Can Packers put Young on his seat again come Sunday?

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Reggie White knows exactly how to make San Francisco quarterback Steve Young 0-9 against the Green Bay Packers -- nail him just as they did two months ago.

Young took a beating in San Francisco's 36-22 loss at Green Bay on Nov. 1. He was hit constantly and sacked a career-high nine times, leaving town with a strained abdominal muscle.Can the Packers duplicate that performance when they visit 3Com Park for a wild-card playoff game Sunday?

"We have to," White said. "If we're going to succeed, the way we beat them is that we play well up front. If we don't play well up front, then we won't win."

White had three of the Packers' nine sacks of Young at Lambeau Field as the 49ers lost their fifth straight game to the Packers, including playoff defeats finishing San Francisco's past three seasons.

It was one of the bright spots in an up-and-down 11-5 season for the two-time defending NFC champs, plagued all year by injury and inconsistency.

"We dominated the line of scrimmage," said White, who led the NFC with 16 sacks in his farewell season. "And when you get that much pressure, you'll beat anybody. I don't care who the guy is. He can be the greatest quarterback in the world, if you sack him nine times and then hit him as he's throwing the ball away, then you can rattle any quarterback."

Defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur sent pass rushers from all over.

Strong safety LeRoy Butler had two sacks, including a four-yarder on the Niners' first snap, linebacker Brian Williams had one and defensive ends Vonnie Holliday, Vaughn Booker and Keith McKenzie all sent Young to the turf, too.

"Everybody was just on that night," Holliday said.

Young wasn't helped any by an injury to center Chris Dalman, who tore a knee ligament that night, and the ineffective play of left tackle Jamie Brown.

Packers coach Mike Holmgren said he expects to see a much better pocket of protection surrounding Young this time.

Kirk Scrafford, who came out of retirement a week before the first meeting with the Packers, where he saw spot duty in relief of Brown, has moved into the lineup at right tackle.

"So, obviously he's going to be in better shape and he's a good football player. So, their offensive line in that respect will be stronger," Holmgren said.