49ers high Packers in thriller, head to NFC Championship Recreation

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The thirty first time was the appeal for the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers entered Saturday’s NFC divisional spherical playoff matchup with the Inexperienced Bay Packers 0-30 underneath coach Kyle Shanahan when trailing by seven-plus factors getting into the fourth quarter. However quarterback Brock Purdy led the primary fourth-quarter comeback of his profession to steer the Niners to a 24-21 win over the Packers at Levi’s Stadium.

Operating again Christian McCaffrey scored the go-ahead landing with 1:07 left, permitting the 49ers to beat a 21-14 deficit to defeat a pesky Packers squad and advance to the NFC Championship Recreation, the place they will host the winner of Sunday’s NFC divisional playoff recreation between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions on Jan. 28.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers picked the very best time for his or her first second-half, come-from-behind win of the season.

On an evening when the well-rested Niners regarded rusty, San Francisco managed to maintain the sport shut with a mixture of fortunate breaks and massive performs to set the stage for Purdy and the offense to forge the money-time drive that had eluded all of them season.

Taking on down 21-17 with 6:18 to go at their 31-yard line, the Niners marched 69 yards on 12 performs in 5 minutes, 10 seconds. After struggling a lot of the night time, Purdy was 6-of-7 for 47 yards and carried twice for 11 yards on the game-winning drive, which was capped by McCaffrey’s 6-yard landing run for the ultimate margin.

It was solely the second game-winning drive with Purdy underneath heart and the primary through which he needed to do greater than merely take a knee to arrange the game-winning subject aim. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw’s second interception of the night time sealed the victory.

No one is aware of higher than the Niners the skinny line between profitable and shedding within the postseason, and although it was removed from their finest efficiency, it was sufficient to get them one step nearer to a Tremendous Bowl return.

QB breakdown: In per week 6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, Purdy had one of many worst video games of his younger profession in wet circumstances towards a high protection. The rain was once more an element on Saturday night time, however Purdy wasn’t going through that very same vaunted protection.

Purdy regarded uncomfortable within the pocket for giant chunks of the sport, seemingly a tick gradual going by means of his progressions and misfiring to open receivers. However when his crew wanted him essentially the most, he rebounded to complete 23-of-39 for 252 yards with a landing cross and no interceptions.

Largest gap within the recreation plan: On the finish of the primary half, the Niners held a 7-6 lead and had the ball with 4:09 to go and three timeouts of their pocket. It regarded like a golden alternative for Shanahan and the Niners to “lap” the Packers with a landing earlier than the half after which one other to open the third quarter.

Shanahan performed it ultra-conservatively, operating the clock down in an obvious try to forestall the Packers from getting the ball again reasonably than being aggressive in an effort to place one other landing on the board.

That method backfired as kicker Jake Moody’s 48-yard subject aim was blocked, and the Niners went three-and-out on the opening possession of the second half. As an alternative of a possible 21-6 lead, it was 7-6. Inexperienced Bay then seized the lead with 9:27 left within the third quarter.

Key damage: The 49ers misplaced receiver Deebo Samuel to a left shoulder damage within the first half, and he didn’t return. Samuel had two catches for twenty-four yards on San Francisco’s opening possession however left the sport to first be evaluated for a concussion. When he cleared these checks, he departed once more due to a shoulder subject.

At halftime, the Niners dominated Samuel out for the remainder of the sport with Jauan Jennings and Ray-Ray McCloud III stepping in reverse Brandon Aiyuk. — Nick Wagoner

Subsequent recreation: vs. winner of Buccaneers-Lions at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 28.

Inexperienced Bay Packers

This nonetheless looks as if the start of one thing important.

In any case, the Packers have been the youngest crew within the league and few anticipated Jordan Love’s first season because the beginning quarterback to even get this far.

However regardless of Saturday’s disappointing loss to the top-seeded 49ers, the window for this crew is simply starting to open. Contemplate all of the younger talent gamers the Packers have round Love — receivers Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Bo Melton, together with tight ends Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave — will probably be collectively for a number of years to return.

And operating again Aaron Jones confirmed down the stretch that he nonetheless has loads left within the tank to return again for an additional run.

Love’s final cross — an ill-advised deep throw over the center that was picked off by Greenlaw — will linger because the one which ended the season, however it may in the end show to be a studying expertise for Love.

Pivotal play half 1: After Jones was stuffed for no acquire on the primary play of the second quarter, coach Matt LaFleur elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 49ers’ 14 reasonably than making an attempt a subject aim that may’ve given Inexperienced Bay a 6-0 lead. Love’s sneak try was stuffed by Greenlaw. LaFleur did not just like the spot, however it wasn’t moved. The 49ers then scored a landing on the subsequent possession.

Pivotal play half 2: Two performs earlier than that 49ers landing, Purdy appeared to get away with intentional grounding on first-and-10 from the Packers’ 37. From inside the pocket, Purdy threw it away deep down the sphere, however there wasn’t a receiver anyplace within the neighborhood. On third-and-5 from the Packers’ 32, Purdy hit tight finish George Kittle for the rating.

Troubling development: Anders Carlson’s missed subject aim from 41 yards within the fourth quarter was the rookie kicker’s tenth missed kick previously 12 video games of the season, together with each subject objectives and further factors.

Daring prediction for the offseason: Joe Barry will probably be again as defensive coordinator. It as soon as appeared like he was a positive factor to be fired, however it could be a shock now after the best way the Packers completed the season regardless of the 49ers’ final drive.

Contemplate this quote from LaFleur final week when requested about Barry: “I could not be happier. I do know what Joe Barry is all about when it comes to the resiliency. There’s powerful moments, and there is powerful moments in each season. I felt like I do know what we’ve got in him and was assured that if anyone may type of proper the ship, so to talk, it was him.” — Rob Demovsky

Subsequent recreation: 2023 season is over.