McCaffrey, 49ers in Good Health Against Packers
Packers-49ers Odds: Betting Lines Holding Steady
The Green Bay Packers have defied the NFL odds for weeks. As the Packers turn their attention to the NFC Divisional Round, they find themselves as underdogs once more.
The San Francisco 49ers opened as 9.5-point favorites and were bet up to -10. But as of Friday morning, that line was back to where it started. The total, meanwhile, opened at 51.5 but was bet down to 50 before inching back up to 50.5.
As we approach kickoff, here’s what bettors need to know to help make sense of the Packers-49ers odds.
Packers vs 49ers 
Day/Time:
Location: Levi’s Stadium; Santa Clara, Calif.
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
Jones, Love Fueling Packers’ Surge
The Packers have covered in three straight games and are 7-4 ATS and 6-5 OU as an underdog. But as they prepare for the NFC’s No. 1 seed, there are a few injuries that they’re closely monitoring.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder/ankle) and running back AJ Dillon (thumb/neck) were both listed as questionable on the NFL injury report for Saturday, along with linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (neck) and punter Daniel Whelan (illness).
Alexander didn’t practice this week after aggravating his ankle in last week’s win over Dallas. As for Dillon, he’s missed the previous two games with a neck injury but returned to practice Thursday in a limited capacity.
Aaron Jones handled the bulk of carries against Dallas and rushed 21 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns. It was the fourth straight 100-yard game for Jones, who’d averaged just 37.2 yards over his first eight NFL games this season. Jones has yet to crack 100 yards rushing in six previous meetings with San Francisco.
While Jones figures to be a focal point, nobody is more critical to the Packers’ offense than Jordan Love. After an inconsistent start to the NFL season, Love has been performing at an elite level over the last two months.
In the last nine games, Love has thrown for 21 touchdowns and only one interception. He’s coming off a 272-yard, three-touchdown effort against the Cowboys.
During that span, the Packers have gone 6-3 ATS and 7-2 against the Over/Under. Bettors should keep that in mind when analyzing the Packers-49ers odds.
49ers Close to Whole
Most of San Francisco’s key starters have had two weeks to rest following the opening-round bye. The time off has allowed the NFC’s No. 1 seed to heal some notable injuries.
Star running back Christian McCaffrey will be back after missing the Week 18 loss to the Rams with a mild calf strain. McCaffrey has been listed as a full participant in practice and is “geared up and ready to go,” coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters.
Despite sitting out the regular season finale, McCaffrey still finished as the NFL’s leader in rushing yards (1,459) and yards from scrimmage (2,023). McCaffrey scored 21 touchdowns, including 14 rushing.
He’s poised to have a big performance against a defense that ranked just 28th at stopping the run (128.3 yards allowed/game). The 49ers are 6-1 this season when McCaffrey rushes for at least 100 yards. That’s important to remember when assessing the Packers-49ers odds.
Safety Tashaun Gipson (quad) and defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot, knee) also returned to practice this week, indicating they’re on track to return against Green Bay. Armstead has missed five consecutive games. Barring any setbacks, the 49ers will be about as healthy as possible for the NFL playoff bracket’s Divisional Round.
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