NFL Predictions 2012: 49ers vs Packers Week 1 Battle an NFC Championship Preview

When the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers meet at Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon in a fabulous Week 1 matchup, NFL fans will be watching a preview of the NFC Championship Game that will be played in January.

With all due respect to the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants, these two teams are the class of the NFC.

Let's look at why these two teams will meet in the 2012 NFC Championship Game.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers were upset in the NFC Divisional Round last year thanks to an awful performance against the Giants. The team will go into this season with an improved defense, after ranking among the worst in the NFL last year.

Drafting defensive end Nick Perry from USC and defensive tackle Jerel Worthy from Michigan State will give the Packers more talented pass-rushers that can pressure the opposing quarterback, which will prevent the team's poor secondary from having to cover receivers and tight ends for too long.

From an offensive standpoint, the Packers have arguably the best passing attack in the NFL. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw 45 touchdown passes and only six interceptions last season. He has plenty of weapons on offense, including wide receivers Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson and tight end Jermichael Finley.

The lack of a running game might be a problem, but the Packers went 15-1 with the worst running game in the NFL last year, so a pass-often approach does work well for them.

The Packers should win between 13-15 games this season and earn a top seed in the NFC playoffs. Lambeau Field is one of the toughest places to play in the postseason, and most of these Green Bay players have Super Bowl winning experience.

If Rodgers keeps playing like the MVP-caliber quarterback he is, there's no reason why the Packers cannot return to the NFC title game this season.

With an offense that can score 30-plus points on anyone, and an improved defense that's more athletic than last year, no one will stop Green Bay from making it to within one game of another Super Bowl.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers would have played the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl last year if Kyle Williams didn't fumble twice (once in the fourth quarter and once in overtime) against the Giants in the NFC title game.

San Francisco made some good upgrades in the offseason, adding wide receivers Randy Moss and Giants Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham through free agency. This will give quarterback Alex Smith plenty of weapons to utilize in the passing game.

For a team that didn't have a lot of playoff experience before last year, the 49ers will not forget how it felt to be so close to the Super Bowl. This will be a huge motivator for coach Jim Harbaugh and his team all season.

They have something to prove, and a better roster. It also helps that they play in the NFC West division, which is the easiest division in football to win. It's hard to imagine the 49ers not winning at least 13 games and securing one of the NFC's top two seeds in the playoffs.

Week 1 Prediction

This Week 1 matchup won't prove who the better team is, but it will be a fascinating matchup between the league's best defense and an offense that can score a ton of points. The winner will feel very confident about their chances of doing something special this season.

The Packers and 49ers are the best teams in the NFC, and will meet again in January with a berth to Super Bowl XLVII on the line.

Week 1 Prediction: 49ers defeat Packers 24-17

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