The Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at Candlestick Park.
Green Bay at San Francisco
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 12, 2013
Where: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FOX.
Line: 49ers -3. O/U: 44.5
Oddsmakers currently have the 49ers listed as 3-point favorites versus the Packers, while the game’s total is sitting at 45.
Green Bay has most of its defense healthy for the first time in weeks and spent the wild-card round attacking Vikings backup quarterback Joe Webb. Clay Matthews, looking fully recovered from a hamstring injury that has limited him at times, had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble while Charles Woodson played for the first time since breaking his collarbone on Oct. 21. With those two playmakers back, the Packers forced three turnovers and managed to hold Peterson under 100 yards rushing. The focus this week will be on Rodgers facing a San Francisco defense that has held opposing passers to 200.2 yards – fourth-best in the NFL – and finished second in the league in scoring defense. Rodgers passed for 303 yards but struggled until late in the game and was intercepted once in the first meeting. He should have a better rushing attack behind him in Saturday’s game, with DuJuan Harris and Ryan Grant taking handoffs. Rodgers was the leading rusher for the Packers in Week 1 and could be without one of his top receiving targets Saturday in Jordy Nelson, who is questionable with a knee injury.
In their last action, Green Bay was a 24-10 winner at home against the Vikings. They covered the 11-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (34) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.
Green Bay: 11-5 SU, 9-7 ATS
When playing in January are 7-3
When playing on grass are 10-0
After outgaining opponent are 7-3
When playing outside the division are 6-4
Green Bay is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing San Francisco
Green Bay is 6-0-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Green Bay is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Green Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
San Francisco has a solid candidate for Defensive Player of the Year in Aldon Smith and has surrendered an average of 13.9 points in eight home games. That defense is keyed on the front line by tackle Justin Smith, who has been dealing with a triceps injury and missed the final two games of the regular season. Justin Smith was wearing an elbow brace but has been practicing and is listed as probable for Saturday. On the other side of the ball, the 49ers will be giving the Packers a much different look than in Week 1. Kaepernick passed for a career-high 276 yards in a Week 17 win over the Arizona Cardinals and has opened up the playbook with his ability to extend plays with his legs and one of the stronger arms in the league. The 25-year-old finished up the regular season with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions and was at his best in some of the biggest games, including a four-touchdown performance at New England in Week 15.
San Francisco won its last outing, a 27-13 result against the Cardinals on December 30. The 49ers failed to cover in that game as a 16-point favorite, while the 40 combined points took the game OVER the total.
San Francisco: 11-4-1 SU, 9-7 ATS
When playing in January are 6-4
When playing on grass are 8-1-1
After outgaining opponent are 6-3-1
When playing outside the division are 8-2
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Francisco’s last 8 games
San Francisco13-2-1 SU in its last 16 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco’s last 5 games when playing Green Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco’s last 5 games at home
Prediction: 49ers 27, Packers 24
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