Recap
AI summary, sourced from 2 period articles (ESPN AP)
Robbie Gould kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired and the 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 13-10 at Lambeau Field in the NFC divisional round Saturday night in the snow. The game-winning drive was set up by Jordan Willis's blocked punt that Talanoa Hufanga returned for the only 49ers' touchdown of the night, tying the game at 10 in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Garoppolo went 11-of-19 for 131 yards with one interception. Deebo Samuel ran for 39 yards and caught three for 44. Elijah Mitchell ran for 53. Aaron Rodgers threw for 225 yards and zero touchdowns. Davante Adams caught nine for 90.[1][2][3][4]
Columnist recap
AI summary, sourced from 2 period articles (ESPN AP)
Robbie Gould kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired Saturday night at Lambeau Field in the snow. The 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 13-10 in the NFC divisional round. The kind of Saturday-night divisional-round road win where the year-five Shanahan project's competitive identity, in Lambeau cold weather with snow falling, produced one of the franchise's signature January road performances of the era.
The 49ers' only offensive scoring all night was a Robbie Gould third-quarter field goal. They trailed 10-3 entering the fourth quarter with Aaron Rodgers seven points ahead and a Lambeau crowd watching the league's MVP frontrunner work in the snow. Jordan Willis blocked Corey Bojorquez's punt with under five minutes remaining. Talanoa Hufanga scooped the ball and ran six yards for the tying touchdown.
Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 131 yards with an interception. Elijah Mitchell ran for 53. Deebo Samuel combined 83 yards from scrimmage. George Kittle caught four for 63. The kind of Saturday-night divisional-round road game where the defense generated the points (the blocked-punt touchdown) and the offense did the management to set up the kicker.
Aaron Rodgers threw for 225 yards and was held to zero touchdowns. Davante Adams was held to 90 receiving yards. The 49ers' defense, with Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead, generated five sacks of Rodgers.
By the numbers
AI summary, sourced from 2 period articles (ESPN AP)
49ers 13, Packers 10. Margin: +3. NFC Divisional Round.
- Robbie Gould: 45y FG as time expired (game-winner) + 1 earlier FG. - Jordan Willis blocked punt with 4:41 left, Q4. - Talanoa Hufanga returned blocked punt 6y for tying TD. - Jimmy Garoppolo: 11-of-19 for 131, 0 TD, 1 INT. - Elijah Mitchell: 14 carries for 53. - Deebo Samuel: 10 carries for 39 + 3 catches for 44. - George Kittle: 4 catches for 63. - Aaron Rodgers: 20-of-29 for 225, 0 TD. - Aaron Jones: 12 carries for 41 + 9 catches for 129. - Davante Adams: 9 catches for 90. - AJ Dillon: 9 carries for 25, 1 TD. - 49ers D: 5 sacks of Rodgers. - Conditions: snow, low single-digit windchill.
Film room
AI summary, sourced from 2 period articles (ESPN AP)
A 13-10 NFC divisional-round road win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in the snow. The 49ers improve to 12-7 and advance to the NFC Championship game at the Rams.
How it unfolded
Aaron Jones broke a 75-yard catch-and-run on Green Bay's opening drive that AJ Dillon converted into a goal-line touchdown. The 49ers' defense held the rest of the half. Mason Crosby kicked a field goal to make it 10-0 by halftime. The 49ers managed a Gould field goal in the third quarter (10-3). Rodgers worked methodically in the snow and the temperature kept dropping. The fourth quarter started with the 49ers down 10-3 and the Lambeau crowd ready to watch out the clock. With 4:41 left, Corey Bojorquez took a snap to punt. Jordan Willis came off the edge and blocked the kick. Talanoa Hufanga scooped the ball at the six and walked it in for the tying touchdown.
The turning point
Jordan Willis's blocked punt. With the 49ers' offense unable to find traction against Green Bay's defense in the snow and Rodgers's offense seven points ahead with under five minutes remaining, Willis's edge rush of Bojorquez became the play of the game and the play of the year for the 49ers' special teams. Hufanga's return walk-in tied the score and gave the defense the chance to force the punt that became Gould's winning drive.
By the numbers
Garoppolo 11-of-19 for 131 with an INT. Mitchell 14 carries for 53. Deebo Samuel 10 carries for 39 plus three catches for 44. Kittle 4 for 63. Rodgers 20-of-29 for 225 with zero touchdowns. Aaron Jones 12 carries for 41 plus nine catches for 129 (the Packers' lead receiver of the night). Davante Adams 9 catches for 90. AJ Dillon's goal-line touchdown.
Personnel watch
Jordan Willis's blocked punt of the year. Talanoa Hufanga's scoop-and-walk-in. Robbie Gould's 45-yard winner. The defense's five sacks of Aaron Rodgers in cold weather. The kind of NFC divisional-round road performance where the year-five project's competitive identity, in below-10-degree conditions against the league's MVP, produced the franchise's signature January road performance of the Shanahan era.
What it means
12-7. NFC Championship at SoFi Stadium next Sunday against the Rams (the team the 49ers had beaten three times this season: in W10, in W18 to clinch the wild-card berth, and the season-series sweep). The third meeting of the year against the Rams will decide the NFC. The signature Lambeau road win confirms the year-five project's January identity.
