The Green Bay Packers nearly upset the no.1 seeded San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night.
Jordan Love looked great for the most part, making plays while under pressure, got cornerback Ambry Thomas to commit two pass interference penalties including one on third and 15, and he did not take a sack.
Still for the Packers there were missed opportunities. The offense was able to eat up clock especially in the first quarter yet managed only three points while getting to the red zone on back-to-back possessions. Their second drive ended on a turnover on downs.
When it came to the 49ers Brock Purdy did not play particularly well and he nearly threw two interceptions. Throughout the game he struggled with finding a grip on the football with the rain coming down.
San Francisco scored the first touchdown of the game following their big defensive stop. Tight end George Kittle capped off a 12 play 86-yard drive with a 32-yard touchdown reception. Green Bay once again drove down the field yet once again settled for a field goal.
With the 49ers getting the football to start the second half, this drive was critical and an opportunity to gain some momentum. Questionable play calling and time management by Kyle Shanahan negated that. As Jake Moody got his 48-yard field goal attempt blocked.
At half the 49ers led 7-6.
To start the second half the 49ers went three and out. The Packers answered with a touchdown drive with Love finding Bo Melton for 19 yards, this was the play following the aforementioned pass interfere penalty on Thomas.
Yet the 49ers answered four plays later with running back Christian McCaffrey scoring on a 39-yard touchdown run. The lead did not last long though as Keisean Nixon returned the kick off 73 yards before fumbling and it got recovered by the Packers. Three plays later Tucker Kraft scored on a two-yard touchdown reception, Aaron Jones caught the two-point conversion. The score now was 21-14.
A three and out by the 49ers offense gave the football right back to the Packers. Dre Greenlaw at the time came up with the biggest play of the night intercepting a pass that hit Kraft in the hands.
After managing a first down, Purdy threw back-to-back incomplete passes and took off with the football for a yard, which resulted in Moody kicking a 52-yard field goal. Both teams then traded punts.
Packers running back Aaron Jones seemingly ended the 49ers season with a 53-yard run. Once again though a drive stalled resulting in a field goal attempt. This time from 41-yards out and it was missed.
Somehow there was a chance for an opportunity to win for the 49ers. Brandon Aiyuk came up with a huge catch on third and five on a low throw which he was able to get his arm underneath to control the football. Chris Conley who had three catches during the regular season, came up with a 17-yard reception along the sidelines. Kittle picked up eight more yards, McCaffrey ran for three more.
This took the time down to the two-minute warning. After a completion that went for no yardage, Purdy found himself plenty of room to run with the football and picked up nine yards. Interestingly enough Matt LaFleur elected to not use timeout, and on the third and one play, McCaffrey found the end zone for the second time. Moody made the extra point, the 49ers now led 24-21.
With that being said the Packers offense still had over a minute left to at least get in field goal range. Romeo Doubs caught pass for eight yards, after an incompletion, Luke Musgrave picked up a first down that went for three yards. A timeout was taken, and Love then tried to do too much in a late game situation, the result Greenlaw coming up with his second interception of the game.
Greenlaw did make it interesting as he did not go down and attempted a return. He eventually was tackled and the 49ers were able to survive the scare from the Packers.