San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (#85) celebrates his touchdown reception with wide receivers Chris Conley (#84) and Ray Ray McCloud III (#3) against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC Divisional showdown at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday JAN 20, 2024. (Kym Fortino-San Francisco 49ers)
by Marko Ukalovic
The Cinderella story for the Green Bay Packers ended in Santa Clara.
The San Francisco 49ers scored the game winning touchdown with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter for a 24-21 comeback victory in the NFC Divisional Playoff game on Saturday evening at Levi’s Stadium.
San Francisco advanced to its third consecutive NFC Championship game and fourth in five years where it will host the winner of the Detroit Lions-Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC Divisional showdown. They have won five games in a row against the Packers. Green Bay’s season comes to an end after winning its last four games, including an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys last week in the NFC Wild Card game.
“We found a way to win. I’m very proud of the guys in there. I thought that was a big mental challenge. It’s a character game, a game we’ve been a part of. When things aren’t going how you want on offense, defense, special teams. The rain (being a factor), guys (were) slipping a lot. Losing Deebo (Samuel) early, things like that, the mistakes we had to overcome. That was a gut check for everybody,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love marched his team down the field on its opening drive with a 14 play 58-yard drive that ate up more than half of the first quarter and ended with a 29-yard field goal by rookie kicker Anders Carlson. 49ers cornerback Ambry Thomas kept drive alive with a passing interference penalty on wide receiver Romeo Doubs.
San Francisco’s opening drive didn’t garner the same success as Darnell Savage almost had a pick-six against quarterback Brock Purdy on during the 49ers first drive. On the next play wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a shoulder injury after a nine-yard reception. The drive ended with a Preston Smith sack on 3rd and 6.
Samuel did not return to the game.
The Packers second drive drove deep inside 49ers territory as it threatened to extend its lead when Love connected with Doubs on a 38-yard reception down the right sideline. However, Dre Greenlaw stopped running back Aaron Jones on 3rd on 1 for no gain. Then on the subsequent play, Love’s quarterback sneak was snuffed out as San Francisco’s defense forced a turnover on downs.
The 49ers had a long drive of their own on its next possession. Purdy scrambled out to his right and floated a pass over to tight end George Kittle for a 32-yard touchdown reception to complete a 12 play 86-yard drive with 8:42 left in the second quarter.
Once again San Francisco’s defense bent but didn’t break on Green Bay’s third possession. The Packers drove down 64 yards on 10 plays but had to settle for another 29-yard field goal by Carlson. Things got chippy as defensive end Randy Gregory and lineman Josh Myers were called for unnecessary roughness penalties after a Deommodore Lenoir knocked Love out of bounds on a scramble.
“It wasn’t pretty on both sides of the ball,” said Greenlaw. “They (Green Bay) had a real good team. Their young guys were hungry trying to make some plays. For us, we just had to go out there and do our job and execute. We had confidence in us the whole time.”
The Niners ended the first half with Jake Moody 48-yard field goal attempt but Colby Wooden raised his hand high enough to get a piece of the ball as it sailed wide left.
Green Bay forced San Francisco to a three and out to start the second half. Their offense cashed in on its first drive to start the second half with a nine play 75-yard drive. Love connected with a wide-open Bo Melton on a 19-yard touchdown reception to give the Packers their first lead of the game. The key play on the drive was Thomas’ 41 yard passing interference penalty on Melton on 3rd and 15 allowed the drive to continue as Green Bay scored on the next play.
San Francisco answered back on its next drive. Running back Christian McCaffery finally got into a rhythm as he broke one tackle and raced into the endzone for a 39-yard rushing touchdown to give the 49ers back the lead as it finished off a quick four play 75-yard drive. McCaffery had just 33 yards on nine carries before the touchdown.
Keisean Nixon returned the ensuring kick off 73 yards before having the ball knocked out by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles but the Emanuel Wilson recovered the ball for Green Bay at the San Francisco 20-yard line. Four plays later Tucker Kraft caught a two-yard touchdown reception out in the flat. Jones converted the two-point conversion with a reception out to the right flat.
The Niners defense had been quiet until a pass intended for Kraft was thrown behind him and went off his hand and into the hands of Greenlaw as he returned it to the Green Bay 48-yard line for the game’s first turnover with 2:18 remaining in the third quarter.
Green Bay’s defense pressured Purdy for most of the game as it didn’t allow to San Francisco’s offense to get into a rhythm like it had been during the regular season. Moody’s 52-yard field goal cut the Packers lead to four points to start the fourth quarter.
After a 41-yard field goal attempt by Carlson that sailed wide left, San Francisco marched down the field on 12 play 69-yard drive where McCaffery rushed for his second touchdown of the game, a six-yard scamper up the middle with 1:07 remaining in the game. Purdy was 6 of 7 for 47 yards with 2 rushes for 11 yards on the game winning drive, his first of his playoff career.
The Packers comeback attempt ended when Love threw his second interception to Greenlaw with a desperation throw over the middle with no Packers receiver in sight with 52 second left to seal the deal for San Francisco and end Green Bay’s season.
“He’s (Greelaw) got an unbelievable amount of broken tackles on his picks this year. He does a great job. I was hoping he would get down a little earlier, but he did run off seven seconds so. Yeah it’s amazing how many guys he makes miss (tackling him),” McCaffery said.
Purdy finished the evening 23 of 39 for 252 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. McCaffery led the 49ers in rushing with 98 yards on 17 carries. Kittle led the 9ers receivers with four catches for 81 yards to go along with his touchdown. Jauan Jennings picked up the slack for the absence of Samuel as he chipped in five catches for 61 yards.
Love went 21 of 34 for 194 yards with two touchdowns to go along with his two interceptions on the night. Jones led all rushers with 108 yards on 18 carries, including a 53 yarder in the fourth quarter. Doubs led the Packers in receiving with four catches for 83 yards.
GAME NOTES: San Francisco finished 10-for-16 on third down conversions. Green Bay was 7-for-13.
San Francisco recorded its 37th playoff victory, tying them with the New England Patriots and Green Bay for the most playoff wins in NFL history.
UP NEXT: San Francisco hosts the Detroit Lions/Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday 1/28 at 3:30pm at Levi’s Stadium.
