The San Francisco 49ers advanced to their fourth NFC championship sport in 5 years after escaping a Inexperienced Bay Packers onslaught, 24-21. Whereas they’re the favorites to symbolize the NFC in Tremendous Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, it’s clearly going to take a herculean effort by Christian McCaffrey to hold this offense to a victory in Sin Metropolis.
Everyone knows the saying a few win being a win. However not all W’s are created equally. Each NFL No. 1 seeds performed on Saturday and, whereas each received, we left these video games with different feelings about Baltimore and San Francisco. One crew was dominant and seemed the half whereas the opposite snuck by.
“This is easily … one of the worst games I’ve ever seen him coach” – John Middlekauff
We didn’t get dominant SF Saturday night, however what we noticed was a crew that was in a position to overcome adversity. Inexperienced Bay seemingly had a solution for every part the Niners threw their means. Deebo Samuel leaving the sport (shoulder harm) and lacking the second half didn’t assist, however the Packers had been on prime of their sport till the final vital play of the sport, when Dre Greenlaw sealed it by choosing off Jordan Love. Good issues not often occur when making an attempt to throw throughout your physique downfield. Love discovered that lesson out the exhausting means.
Apart from Greenlaw’s two interceptions of Love, the Inexperienced Bay’s offense had San Francisco’s quantity all sport. They weren’t afraid and went proper at them, particularly within the run sport which has been a weak point up the center for SF. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur known as a very good sport and by no means actually let that vaunted 49ers protection get settled. Love wasn’t flawless on this sport however nonetheless seemed assured all through. Aaron Jones had his means with the Niners’ entrance seven, dashing for six yards per rush for 108 yards.
Brock Purdy had an honest sport however seemed shaken at instances throughout the contest. With out McCaffrey, the Niners are in all probability at house subsequent week with us watching the Packers within the NFC title sport. It wasn’t a lot about CMC’s stat line — though he did have a mixed 128 yards dashing & receiving — however he made performs when the crew wanted him to make them.
McCaffrey is the important thing and would be the one to guide this offense to the promised land. The Niners are saying Samuel is “ok,” however we in all probability received’t know extra for an additional couple of days. Even with Deebo on the sector, Kyle Shanahan’s offense might want to saddle up and journey CMC to make it again to the place they wish to be.
Defensively, the 49ers should determine it out shortly — particularly if the Lions get past the Buccaneers. Detroit is one other crew that may run and cross the ball and completed the yr ranked fifth in dashing and factors, then second in passing. Inexperienced Bay was in a position to benefit from SF within the run-and-pass sport at totally different factors of their divisional-round matchup however, finally, these two INTs by Greenlaw had been the Packers’ downfall. If the Niners play one other sloppy sport subsequent week, particularly if it’s in opposition to the Lions, they may not be as lucky.
