The 49ers dropped the Packers 37-20 in the NFC championship game to punch their ticket to Super Bowl LIV.
The game wasn’t quite as close as the score indicated, and the 49ers dominated most of the 60 minutes to head to their seventh Super Bowl in franchise history.
Here are our notes and observations from the game:
– Tevin Coleman got the first carry of the game and picked up where he left off in the divisional round with a four-yard carry and a five-yard carry. He got stuffed on third-and-short. It’s a three-and-out for the 49ers to open the game. The run on third-and-1 was extremely uninspiring.
– Good tackle by Kwon Alexander on a play where Marcedes Lewis floated out to the flat untouched. Alexander cut him down for a gain of 3.
– Third-and-3 for the Packers gets stopped for a gain of 1 thanks to Dre Greenlaw flying across to drop running back Jamaal Williams and Green Bay punted. Nice start for the 49ers’ linebackers.
– DEE. BO. Two catches for the rookie go for 46 yards and the 49ers are into Packers territory.
– Third-and-8 for the 49ers and it’s Raheem Mostert for 36 yards and a touchdown. That’s a sensational series from the 49ers. Six plays, 89 yards and a 7-0 lead.
– Nick Bosa is such a monster in the run game. He crashed down on a second-and-7 handoff on the Packers’ second drive to swallow up Aaron Jones for no gain. That’s a heck of a play.
– Now a sack for Bosa and DeForest Buckner to force another Packers punt. This pass rush is on fire in the early going. Even when Rodgers does have time it’s after he’s escaped the pocket and set his feet. Richie James returned the punt 26 yards to the 49ers’ 49-yard-line, so they’ll have great field position to start their third series.
– Scary, scary hit low on Jimmy Garoppolo gets flagged for a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty. Garoppolo’s knee twisted awkwardly and he looked to be grimacing some. That’s the same knee that he tore the ACL in last year, so he did have a brace on. That’s still a terrifying play.
– There’s the first bad Garoppolo throw. He floated an out route that Packers cornerback Kevin King dove and got two hands on. Luckily for the 49ers, he dropped it.
– Now a sack of Garoppolo on third-and-6. He simply cannot take a sack in that spot because it puts them at the Packers’ 36 instead of at their 28. That makes it about a 54-yard field goal try instead of 45.
– END OF FIRST QUARTER: 49ers 7, Packers 0
– It’s a 54-yard field goal for Robbie Gould and he drills it. San Francisco leads 10-0 early in the second quarter.
– Great play by Emmanuel Moseley on a screen to Jones. Moseley got the start for Ahkello Witherspoon and made a stop to bring up a third-and-7. That’s why the 49ers put him in.
– Bang bang. Robert Saleh dials up a blitz with K’Waun Williams flying in from the slot. He knocked the ball out of Rodgers’ hands, and San Francisco nearly came up with the loose ball. Green Bay recovered for a loss of 15 yards.
– Now the Packers shank their punt. It went just 20 yards and the 49ers will take over at the Packers’ 37-yard-line. This is a huge series for San Francisco. Capitalizing with a touchdown from this field position is essential.
– There’s no answer for Mostert. He rips of 13 yards on first down after the shanked punt. Then another nine. He’s at 69 yards on five carries.
– Coleman plowed ahead for four yards after Garoppolo picked up a third-and-1 on a quarterback sneak. He stayed down after the play with what looked like an arm injury.
– Whew. After Coleman was carted off with what the Fox broadcast called an elbow injury, Raheem Mostert flew around the left side behind a block from Deebo Samuel for his second touchdown of the game and a 17-0 49ers lead. It was a 37-yard drive on six plays.
– The 49ers defense took its foot off the gas. Huge completion for Rodgers and a big run for Jones gives them two quick first downs and they’re into 49ers territory. Moseley got beat on the 22-yard completion.
– Wow. Green Bay was having its way on offense, then Rodgers fumbled a snap and DeForest Buckner fell on it at the 49ers’ 25-yard line.
– Mostert again. It’s a 34-yard gain, followed by a seven-yard carry. This is a sensational performance from the 49ers’ rushing attack.
– The 49ers sputtered in the red zone on a drop by Deebo Samuel and a Kendrick Bourne six-yard catch on third-and-8. Robbie Gould’s 27-yard field goal makes it 20-0, and the 49ers are rolling.
– There’s Moseley again! He intercepts Rodgers and gives the 49ers the ball at the Packers’ 30 with 1:01 left and two timeouts. Massive, massive play.
– Mostert again. 18 yards this time. It’s his third touchdown. 27-0, 49ers at the end of the first half. Mostert has three touchdowns and 160 yards on 14 carries.
– Green Bay made some halftime adjustments and their moving the ball to start the second half. They tried a trick play for a deep shot that wound up going for check down and an 8-yard gain. They do quickly have the ball in 49ers territory though.
– Rodgers is carving up the 49ers secondary because he’s getting the ball out extremely quick. San Francisco has to make an adjustment.
– Too easy. 11 plays, 75 yards and the Packers make it 27-7. The 49ers offense needs to go to work and come up with a long drive. Green Bay is never out of a game.
– The 49ers offense is still running all over the Packers. Deebo Samuel is getting involved now with 43 yards on two carries.
– Mostert AGAIN. Four touchdowns for him. 22 yards this time. It’s 34-7, 49ers and they’ve run it 29 times for 264 yards. That’s 9.1 yards per carry.
– The Packers finally find a big play on a 42-yard strike to Jimmy Graham. He was ruled down at the 1-yard-line, then Jones punched it in on the next play. A two-point conversion try to Davante Adams failed to keep the score at 34-13.
– The 49ers recovered the Packers’ onside kick attempt to take over at the Green Bay 48. They ran it three times and punted. They did run a ton of clock though. Garoppolo hasn’t thrown a pass since his second-quarter completion to Kendrick Bourne.
– Huge completion to Davante Adams on third-and-5. That’s what happens when the pass rush doesn’t get home. He ran right by Richard Sherman for a 65-yard reception.
– 14-point lead now for the 49ers with 8:13 to go. This defense fell asleep late in the game and now the Packers are right back in it. Unbelievable. 34-20
– And Garoppolo throws one to open the drive! A 15-yard catch-and-run for George Kittle. That’s his first catch of the game, and Garoppolo’s first throw in 90 minutes of real time.
– And a first-down on third-and-3 when Kittle was interfered with on an out route.
– Now Mostert gets involved in the passing game on a 10-yard catch-and-run on 2nd-and-11 to bring up a third-and-1. On third down, Mostert plows forward for 2 yards to convert. Green Bay is down to one timeout with 5:13 left and the 49ers are driving. Any points on this series effectively end the game.
– Robbie Gould drills a 42-yard field goal to make it 37-20 with under four minutes left. That should do it. The 49ers defense just needs to avoid disaster.
– An Arik Armstead sack forces a fumble that nearly iced the game, but a Packers offensive lineman fell on it. Third-and-13 now.
– Rodgers airs one out for Allen Lazard and it falls short. Now it’s fourth down and the 49ers are one stop away.
– The Packers convert a 16-yard completion to Adams to keep their hopes alive in a 17-point game at the two-minute warning.
– Richard Sherman intercepts Aaron Rodgers’ last-gasp deep shot. Ball game. The 49ers are going to the Super Bowl.