In a dramatic NFC Divisional Round game, the San Francisco 49ers achieved their first second-half comeback of the NFL season, edging out the Green Bay Packers 24-21. The win was sealed by Christian McCaffrey’s crucial 6-yard touchdown run with just 1:07 left on the clock.
The 49ers, who had a regular-season record of 13-5, found themselves in an unfamiliar position of trailing in the game. Brock Purdy and McCaffrey played pivotal roles in the final drive, propelling San Francisco to its third consecutive NFC Championship Game. They await the winner of the Tampa Bay vs. Detroit game to compete for a Super Bowl berth.
“We’re built for those moments,” McCaffrey said. “We didn’t play well at all but still had a chance at the end. To go out there and execute is a sign of a high-character team.”
Purdy, crucial in the game’s decisive moments, completed 6-7 passes for 47 yards on the final drive, including key completions to Brandon Aiyuk and Chris Conley. He reflected on the importance of teamwork and maintaining composure under pressure.
“It’s a team effort,” Purdy said. “The defense was out there, making stops, and we were like, ‘man, we’ve got to do something.’ For myself, it was like, ‘calm down, go through your reads, take what they give you, and put a drive together.'”
NFL NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers Updates
The 49ers’ defense also significantly impacted, with Dre Greenlaw’s interception of Jordan Love’s pass clinching the victory. Love, in his first full season as the starting quarterback, showed promise but ultimately couldn’t carry his team to victory. His two touchdown passes initially gave the Packers a lead in the third quarter.
The game was not without its dramatic twists. Green Bay initially capitalized on a 41-yard pass interference call against the 49ers, leading to a touchdown connection between Love and Bo Melton. However, McCaffrey’s 39-yard touchdown run brought San Francisco back into contention.
“After a while, it was like, ‘I’ve got to get into a rhythm, I’ve got to hit guys that are open.’ That’s on me,” Purdy said. “Overall, we had to find a way to win, that’s playoff football, we’re going to get their best. And we made it work.”
NFL NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers Updates
After a successful 2-point conversion, the Packers led 21-14. However, the 49ers closed the gap with a 52-yard field goal by Jake Moody and remained in the hunt despite a missed field goal by Anders Carlson.
The Packers had a strong first half, reaching the red zone on their first three drives, but only managed to score field goals and were stopped on a fourth-and-1 attempt.
“We feel exhausted,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said. “That took everything. It took everyone. We knew it’d be a close game. That’s a heck of a team. They give us everything. This is the playoffs. We knew we had to find a way to win no matter what.”
NFL NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers Updates
The 49ers capitalized on these missed opportunities, with Purdy connecting with George Kittle for a touchdown and a narrow 7-6 halftime lead. However, a 48-yard field goal attempt by the 49ers was blocked just before halftime.
An injury to Deebo Samuel early in the game was a significant setback, but the team’s resilience shone through in their comeback victory.
