The San Francisco 49ers eked out a win over the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round thanks to a late touchdown drive from quarterback Brock Purdy and a late interception from Dre Greenlaw.
But up until that point, the 49ers looked like a shell of the team that cruised to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The defense let the Packers storm down the field on multiple drives and almost let Green Bay hit a late field goal that would have pushed the lead to seven points before the 49ers’ touchdown on the ensuing drive.
The team as a whole didn’t play as well as it did previously, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged it.
“It was a gut check for everybody,” Shanahan said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the people in there and just how they persevered. ”
“It was a gut check for everybody.”
Kyle Shanahan calls tonight’s win the biggest “character game” he’s been a part of pic.twitter.com/Y7klU13z5V
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) January 21, 2024
Purdy himself looked hot and cold as he couldn’t connect on a number of passes and almost threw interceptions on a few possessions.
Pass catchers like tight end George Kittle dropped passes as well until the team’s final drive of the game.
Fortunately, running back Christian McCaffrey powered the 49ers on the ground with two rushing touchdowns and a couple of big chunk plays that kept San Francisco in the game.
The defense might be a bigger concern, though, after it gave up a number of big plays to Packers quarterback Jordan Love and the running game.
The 49ers were bailed out on a few occasions, too, by a few dropped passes, missed calls, and the late missed field.
They’ll take on either Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Detroit Lions in the NFC title game.
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