Some “Niners/Pack” ‘Offs Notes

Saturday night “presents,” plausibly live on television, a tenth (all since ’95) San Francisco 49ers/Green Bay Packers playoffs tilt.

After losing 4 of the first 5, “S.F.” has won the last four and are more or less “double digit” “faves,” vs the Pack in S.F, in what will be the teams’ fifth “slots” clash, having split the previous four.

The Niners are (18-7) in “slots”/division round games, obviously 18 of 25 wins, in what was 18 of 25 such games, at home.

They are (15-3) in home slots games, (for the record the losses being in ’72, (a big blown one vs Dallas), ’87 vs Minne Vikings and to the Packers in ’95).

S.F. has won 5 straight such games, however, their title drought is actually the same # of years as “more or less disgraceful,” Dallas (Cowboys) at 28 seasons (’95-2022) while Dallas’ drought is from (’96-2023) with the caveat, that they have not even won as much as a “slots” tilt, since ’95.

Green Bay an impressive (10-3) with the title on the line (pre Supe, NFL Title tilts wins in ’36, ’39, ’44, ’61,’62 and ’65 with losses in ’38 and ’60 (the last one Vince Lombardi’s only ‘offs loss) and (4-1) in Supes winning under Vince, in ’66 and ’67 plus ’96 and 2010 with a loss in ’97), is (9-10) in the slots (i.e. NFL “quarters” which began in ’70 and I note a “quarter” win in ’67 making them (10-10) in “quarters.”

The Packers split in a couple of unscheduled conference playoffs tilts/”semis,” losing at Chicago vs the Bears a week after Pearl Harbor Day (the tilt played on December 14th with “Fees” and “Lees” leading Chi, as George McA”FEE” carried 14 times for 119 yards and Norm Stand”LEE” “going” 14-79 and 2 short td runs) in ’41, and winning in overtime and with controversy, that led to goalpost extensions in ’65 at home vs the Colts).

The ’41 Bears and ’65 Pack won their next game and were champions, while the ’67 Packers also became champions, but needed the famed Ice Bowl win vs Dallas and the beyond anti climactic Supe win, vs Oakland (Raiders) to do so.

Only the ’96 Packers among the nine previous winners of a Niners/Packers playoffs game went on to win it all.

In fact, only twice after the aforementioned SF/GB ‘offs tilts, did said winner prevail in its next ‘offs tilt.

The ’12 Niners won at Atlanta in the title tilt after “slotting” Green Bay while the next season, S.F. followed its wild card round win at Green Bay, with a “slots” win at Carolina vs the Panthers.

Both times (in ’12 with 2023 Michigan college pig title winning coach Jim Harbaugh, losing to brother John’s Baltimore Ravens team in the Supe and in ’13 when Seattle (Seahawks) held them off in the NFC Title game) S.F. lost its subsequent game.

Noteworthy and finally, ’13 John is still the”Balti” coach, a team that, as is the case with S.F, is a 2023 conference top seed.

Anthony Carter, pictured above and also a standout player at Michigan, had an incredible game in the Vikings’ “Slot 2″/”div round” win at the Niners in ’87.