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Best moments of 49ers-Packers playoff history: Green Bay's Super Bowl run, Kaepernick's record, more

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 12: Quarterback Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball against strong safety Charles Woodson #21 of the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Candlestick Park. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 12: Quarterback Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball against strong safety Charles Woodson #21 of the Green Bay Packers during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Candlestick Park. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers will face off once again in the divisional round of the 2024 NFL playoffs. These two teams will set the record for most playoff matchups with their 10th postseason game Saturday night at Levi's Stadium.

These are two of the oldest franchises in the NFL. The Packers are the third-oldest NFL team, established in 1921; San Francisco is the 11th, established in 1946. Green Bay's 836 total wins in the regular season and playoffs combined are the most all-time; San Francisco's 660 combined victories are fifth.

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Despite playing in the same conference for decades, the 49ers and Packers didn't meet in the postseason until the divisional round of the 1995 playoffs. After the following eight matchups, San Francisco holds the edge with a 5-4 record in the rivalry's playoff games.

Over the last 29 years, Packers-49ers postseason matchups have provided incredible performances and crucial victories. Here's a few of the biggest moments:

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1997 NFL playoffs: Green Bay starts a title run

This divisional round matchup pitted the top-seeded NFC Central champion Packers against the 49ers, who were the top wild card team in the NFC. The two teams met a year earlier in the playoffs with the Packers knocking off the 49ers in San Francisco.

This time, Green Bay hosted the game after a 13-3 regular season. The 49ers, two years removed from a Super Bowl title, only got two series from future Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young before he had to leave due to broken ribs.

The Packers raced out to a 21-0 lead before San Francisco battled back to make it 21-14 early in the third. But Green Bay clamped down in the second half to earn a 35-14 win in muddy conditions. In addition to two rushing touchdowns by running back Edgar Bennett and a touchdown pass by future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, the Packers also found creative ways to score with a punt return touchdown and a fumble recovery by the offense in the end zone.

That victory started Green Bay's run to its first Super Bowl title in 29 years. It also set the tone for much of the early playoff matchups between these two teams. Green Bay typically wins in convincing fashion - their four victories in the rivalry are by an average of 13 points per game compared to eight points for San Francisco.

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1999 NFL playoffs: 'The Catch II' featuring Terrell Owens

The one exception to Green Bay's early domination of the playoff series came in the 1999 NFL playoffs. At the time, the NFC had three divisions: the Central, West, and East. Despite a 12-4 record, the 49ers finished the regular season second in the West behind the Atlanta Falcons. Same for the 11-5 Packers, who were behind the Central champion Minnesota Vikings. The Packers had already beat the 49ers in the regular season at home that year.

Young found 49ers tight end Greg Clark for a touchdown early on to make it 7-3 in the first quarter, the first time the 49ers ever led the Packers in a playoff game.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 3: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens (C) hauls in a pass for the game-winning touchdown as Green Bay Packers players Pat Terrell (L) and Darren Sharper defend. (TOM GALLAGHER/AFP via Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 3: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens (C) hauls in a pass for the game-winning touchdown as Green Bay Packers players Pat Terrell (L) and Darren Sharper defend. (TOM GALLAGHER/AFP via Getty Images)

Green Bay battled back to a 17-10 halftime lead and Favre thew the go-ahead touchdown to wideout Antonio Freeman to make it 27-23 with two minutes left in the game.

Young marched the 49ers down the field and, thanks to a puzzling no-call on an obvious Jerry Rice fumble, had San Francisco in position to score with time running out. He nearly threw an interception on 2nd and 3 with 12 seconds to go; one play later, he found future Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens, who held on after a big hit in the end zone to give the 49ers their first postseason win over Green Bay 30-27.

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2013 NFL playoffs: Colin Kaepernick sets an NFL record

San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick took over for starter Alex Smith in Week 10 of the 2012 season and led the 49ers to a division title. After the NFC North champion Packers took care of the Vikings in the wild card round, the two teams met in the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

Kaepernick threw a pick-six early on to give Green Bay the lead. He responded with a 20-yard touchdown run to tie the game 7-7 and the teams traded scores before a David Akers field goal gave the 49ers a 24-21 lead at halftime.

In the second half, San Francisco took over.

Green Bay tied it 24-24 thanks to a Mason Crosby field goal halfway through the third quarter but it'd be the last points from the Packers until the final minute of the game. The 49ers offense scored three unanswered touchdowns, including a 56-yard Kaepernick rushing touchdown, to put the game well out of reach for Green Bay. An Aaron Rodgers touchdown pass to Greg Jennings cut it to 45-31 by the end of regulation.

Kaepernick's 181 rushing yards set an NFL postseason record for quarterbacks. His 444 total yards (263 passing, 181 rushing) and four total touchdowns powered the 49ers' biggest playoff win over the Packers at the time.

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2022 NFL playoffs: last-second field goal gives 49ers clutch win

The 2022 NFL playoffs provided the second postseason matchup between 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Packers coach Matt LaFleur. Shanahan gave LaFleur his first job in the NFL with the Houston Texans and the two worked together in Washington and Atlanta as well.

The first playoff matchup between the two coaches in the 2020 NFL playoffs was a 37-20 rout for the 49ers. This time around, the Packers were the top seed and playing at home against a wild card 49ers team in frigid conditions at Lambeau Field. Snow fell during a defensive battle between the two NFC contenders.

San Francisco mustered a season-low 212 total yards on offense. Green Bay's offense didn't fare much better in the conditions with 263 yards, the second-lowest of the season. The defenses combined for nine sacks and two turnovers.

The biggest plays of the game came within the final five minutes and both on special teams. San Francisco safety Talanoa Hufanga blocked a punt deep in Green Bay territory to score the 49ers' only touchdown of the game.

The 49ers defense forced a punt on the ensuing drive to set up the offense with 3:20 left in the game.

San Francisco wideout Deebo Samuel picked up a key third down conversion with a minute left to set up kicker Robbie Gould for the game-winning field goal. Gould nailed it from 45 yards out to give San Francisco a surprising 13-10 victory as time expired.

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 22: Kicker Robbie Gould #9 of the San Francisco 49ers is congratulated by teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal to win the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 22: Kicker Robbie Gould #9 of the San Francisco 49ers is congratulated by teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal to win the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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The 10th meeting between these two teams will kick off Saturday, Jan. 20 at 8:15 p.m. ET on FOX and streaming on the FOX Sports app and NFL+.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Packers-49ers playoff history have made for memorable postseason games