Fred Warner, 49ers aren’t taking Packers ‘lightly’ ahead of Saturday showdown

Jan 17, 2024, 2:28 PM | Updated: 3:21 pm

Fred Warner #54 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a defensive stop on fourth down during ...

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San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

The 49ers are gearing up for a big showdown with the Packers this weekend, with everyone, including Fred Warner, not taking them lightly.

The San Francisco 49ers linebacker was very complimentary of the Green Bay Packers this week, giving them their flowers on his podcast The Warner House. But while the rest of the NFL world is penciling in SF for the next round (10-point favorites), Warner is taking it one day at a time, knowing the playoffs are unpredictable.

“I think people are gonna be like ‘How do you not take them lightly?’ First of all, if you’re asking that question then you don’t know the type of team that we have and the type of maturity,” Fred Warner said on his podcast this week. “I have been a part of way too many teams, way too many games to take anybody lightly.”

Fred Warner on taking the #Packers lightly:

“I think people are gonna be like 'How do you not take them lightly?'. First of all, if you’re asking that question then you don’t know the type of team that we have and the type of maturity… I have been a part of way too many teams,… pic.twitter.com/XLuKXGEVa6

— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) January 16, 2024

The 49ers’ captain dove deeper into the Packers’ wild-card upset over the Dallas Cowboys, including Jordan Love’s performance.

The young gunslinger finished last Sunday with 272 yards passing and three scores, handing Dallas their first home loss all year. Love has come a long way since his visit to Santa Clara in the 2022 preseason, with his opponent giving him all the praise in the world ahead of the NFC Divisional Round.

“Jordan Love played the game of his life in his playoff debut. He’s been phenomenal down the stretch…It’s gonna be a huge test for us this weekend. I’m not taking the Packers lightly. The Cowboys must’ve taken the Packers lightly,” the linebacker added.

“We are going to have to put together a great week of preparation. I said from the start, whoever gotta come into Levi’s, bring em on…It’s gonna be such an electric atmosphere, such a fun atmosphere to be a part of. It’s gonna be one for the ages.”

Warner followed up those sentiments with more praise of Green Bay, reflecting on the prowess it takes to win as a seventh seed on the road.

“They got our attention no matter what honestly. You win on the road as a 7th seed against a really good Dallas team, that’s enough in itself and then the fact that they won the way that they did, our hats off to them.”

Fred Warner hints there will be no overlooking Packers pic.twitter.com/tLy8tv4wnG

— KNBR (@KNBR) January 16, 2024

However, the 49ers know the talent they possess as well.

Not only do the Red & Gold hold home-field advantage for the rest of the playoffs, but they are also getting healthy at the right time. That includes running back Christian McCaffrey and defensive lineman Arik Armstead.

Still, that doesn’t mean SF will think less of the opposition, seeing firsthand that they will need a strong week of preparation to win on Saturday.

“They find a way to win that last [regular-season] game to get into the playoffs, and now they got a good team that you don’t look at as a bunch of rookies,” 49ers coach Shanahan stated about the Packers Tuesday. “You look at it as guys who are almost in their second and third year and they’re playing like it.

“But once you watch the tape and you really get into Green Bay and you really think of their numbers and you really watch their players and how they’re doing it. It doesn’t surprise me at all now.”

"Green Bay's doing all the right things right now. It's not a surprise they won the game [against Dallas]."

Foerster and the 49ers are not taking the Packers lightly pic.twitter.com/Fc2TEH0hSJ

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) January 17, 2024