Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers -  Previewing the 2020 NFC Championship Game

X-factors

Packers – Allen Lazard and Kenny Clark

As far as X-factors go for the Packers, you could pretty much go with any receiver not named Davante Adams. While I expect Rodgers to work him against whoever they have him matched up against, they will need somebody to win some matchups outside the numbers. They need to not only pick up easy yardage with short completions against the off-coverage by the cornerbacks but also lure San Francisco out of the amount of single-high sets if they want to have any chance of being productive in the run game. Allen Lazard has flashed in that fashion before and I have also seen him set some crucial crackback blocks to get his teammates to the edges, which is where you need to attack against a penetrating D-line.

Defensively, I was really going back and forth between Kenny Clark and Darnell Savage, since he will be matched up against another rookie in Deebo Samuel on several occasions if they can get out of base sets and use extra DBs, but I went with Clark since he will be crucial to even get Savage on the field. Outside of Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander, the defensive tackle might be the best player on this Green Bay defense and he will need to take advantage of his matchup. Clark has to make a difference when isolated against 49ers' original second-string center Ben Garland, whether that is playing with extension in the run game and stopping the flow of those zone schemes or pushing the pocket against the pass.

49ers – Raheem Mostert and Emmanuel Moseley

Much like I did with Mecole Hardman, in a crucial matchup like this, I looked at a guy who could potentially flip field-positioning in return-man Richie James, who also can create some easy yardage on-screen and sweep plays, but instead, I moved on to Mostert. Tevin Coleman looked like the lead-back once again last week against Minnesota, but I think the Niners could have much more success in this particular game with the downhill gap-run schemes. Mostert is more of a North-and-South power back with the ability to run through arm tackles and the speed to quickly pick up big chunks when they get him outside on some quick toss plays.

Maybe the most volatile position for the 49ers in that right cornerback across from Richard Sherman. We have seen Ahkello Witherspoon get embarrassed at the line and struggle to stay with receivers down the field. Emmanuel Moseley took over for him several times throughout the regular season and after Robert Saleh made the switch last week, the Vikings could not do anything offensively. The Packers will try to match Davante Adams up against him and also nickelback K’Waun Williams, who will be crucial himself, so this is a situation to follow.