Mccaffrey’s 2nd TD rallies 49ers by Packers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Brock Purdy’s throws were off-target all night. The San Francisco defense kept giving up big plays. There were even a couple of special teams blunders.
Just when it seemed like the topseeded 49ers might be sent home in their first playoff game, they did something they hadn’t managed to do all season: mount a late-game comeback.
Christian Mccaffrey capped a game-winning, 69-yard drive by running for his second touchdown with 1:07 to play, and the 49ers held on to beat the Green Bay Packers 24-21 in a divisional-round thriller on Saturday night.
“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.”
After spending all regular season as front-runners, the Niners (13-5) rallied behind Purdy and Mccaffrey to reach their third straight NFC championship game. And they will host it this time after losing the past two on the road. San Francisco will play the winner of Sunday’s game between Tampa Bay and Detroit next weekend for a spot in the Super Bowl.
Purdy went 6 for 7 for 47 yards on the decisive drive, converting a third down with a 10-yard pass to Brandon Aiyuk and throwing a 17-yarder to Chris Conley.
“Obviously it’s four quarters for a reason, you know? So the way I started, it’s like, ‘Man, I’ve got to be better, got to play efficient football,’” Purdy said. “But when it comes down to it, with the season on the line, you’ve got to make it happen for your boys around you.”
Mccaffrey finished it off with his 6yard run on third-and-short and the 49ers’ defense held on from there, with Dre Greenlaw intercepting Jordan Love for the second time to seal San Francisco’s fifth straight playoff win over Green Bay (10-9).
“We feel exhausted,” 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.”
That last throw across his body was one of the few mistakes by Love, who had given the Packers the lead with two TD passes in the third quarter. But his first full season as the starter in place of Aaron Rodgers had a disappointing ending.
“It’s tough,” Love said. “Very tough. We had an opportunity to win that game and didn’t capitalize on it. It’s a tough way to end the season.”
Purdy – who struggled with his accuracy early on a rainy night – threw for 252 yards and a touchdown, and Mccaffrey rushed for 98 yards on 17 carries.
Love put the Niners in the unusual spot of playing from behind. Green Bay converted a third-and-15 when Ambry Thomas was called for a 41-yard pass interference penalty against Bo Melton. Love and Melton connected on the next play for a wide-open 19-yard touchdown aided by Tashaun Gipson slipping on the wet grass in coverage.
After Mccaffrey put San Francisco back in the lead with a 39-yard TD run, Green Bay struck quickly thanks to a 73yard kick return by All-pro Keisean Nixon that he fumbled, only to have teammate Eric Wilson recover.