The 49ers didn’t play their ‘A’ game in the divisional playoffs. They may not have even played their ‘B’ or ‘C’ game. It was a mostly rough outing that saw the more talented San Francisco team make a handful of plays that allowed them to pull out a win.
In the NFC championship game the talent gap will close when the Detroit Lions enter Levi’s Stadium. Another subpar performance won’t be overcome with a handful of plays in the closing minutes. If the 49ers want to ensure they don’t fall short in a third consecutive NFC championship, they’ll need to improve these seven things: