for the 49ers might impact the latest NFL playoff point spread betting lines, well, think again. Not only are they favored by nearly double digits, but the initial action tilts toward them, as well:
- San Francisco 49ers, -9.5 (-115)
- Green Bay Packers, +9.5 (-105)
It’s hard to refute the logic here. Just one of the 49ers’ victories this season has not come by double digits. Are the Packers really the team that’s going to buck the trend?
To be honest, we think they might. Jordan Love has now gone five straight games and 10 consecutive touchdown passes without tossing an interception. San Francisco’s defense is the living embodiment of hellfire, but the Packers should be able to keep things tight by scoring enough on their own.
OSB Prediction: Green Bay Packers, +9.5 (-105)
Experts are Expecting a High-Scoring Affair Between the Packers and 49ers
The highest over/under for the NFL Divisional Round belongs to the Packers and 49ers. Their line comes in over 50 points, as you can see below:
- Over 50.5 (-115)
- Under 50.5 (-105)
Going with the “over” runs counter to how dominant the Niners defense remains. But they have shown they’ll let up scores to high-end passing offenses so long as they notch TDs of their own.
Look no further than San Francisco giving up 33 points to the Ravens in Week 16 or surrendering 29 points to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 15. So long as the Packers protect the ball on their possessions, we would expect them to clear 21 points for the eighth time over their past 10 games.
OSB Prediction: Over 50.5 (-110)
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