We already know the Green Bay Packers threw away the game plan created for their Week 12 game against the San Francisco 49ers. They suffered an embarrassing 37-8 loss that night at Levi's Stadium.
The Packers have won every game since, and there is no doubt they'll try to attack the 49ers in Sunday's NFC Championship Game much differently than that previous meeting.
In turn, San Francisco isn't likely to attack its opponent the same way this time around, either.
How will the Packers' game plan change? How will the 49ers react to those changes? Only the coaching staffs and players know, at this point.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stood in front of his locker on Thursday with several microphones, phones, and cameras in front of him, and was asked if it is easier or harder preparing for a team he has already faced.
#49ers Jimmy Garoppolo sure can draw a crowd. Biggest media scrum in locker room since Colin Kaepernick in 2016 pic.twitter.com/4z6sO8hlcl
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) January 16, 2020
"Whenever you have to do that, it's always different the second time," Garoppolo responded. "It's a lot of the cat-and-mouse, we think they're going to do this, they think we're going do that type of thing. Just the back and forth with it. But at the end of the day, you've got to go out there and play and react to what's happening on the field."
It's been an exciting journey so far this season for both the players and fans. The 49ers have found ways to win in every conceivable way. There have been close games, blowouts, a heavy dose of the run, a strong passing attack, hot weather, and stormy weather. You name it, and they've likely played in it.
They aren't done yet, though. One more win will earn the 49ers a trip to Miami for Super Bowl LIV.
"It's crazy to look back on [the season]," Garoppolo told reporters. "Just watching tape, and things like that, and you see clips from October or whatever, it seems like a lifetime ago. It's been a whirlwind of a season, especially just personally, coming back from the ACL (injury) and everything. But it's a great group of guys to go to battle with. I wouldn't ask for anyone else."
