McCaffrey called his shot on long TD run
Before Christian McCaffrey had a game-winning, 6-yard touchdown run with 1:07 left in his team’s 24-21 divisional-playoff win over the Packers on Saturday, the San Francisco 49ers’ All-Pro running back did something more impressive: He called his shot.
McCaffrey’s 39-yard scoring run in the third quarter? He told head coach Kyle Shanahan he would end up in the end zone.
“He told me coming out that that play was going to score,” Shanahan said. “It was called 18 Mike. He goes, ‘That Mike’s going to go. It’s going to score.’ We didn’t get the exact look we wanted. We were a little surprised on it. But Christian was right. He’s a man of his word.”
McCaffrey’s scoring runs were part of a 17-carry, 98-yard performance that included seven catches for 30 yards. McCaffrey became the fourth running back in NFL history to have at least 50 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in his first five playoff games, joining Hall of Famers Marcus Allen (7), Terrell Davis (7) and Curtis Martin (5).
And McCaffrey’s 39yard TD run was the 49ers’ longest in the playoffs since Colin Kaepernick had a 56yarder in a divisional-round win against the Packers in January 2013.
As far as predicting that score, McCaffrey suggested he was more lucky than prophetic when asked what he liked about the play.
“I don’t know,” McCaffrey said. “I was hoping I was right. And it worked out. … I don’t know if it’s going to work out or not. I like the play. Sometimes you can speak things into existence.”
Off the bench: Barely used wide receiver Chris Conley was used extensively after All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel exited in the second quarter with a shoulder injury.
Conley had a key block, pancaking cornerback Keisean Nixon on McCaffrey’s 39-yard scoring run. He also had a 17-yard catch on the game-winning drive.
Ray-Ray McCloud typically receives more snaps when Samuel is sidelined. But Shanahan called on Conley, 31, a nine-year veteran who had played eight games in the regular season and had three catches while playing 110 offensive snaps.
“We have complicated game plans,” Conley said. “And my job is to study everybody else’s job. And so when things are complicated, they call on you to do it. Because they know that I know it.
“Sometimes you don’t know going into a week what you’re going to be playing. And you find out during a game, kind of like today. Just being prepared — studying all three (wide receiver) spots and just being ready to go if anything happens.”
Rookie replaced: Strong safety Logan Ryan started in place of rookie Ji’Ayir Brown, who missed the final two regular-season games with a knee injury and hadn’t played since a loss to the Ravens on Christmas.
Ryan, 32, an 11-year veteran who signed with the 49ers in early December, won two Super Bowls with the Patriots. Before Saturday, he had appeared in 16 playoff games (10 starts).
“I think it’s a lot when you got a rookie who hasn’t played in a month, who is a very passionate, aggressive player,” Shanahan said. “I just don’t want to put all that on him, to have him go out in the playoff game when he hasn’t been out there for four weeks. Especially when you have a veteran behind him who could just calm down a little bit. If things would’ve gone differently, we would’ve put Ji’Ayir in right away. But we don’t want to do that really to Ji’Ayir.”
Ryan had three tackles and was in coverage on tight end Tucker Kraft’s 2yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.
DE on IR: The 49ers placed defensive end Clelin Ferrell (knee) on injured reserve Saturday afternoon, which put an end to his first season with the team.
Ferrell had 3.5 sacks and 13 QB hits while making all 17 regular-season starts. Shanahan said Ferrell would miss at least one playoff game after he was injured in the regular-season finale against the Rams on Jan. 7.
Safety George Odum, an All-Pro special-teams player, played in his first game since he suffered a torn biceps on Nov. 23. Odum was activated from injured reserve Saturday and assumed Ferrell’s spot on the 53-man roster,
This and that: The 49ers reached the conference championship game for the 17th time since 1980, the most in the NFL during that span. … The 49ers won their 37th playoff game, tying them with the Packers and Patriots for the most in NFL history. … Brock Purdy became the fifth QB in NFL history to win a playoff game in each of his first two seasons. … Rookie Jake Moody’s 52-yard field goal tied for the third-longest in franchise history in the postseason.