Packers' D gashed in 45-31 playoff loss to 49ers

It just didn't matter.

Then the power running took over from there with Gore and Anthony Dixon each running for short scores that turned the tight game into a blowout.

It was another example of how San Francisco is a completely different team than the one that beat the Packers in Green Bay in September with the elusive Kaepernick having replaced Alex Smith at quarterback. The Packers seemed unprepared for Kaepernick's zone-read plays and scrambles, and they now will have all offseason to figure out how to handle them in the future.

"The one thing it does is it kind of makes you a little bit indecisive in what you want to do," Woodson said. "You want to shoot in there, but he may hold the ball and take it outside. If you go outside, he might give it to the running back and take it up the middle. It's one of those things that makes you play flat footed a little bit."

They even struggled when the Niners went to the air, allowing Kaepernick to throw for 263 yards and two first-half touchdowns to Michael Crabtree.

"To win a game, you need to make a team one dimensional, take away the run and make them beat you throwing," Hawk said. "That was our plan coming in but it didn't work out. It's crazy to end the season so abruptly like this but we know that's how it works in the playoffs."

That all proved to be too much for even last year's NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers to overcome. He threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns, but also was intercepted once and couldn't keep up with Kaepernick.

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