How the 49ers can Cause the Packers to Fold Early

The football world rejoiced and laughed when the Green Bay Packers made easy work of the Dallas Cowboys.

It was an upset unlike any other and the first time that a No. 7 seed won a playoff game since its implementation in 2020. However, in a way, the Packers defeating the Dallas Cowboys wasn't too shocking. Ever since November, the Packers have really woken up and taken a leap. Over the course of that time, the Packers were 8-3 going into the playoffs and had Jordan Love playing at an excellent level.

The Packers have a ton of momentum on their side. They are surging and are now playing with house money, which is what makes them a dangerous team to face right now. But there is a way for the 49ers to easily nip their momentum in the bud. What the 49ers have to do is simple really -- take a commanding lead early. Doing so will put pressure on the Packers. And while they are not unfamiliar with pressure, the 49ers are a team that does so by punching their opponents in the mouth.

If the 49ers do that early, they instantly take Green Bay's momentum away which is crucial to their success. When the 49ers do that, I believe they will cause the Packers to fold early. They will quit. Why? Because they are such a young team. The Packers are the youngest playoff team in nearly 50 years. They really aren't supposed to be here, which shows how impressive they have been with the momentum on their side. If that momentum gets taken away by the 49ers taking a commanding lead early, then the young players on the Packers will start to press and panic.

Playoff pressure is a whole different beast. The Packers have to face the 49ers, who are rested and prepared, on the road for a short week. The 49ers are not the Cowboys. Overlooking Green Bay will not occur. I fully expect the 49ers to treat the Packers like a team that deserves their best, so they easily be able to get up for the Packers and come out fierce. All the offense has to do is put up back-to-back touchdown scoring drives on their first two possessions, while the defense needs to stonewall the Packers.

Once they take that lead, it will be a whole different ball game for the Packers. And they will come to a realization that they cannot best the 49ers. This is where experience matters and the 49ers have to expose that with the Packers. See how they respond when they get punched early and are in a deficit. I bet they will start to fold and eventually quit. Take their confidence and momentum away early and see what the Packers are truly made of. Should the 49ers do that, then they will win in blowout fashion.