Recap
AI summary, sourced from 2 period articles (ESPN AP)
Christian McCaffrey ran in a fourth-quarter touchdown that capped a 12-play, 69-yard drive with 1:07 remaining and the 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 24-21 at Levi's Stadium in the NFC divisional round Saturday night. Brock Purdy went 23-of-39 for 252 yards with a touchdown and zero interceptions. McCaffrey ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns and caught seven for 30. George Kittle caught four for 81 and a touchdown. Brandon Aiyuk caught three for 32. Jauan Jennings caught five for 61. Jordan Love threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Aaron Jones ran for 108 yards. The 49ers' defense forced two turnovers.[1][2][3][4]
Columnist recap
AI summary, sourced from 2 period articles (ESPN AP)
Christian McCaffrey ran in a fourth-quarter touchdown with 1:07 remaining Saturday night at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 24-21 in the NFC divisional round.
The 49ers trailed 21-14 entering the fourth quarter. Jake Moody kicked a field goal to make it 21-17 with 7:30 left. The 49ers' defense forced a Packers punt. Purdy and the offense took over at the SF 31 with 5:50 remaining. They drove 69 yards in 12 plays. Aiyuk's 23-yard catch on a third-and-3 converted the key down. McCaffrey ran in a 6-yard touchdown with 1:07 remaining. The 49ers led 24-21. Jordan Love drove the Packers to the SF 30 with seconds left.
Purdy went 23-of-39 for 252 with a touchdown to George Kittle. Christian McCaffrey ran for 98 with two TDs plus seven catches for 30. Kittle caught four for 81 with a TD. Jauan Jennings caught five for 61. Brandon Aiyuk caught three for 32. The 49ers' offense produced 24 points and the closing-minutes drive that won the game.
Jordan Love threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Aaron Jones ran for 108 yards. Romeo Doubs caught four for 83. The Packers' young offense generated 21 points and lost on the closing-minutes drive. The kind of NFC divisional-round home win where the year-seven project's competitive identity, in McCaffrey's game-winning rushing touchdown, was firmly in the conference's championship-mix. 13-5 with the NFC Championship at home next Sunday.
By the numbers
AI summary, sourced from 2 period articles (ESPN AP)
49ers 24, Packers 21. Margin: +3. NFC Divisional Round.
- Christian McCaffrey: 19 carries for 98, 2 rushing TDs (incl. game-winner with 1:07 left) + 7 catches for 30. - Brock Purdy: 23-of-39 for 252, 1 TD, 0 INT. - George Kittle: 4 catches for 81, 1 TD. - Jauan Jennings: 5 catches for 61. - Brandon Aiyuk: 3 catches for 32 (incl. third-and-3 key conversion). - Deebo Samuel: 2 catches for 24. - Jake Moody: 1 of 1 FG. - Jordan Love: 21-of-34 for 194, 2 TDs, 2 INTs. - Aaron Jones: 18 carries for 108. - Romeo Doubs: 4 catches for 83. - Tucker Kraft: 3 catches for 9, 1 TD. - Bo Melton: 1 catch for 19, 1 TD. - 49ers D: 1 sack of Love + 2 INTs forced.
Film room
AI summary, sourced from 2 period articles (ESPN AP)
A 24-21 NFC divisional-round home win over the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers improve to 13-5 and advance to the NFC Championship game at home.
How it unfolded
The Packers kicked an opening field goal. Brock Purdy led a drive ending in a McCaffrey rushing touchdown to make it 7-3. The Packers kicked another field goal. Purdy threw a touchdown to George Kittle to extend the lead to 14-6 by halftime. Jordan Love connected on a 19-yard touchdown to Bo Melton to start the second-half scoring (14-13). Aaron Jones broke a long run inside the SF 5 and Love hit Tucker Kraft on the goal line for a 21-14 Packers lead. Jake Moody kicked a field goal to make it 21-17 with 7:30 left in the fourth quarter. The 49ers' defense forced a Packers three-and-out. Purdy and the offense took over at the SF 31 with 5:50 remaining.
The turning point
Brandon Aiyuk's third-and-3 catch on the closing-minutes drive. With the 49ers down 21-17 and the divisional-round home stakes obvious, Aiyuk's 23-yard catch over the middle on third-and-3 converted the key down and gave McCaffrey the chance to walk in the game-winner.
By the numbers
Purdy 23-of-39 for 252 with a TD and zero interceptions in his return-from-UCL playoff start. McCaffrey 19 carries for 98 with two TDs plus seven catches for 30. Kittle 4 catches for 81 with a TD. Jennings 5 for 61. Aiyuk 3 for 32 with the key third-and-3 conversion. Jordan Love 21-of-34 for 194 with two TDs and two INTs. Aaron Jones 18 carries for 108. Romeo Doubs 4 catches for 83. Tucker Kraft and Bo Melton with the Packers' touchdowns.
Personnel watch
Brock Purdy's return from UCL surgery to the closing-minutes touchdown drive. Christian McCaffrey's two-rushing-touchdown performance including the game-winner. Brandon Aiyuk's third-and-3 conversion. Aaron Jones's 108-yard rushing day. Jordan Love's two-interception performance. The kind of NFC divisional-round home performance where the year-seven Shanahan project's competitive identity, in Brock Purdy's playoff return, was firmly in the conference's championship-mix.
What it means
13-5. NFC Championship game next Sunday at home against the Detroit Lions (the Lions beat Tampa Bay 31-23 in the late-Sunday divisional-round game). The Saturday-night divisional-round home win confirms Purdy's UCL-recovery legitimacy. The Lions, in their first NFC Championship appearance since 1991, will play their first conference championship since the Eric Hipple era.
