Quite rightly, the decisive play, the key play, the play that decided the game, was also the play that caused anxiety and worry, and that led the head coach to come up with a playful and at the same time almost plaintive rebuke. It was fitting.
The elation of watching linebacker Dre Greenlaw make a diving interception and secure the wet football on a rainy night to clinch a tense 24-21 NFC divisional playoff victory Saturday night. was quickly followed by an imminent fear that Greenlaw might actually be separated. Ball — the only way not to ensure victory.
There were gasps of joy and relief at Levi's Stadium, as well as gasps and pleas from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to “get off!”
With 1:07 left, Christian McCaffrey scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to give the 49ers a three-point lead.
The Packers had enough time to get into position to potentially send the game to overtime.
But Jordan Love committed the quarterback sin of throwing late and crossing his body, and his wobbly pass to Christian Watson was picked off by Greenlaw with 46 seconds left.
Game over — unless Greenlaw does something weird.
He almost did.
“I can't believe he didn't get off right away,” Shanahan said.
The bad angel on one shoulder of Greenlaw robbed the good angel on the other shoulder.
Greenlaw scrambled to his feet and began zigzagging, as if desperately trying to score points for his team.
I heard someone yelling from the sideline to get back and protect the ball.
But he also heard what teammate and fellow linebacker Fred Warner said to him before the game started: He was supposed to be the Niners' pick.
“So it was his fault in a way,” Greenlaw said. “He was like, 'Hey, you're getting a pick-six.' So every time you get the ball, you try to get it. But yeah, you have to go down. I know it.”
For 12 harrowing seconds, Greenlaw stood and continued to tempt fate.
Near Green Bay's 40-yard line, Packers wide receiver Jaden Reed nearly stole the ball from Greenlaw.
In the end, he collapsed and that was it.
Shanahan admitted he had “mixed feelings” about the play, which was supposed to evoke only celebratory emotions.
“If he really wants to run with the ball, we'll put him on offense,” Shanahan deadpanned. “He could definitely go down sooner.”
Good teams can overcome occasional lapses in judgment and periodic underperformance, and the 49ers are willing to capitalize on their own failures to avoid an upset or loss at the hands of the underdog Packers, who clearly took inspiration from them. I was able to overcome it.
Shanahan was philosophical about Greenlaw's temporary convulsion, likening it to what he watched for the better part of three hours.
“It was like all day,” he said. “The guys that I'm really mad at are also the guys that I love so much at the end of the day because they're the ones that made it possible for us to get the 'W'.” ”
At the end of the day, it's all about the 'W' for a team looking to make a legitimate Super Bowl appearance.
The 49ers will play the Lions, who defeated the Buccaneers 31-23 on Sunday, in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday.
This will be the fourth time in the past five years that the 49ers have appeared in the NFC title game, and their third consecutive appearance.
Following the 2021 season, they lost to the Rams 20-17, and following last season, they lost to the Eagles 31-7. In that game, Brock Purdy injured his right elbow and his replacement Josh Johnson suffered a concussion, forcing Purdy to play again. – Participated in the match despite not being able to throw the ball.
Both losses in the NFC title game came on the road.
The next one is at home.
“We've been thinking about it,” Purdy said. “It was in the back of our minds. Like last year, we had a team to do it, but after our quarterback got hurt in that game, we had a real team to do it. I feel like we didn't have the opportunity.'' So I think we're really looking forward to that. ”
