49ers vs. Packers: Players to Watch in Critical Week 1 NFC Matchup

The Green Bay Packers are hosting the San Francisco 49ers at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX. It promises to be an epic game between two of the top teams in the NFC, and the winner will have an early confidence boost that will certainly help on the journey back to the postseason and, possibly, the Super Bowl.

Let’s take a look at a few players on each team that should have a major impact on the outcome of the contest.

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers has developed into one of the best quarterbacks the NFL has to offer. He’s consistently among the league leaders in all of the major passing categories and his scrambling ability is quite solid on top of his arm strength and pocket presence.

If he wants to lead his Packers squad past the 49ers, he will have to make use of all his tools at a high level.

The QB will be under consistent pressure and have limited options downfield, so his decision-making will have to be perfect if he wants to take care of this feisty San Fran squad.

Charles Woodson

Woodson is supposedly playing safety in the Packers 3-4 base defense in 2012, but he’s likely going to be lining up at corner for a majority of the snaps on Sunday. In nickel and dime packages, Woodson will be the slot CB for Green Bay.

Because of Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham and Vernon Davis, the Pack will be forced to keep extra defensive backs on the field.

Woodson will have to make at least one big play and keep his man locked down for the Packers to keep the 49ers from blowing up the scoreboard.

San Francisco 49ers

Aldon Smith

If Aaron Rodgers can’t throw the ball, he can’t light up the San Fran secondary.

Smith’s job is going to be hunting down the signal-caller and making his life a living nightmare.

If he should fail to do that, the Packers are going to earn an easy victory.

Smith—who recorded 14 sacks and two forced fumbles as a rookie in 2011—will have to start his sophomore campaign off with a bang.

Vernon Davis

Davis is one of the hardest players to match up with in the NFL. His combination of size, speed, strength and athleticism at the TE position is practically unheard of and teams are still trying to figure out how to contain him.

Expect Davis to see a ton of targets on Sunday afternoon, and he’ll need to haul in quite a few receptions and at least one touchdown for the 49ers to pull off the upset.