GREEN BAY – The Packers and 49ers have met three previous times at this stage of the playoffs, but both teams have far more extensive histories in the NFC Divisional round.
Since the 1970 league merger and advent of the divisional playoffs, which constitute the final eight teams in the league alive for a Super Bowl berth, Saturday night's game at Lambeau Field will be Green Bay's 19th divisional appearance, while it will be San Francisco's 24th.
Remarkably, 17 of the 49ers' previous 23 appearances have been home games, so this will be just their seventh away contest. The disparity in their success rate is significant, as they've posted a 14-3 mark at home but gone just 2-4 on the road.
The Packers sport a similar discrepancy with a 6-1 home record at this stage, but just 3-8 on the road.
The 49ers are currently riding a four-game winning streak in the divisional round over the past decade, while the Packers are on a three-game streak dating back to 2016.
Coincidentally, the Packers' first NFC Divisional playoff win after four straight losses (from 1972-94) came against the 49ers, in San Francisco, in the 1995 postseason. This fourth meeting with the 49ers in the divisional round will be one shy of the most times the Packers have faced an opponent at this stage, having seen Dallas five times.
For the 49ers, 16 of their previous 23 divisional games have come against just four opponents – Minnesota (6), N.Y. Giants (4), Washington (3) and Green Bay (3).
Here's a listing of both teams' histories in the NFC Divisional playoffs (* denotes advanced to Super Bowl):
Packers
1972 at Washington, L 16-3
+1982 at Dallas, L 37-26
1993 at Dallas, L 27-17
1994 at Dallas, L 34-9
1995 at San Francisco, W 27-17
*1996 vs. San Francisco, W 35-14
*1997 vs. Tampa Bay, W 21-7
2001 at St. Louis, L 45-17
2003 at Philadelphia, L 20-17 OT
2007 vs. Seattle, W 42-20
*2010 at Atlanta, W 48-21
2011 vs. N.Y. Giants, L 37-20
2012 at San Francisco, L 45-31
2014 vs. Dallas, W 26-21
2015 at Arizona, L 26-20 OT
2016 at Dallas, W 34-31
2019 vs. Seattle, W 28-23
2020 vs. L.A. Rams, W 32-18
Totals: 9-9 (6-1 home, 3-8 road)
(+in strike-shortened season, was labeled "second-round playoff" but was same stage as divisional with 8 teams remaining)
49ers
*1970 at Minnesota, W 17-14
1971 vs. Washington, W 24-20
1972 vs. Dallas, L 30-28
*1981 vs. N.Y. Giants, W 38-24
1983 vs. Detroit, W 24-23
*1984 vs. N.Y. Giants, W 21-10
1986 at N.Y. Giants, L 49-3
1987 vs. Minnesota, L 36-24
*1988 vs. Minnesota, W 34-9
*1989 vs. Minnesota, W 41-13
1990 vs. Washington, W 28-10
1992 vs. Washington, W 20-13
1993 vs. N.Y. Giants, W 44-3
*1994 vs. Chicago, W 44-15
1995 vs. Green Bay, L 27-17
1996 at Green Bay, L 35-14
1997 vs. Minnesota, W 38-22
1998 at Atlanta, L 20-18
2002 at Tampa Bay, L 31-6
2011 vs. New Orleans, W 36-32
*2012 vs. Green Bay, W 45-31
2013 at Carolina, W 23-10
*2019 vs. Minnesota, W 27-10
Totals: 16-7 (14-3 home, 2-4 road)
