What channel is Packers vs. 49ers on today? Time, TV schedule for NFC championship game

For the first time in 22 years, fans in San Francisco and Green Bay scanning their TV channels for the NFC championship game will be looking to watch their own teams play each other for a chance to reach the Super Bowl.

The 49ers and Packers, who entered the NFL playoffs in 2020 as the NFC's top two seeds enter today's game in San Francisco, scheduled to kick off at 6:40 p.m. ET on Fox, is pretty much as good as it gets for those who enjoy marquee matchups.

Though the 49ers and Packers entered the playoffs as the No. 1 and No. 2 seed, respectively, neither team was expected to be here based on most preseason projections. Green Bay entered the season with a rookie head coach, and San Francisco went 4-12 last year.

Now the Packers' Matt LaFleur is the first coach to reach a conference title game in his first season since Jim Harbaugh did it with the 49ers in 2011. With a win Sunday, LaFleur would become the sixth rookie head coach to appear in the Super Bowl.

49ERS vs. PACKERS PICKS:
Against the spread | Straight-up predictions

Between LaFleur (40 years, 66 days old) and current 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan (40 years, 36 days old), this also will be the first conference championship game featuring two head coaches under the age of 41 since 1970.

Yet neither hot-shot coach can steal the spotlight from Aaron Rodgers on this stage, The Packers quarterback passed for 243 yards and two touchdowns without an interception for a 113.7 passer rating last week, marking Rodgers’ sixth consecutive playoff game with at least two touchdown passes. With at least two more Sunday, Rodgers would tie Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montanta and Drew Brees for the second longest streak of postseason games with at least two touchdown passes in NFL history (seven). Only Joe Flacco (eight) had a longer such streak.

Additionally, with two touchdown passes, Rodgers would tie Peyton Manning (40) for the fourth most career postseason touchdown passes in NFL history. With 4,700 passing yards in 17 career playoff starts, Rodgers needs at least 300 passing yards Sunday to become the sixth player with at least 5,000 career postseason passing yards in NFL history, joining Tom Brady (11,388), Peyton Manning (7,339), Brett Favre (5,855), Joe Montana (5,772) and Ben Roethlisberger (5,256).

Below is all the info you need to watch 49ers vs. Packers in the NFC championship game Sunday, including the TV channel and kickoff time.

MORE: Full betting preview for 49ers vs. Packers

What channel is Packers vs. 49ers on today?

• TV channel (national): Fox
• TV channel (San Francisco): KTVU
• TV channel (Green Bay): WLUK
• Live stream: Yahoo! | DAZN (in CA)

Sunday's 49ers vs. Packers game on Fox will be called by the network's No. 1 crew. That means Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call the action from the broadcast booth, and Erin Andrews and Chris Myers wil report from the sidelines. Mike Pereira is Fox's NFL rules analyst.

For those who can't watch 49ers vs. Packers on TV and wish to find the game on the radio, the Green Bay call can be heard on Sirius channel 82 and XM channel 226, and the San Francisco call can be heard on Sirius channel 83 and XM channel 225.

MORE: Watch every NFL game and RedZone on DAZN (Canada only)

What time does the Packers vs. 49ers game start?

• Date: Sunday, Jan. 19
• Start time: 6:40 p.m. ET

In our picks against the spread and our straight-up predictions for the conference championship round of the NFL playoffs, Sporting News is split on 49ers vs. Packers. Below are the explanations for each pick.

Against the spread: The Packers got blasted by the 49ers 37-8 during the Sunday night Week 12 meeting in San Francisco. In that game, Aaron Rodgers threw for only 104 yards on 33 attempts and was sacked five times. Green Bay didn't have much of a running game to support him and fell into a big hole, 23-0 by halftime.

Green Bay has no choice but to play better offensively this time, with the "triplets" of Rodgers, wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Aaron Jones coming off an effective divisional playoff game against the Seahawks and working behind a solid line. The problem will lie in the Packers' defense trying to slow down the 49ers.

San Francisco offers many paces and styles in the rushing attack with its deep backfield. Green'Bay's front seven is built more to rush the passer and cover, and it can wilt against the run. There won't be sudden secondary answers against Jimmy Garoppolo's quick and physical go-to guys, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel. The 49ers also can get the Packers out of position with misdirection, motion and play-action.

Rodgers will do the best he can with little skill help beyond Adams and Jones, facing defensive challenges on every level led by Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, Kwon Alexander and Richerd Sherman. Garoppolo is loaded by comparison and will see many more things available to exploit in the middle of the field.

Pick: 49ers win 42-24 and cover the spread.

Straight up: The 49ers should win this game for so many reasons. They're at home, where they smoked the Packers on a Sunday night in Week 12. Their offense, founded on a trusty running game and supplemented by a handful of solid receiving targets for a smooth quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, is clicking. Their defense, now fully healthy and as dominant up front as anybody in the NFL, is at full strength. Green Bay should have no chance.

Just like the Titans didn't have a chance against the Patriots or the Ravens in these wacky NFL playoffs. Just like the Vikings didn't have a chance against the Saints. Just like the Texans were pronounced dead in the first half against the Bills. Just like the Chiefs were buried by a disastrous first quarter against the Texans.

Conventional wisdom is useless in the NFL, and the 2020 postseason is a perfect example of why. While the Packers are big underdogs against the 49ers in the NFC championship game with good reason, it's not like Green Bay, which won 13 games in coach Matt LaFleur's first season, is a pushover.

After the Packers beat the Seahawks in the divisional round, SN's Vinnie Iyer pinned four things they need to repeat in the title game to upset the 49ers. First, they need to protect Aaron Rodgers. Even with Bryan Bulaga set to return at right tackle, this is Green Bay's biggest challenge, because San Francisco's pass rush is relentless.

Second, the Packers need get Davante Adams open. As long as they can keep their No. 1 receiver away from Richard Sherman, this is possible. Third, they need to convert on third downs. We trust Rodgers to do just that. Finally, they need to stop the 49ers' running game. This is where Kenny Clark comes in.

Everything Green Bay needs to fall into place against San Francisco has a decent chance to do just that, especially with no weather concerns in Santa Clara. The Packers won't have any issues with the weather in Miami, either.

Pick: Packers 27, 49ers 24

NFL playoff schedule: Conference championship games

Below is the full schedule for the rest of the NFL playoffs in 2020, from today's conference championship games through Super Bowl 54, complete with TV channels and live stream links.

Sunday, Jan. 19

Super Bowl 54

Sunday, Feb. 2