49ers top Packers in thriller, head to NFC Championship Game

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The 31st time was a charm for the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers entered Sunday's NFC Divisional Round playoff game with the Green Bay Packers 0-30 under coach Kyle Shanahan as they trailed by more than seven points early in the fourth quarter. But quarterback Brock Purdy led the first comeback of his career in the fourth quarter to lead the Niners to a 24-21 victory over the Packers at Levi's Stadium.

Running back Christian McCaffrey scored the touchdown with 1:07 left, allowing the 49ers to overcome a 21-14 deficit to defeat a pesky Packers team and advance to the NFC championship game, where they will host the winner of Sunday's NFC. divisional playoff game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions next Sunday.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers picked the best possible time for their first come-from-behind victory of the season in the second half.

On a night where the well-rested Niners looked like the rusty Niners, San Francisco was able to keep the game close with a combination of some lucky breaks and big plays to set the stage for Purdy and the offense for forge the money-time drive that had eluded them all season.

Taking a 21-17 lead with 6:18 left at their 31-yard line, the Niners drove 69 yards in 12 plays in 5 minutes, 10 seconds. After struggling for most of the evening, 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 touchdown run for the final margin.

It was only the second game-winning drive with Purdy under center and the first in which he had to do more than just take a knee to set up the game-winning basket. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw's second interception of the night sealed the victory.

No one knows the thin line between winning and losing in the playoffs better than the Niners, and while it was far from their best performance, it was enough to bring them closer to a return to the Super Bowl.

QB breakdown: In a Week 6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, Purdy had one of the worst games of his young career in rainy conditions against a top defense. Rain was still a factor Saturday night, but Purdy didn't face the same vaunted defense.

Purdy looked uncomfortable in the pocket for large portions of the game, seemingly a slow twitch in his progression and misfiring to open receivers. But he bounced back when he was needed most to finish 23 of 39 for 252 yards with one touchdown pass and no interceptions.

Biggest hole in the game plan: At the end of the first half, the Niners held a 7-6 lead and had the ball with 4:09 left and three timeouts in the pocket. This looked like a golden opportunity for Shanahan and the Niners to “turn” the Packers with a touchdown before halftime and then another to open the third quarter.

Shanahan played ultra-conservatively, running down the clock in an apparent attempt to prevent the Packers from getting the ball back rather than being aggressive in an attempt to put another touchdown on the board.

That approach backfired when kicker Jake Moody's 48-yard field goal was blocked and the Niners scored three points on the opening possession of the second half. Instead of a potential 21-6 lead, it was 7-6. Green Bay then took the lead with 9:27 left in the third quarter.

Key injury: The 49ers lost wide receiver Deebo Samuel to a left shoulder injury in the first half and he did not return. Samuel had two catches for 24 yards on San Francisco's first possession, but left the game to first be evaluated for a concussion. After passing these tests, he left again because of a shoulder problem.

At halftime, the Niners ruled Samuel out for the remainder of the game with Jauan Jennings and Ray-Ray McCloud III stepping in to face Brandon Aiyuk. — Nick Waggoner

Next game: against the winner of the Buccaneers-Lions at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 28.

Green Bay Packers

This still feels like the start of something big.

After all, the Packers were the youngest team in the league and few expected Jordan Love's first season as starting quarterback to go this far.

But despite Saturday's disappointing loss to the top-seeded 49ers, the window for this team appears to be just starting to open. Consider all the talented young players the Packers have around Love — receivers Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Bo Melton, as well as tight ends Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave — will be together for several years to come.

And running back Aaron Jones showed down the stretch that he still has plenty left in the tank to come back for another run.

Love's final pass – an ill-advised deep throw up the middle that was recovered by Greenlaw – will go down as the one that ended the season, but it could ultimately prove to be a learning experience for Love.

Crucial Game, Part 1: After Jones was stuffed for no gain on the first play of the second quarter, coach Matt LaFleur opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 49ers' 14 rather than attempt a field goal that would have given Green Bay a 6. -0 advance. Love's sneaky attempt was foiled by Greenlaw. LaFleur didn't like the place, but it wasn't moved. The 49ers then scored a touchdown on the next possession.

Crucial Game, Part 2: Two plays before that 49ers touchdown, Purdy appeared to get away with an intentional grounding on first-and-10 from the Packers' 37. From inside the pocket, Purdy threw it deep downfield, but there was no receiver anywhere in the vicinity. On third-and-5 from the Packers' 32, Purdy hit tight end George Kittle for the score.

Disturbing trend: Anders Carlson's missed 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter was the rookie kicker's 10th missed kick in the final 12 games of the season, including field goals and extra points.

Bold prediction for the offseason: Joe Barry will return as defensive coordinator. It once seemed like he was sure to be fired, but that would apparently be a surprise now after the way the Packers finished the season despite the 49ers' last drive.

Consider this quote from LaFleur last week when asked about Barry: “I couldn't be happier. I know what Joe Barry is in terms of resilience. There are tough times, and he “There are tough times every season. I felt like I knew what we had in him and I was confident that if anyone could turn things around, so to speak, it was him.” — Rob Demovsky

Next game: The 2023 season is over.