2 reasons to believe in every underdog in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs

Reason No. 1 why the Packers can beat the 49ers: All the pressure is on San Francisco

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan have a long history together. The two coached side-by-side in Houston, Washington, and Atlanta, and both are now regarded as two of the brightest offensive minds in the game.

Not unlike what we discussed above with the Chiefs and Bills, LaFleur has gotten the best of Shanahan in the regular season by winning two out of three meetings, but Shanahan prevailed in both playoff matchups.

This should give Shanahan the edge, but those were very different Packers teams that his 49ers defeated. Aaron Rodgers is long gone, as is his 0-4 playoff record against San Francisco. In his place is Jordan Love, and the first-year starter has rounded into a special player, delivering his best performance of the year against the Cowboys last week.

The team around Love is quite different also, as Green Bay has the youngest roster in the NFL. Sometimes that inexperience can hinder a team in the playoffs, but in handing Dallas their first home loss of the season in resounding fashion in the Wild Card Round, Green Bay looked like a team that didn't understand that playoff pressure is supposed to be a thing. They won't be intimidated going into Levi's Stadium.

Just as the Packers are playing like they have nothing to lose, the Niners have all the pressure in the world on them. They are the clear favorite in the NFC, and anything short of a Super Bowl berth would be viewed as a major disappointment. Sometimes the best team on paper handles its business, and sometimes things get a little tight.

Reason No. 2 why the Packers can beat the 49ers: Rhythm vs. rust

Last year's Super Bowl featured the No. 1-seeded teams from both conferences, but sometimes the bye can be a curse. Just one year earlier, both 1-seeds lost their first games of the playoffs, so the bye is no guarantee of success.

The 49ers had the Wild Card Round off by virtue of their NFC-leading 12-5 record, while the Packers put together their most complete effort of the year in destroying Dallas. Green Bay has essentially been fighting for its life for weeks now, and that crucible has brought out the best in them. The Packers beat the Bears in a win-or-go-home game in Week 18, and after trouncing Dallas, they've now won four straight.

Conversely, the Niners haven't played a meaningful game in weeks, and it's fair to wonder how sharp they'll be on Saturday as a result. The last real opponent San Fran played was the Ravens in Week 16, and that matchup between the teams with the league's top two records ended in a 33-19 humiliation at home. The last time the 49ers beat a playoff team was a month and a half ago, and that was against the Eagles, who have been in a downward spiral ever since.

It wouldn't be shocking to see the combination of rust and pressure result in a very different outcome than most people are expecting in this one. Green Bay is playing good ball, and they won't go quietly.