Green Bay once again ran into its kryptonite in the postseason, as the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Packers 24-21 in the NFC Divisional Round in San Francisco on Jan. 20.
This loss for Green Bay marks the second straight time the playoffs have ended at the hands of the 49ers and the third time in the last four playoff appearances.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love was given the opportunity to steal the victory though. With just over one minute remaining in the game and down three points, Love and the offense took over at the 49ers 25-yard line.
The drive started with an eight-yard completion to Romeo Doubs. After an incompletion, Luke Musgrave reeled in a three-yard reception. With just 52 seconds left in the game, Love took the snap, rolled to his right and attempted a deep, across-the-body throw intended for Christian Watson. Instead of a completion, Love’s pass was intercepted by 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw, ending the Packers season.
“The play broke down, I was scrambling right, saw Christian (Watson) over the middle and tried forcing one to him. I thought I could make the play,” said Love, on his late game interception. “I didn’t see the backside, and he made a great play.”
Playing against a San Francisco defense that ranked eighth in yards given up in the regular season, Green Bay totaled 330 total yards, with Love accounting for 194 yards on 21-of-34 passing and two touchdowns, marking the first time since week six that Love threw for less than 200 yards in a game.
Doubs was the leading receiver for the Packers this week, hauling in four receptions for 83 yards.
Aaron Jones was once again the catalyst of the offense, totaling 108 yards on 18 carries. Jones’ 108-yard day marked the first time the 49ers allowed a 100-yard rusher in the last 51 games.
As for San Francisco, running back Christian McCaffrey was the focal point of its offense, as the NFL’s leading rusher in the regular season recorded 98 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 23-of-39 for 252 yards and one touchdown. The leading receiver on the day for the 49ers was tight end George Kittle, who finished with 81 yards and one touchdown.
“For us to lose this game, it certainly stings, and I am sure it is going to sting for a long time,” said Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. “But, I was proud of the effort of our guys, our ability to weather some real adversity throughout the season and stick together.”
Green Bay opened the game by electing to receive the ball and quickly marched down the field on the back of Jones, who picked up 26 yards. The drive was halted though, as on third-and-eight from the 49ers 11-yard line, Love’s pass intended for Doubs fell incomplete, leading Packers kicker Anders Carlson to make a 29-yard field goal.
After Green Bay forced San Francisco to punt on its opening drive, it took back over on its 18-yard line. Love and company quickly marched down the field again, with a pass interference call on San Francisco and a 38-yard catch and run from Doubs.
The drive eventually found itself with a third-and-one from San Francisco’s 14-yard line. Green Bay attempted a run from Jones, in which the running back appeared to pick up the first down. The referees marked the ball short, and Green Bay was faced with a fourth-and-one. Love attempted a quarterback sneak and once again appeared to cross the line needed for a first down, but the referees once again marked the ball short, and San Francisco took back over.
Purdy and the San Francisco offense then put together a 12-play drive, which culminated in a 32-yard touchdown reception from Kittle. McCaffrey picked up 19 yards and receiver Jauan Jennings made the play of the drive, with a 16-yard reception.
Down 7-3, Green Bay once again marched down to the red zone on the backs of Jones and Doubs, but as was the case during the first two drives for Green Bay, the offense once again tapered off in the red zone and Carlson was asked to make another field goal.
San Francisco responded with an 11-play drive, where Jennings and McCaffrey accounted for all 45 yards. Facing a fourth-and-two with 10 seconds left in the half, LaFleur called a timeout to ice 49ers rookie kicker Jake Moody. On the attempted field goal, Packers defensive lineman Colby Wooden blocked Moody’s kick, and Green Bay entered the half with a one-point deficit.
Coming out of the break, Green Bay once again forced San Francisco to punt and took over from its own 25-yard line.
Tucker Kraft, Jones and Jayden Reed worked down to the Packers’ 40-yard line. On a third-and-15, Love attempted a deep pass intended for Bo Melton. The pass landed incomplete, but San Francisco was once again called for defensive pass interference. The penalty accounted for 41 yards, and Green Bay was set up with a first-and-10 from the 49ers’ 19-yard line. The very next play, Love connected with a wide-open Melton to score Green Bay’s first touchdown of the day.
San Francisco immediately responded with a drive that lasted four plays and resulted in a 39-yard rushing touchdown from McCaffrey.
Green Bay then put together its own four-play drive, as kick returner Keisean Nixon took the kickoff 73 yards. In one of the biggest moments of the game, Nixon’s return ended in a fumble, but it was recovered by Packers linebacker Eric Wilson.
From there, Love connected with Doubs for 15 yards and Jones picked up three yards on the ground. Love then hit Kraft on a flat route for a touchdown, which was followed up by a successful two-point conversion from Jones.
Up 21-14, Green Bay quickly got the ball back, after it forced San Francisco into a three-and-out. The ball was immediately given back though, as Love’s pass that was intended for Kraft was intercepted by Greenlaw.
From there, the 49ers worked down the field and cut the Packers lead to four after Moody knocked a field goal through the uprights.
On its ensuing drive, the Packers worked down to a third-and-nine from the 49ers’ 23-yard line. A pass intended for Dontayvion Wicks landed incomplete, and Carlson was asked to attempt another field goal. This time though, Carlson’s kick sailed wide left, and San Francisco maintained its four-point deficit.
“It is never one play, because I think a lot of it is going to come down to the missed field goal,” said LaFleur. “There were plenty of opportunities. You can go back in the first half and have three red zone opportunities and have six points. There were a lot of plays out there that if one play goes different, we probably have a different result. But give (San Francisco) a lot of credit. I have a lot of respect for their players and coaches over there.”
San Francisco methodically worked its way down the field converting two third downs, before facing a first-and-10 from the Packers’ 15-yard line at the two-minute warning. Purdy picked up nine yards on a scramble, before McCaffrey ran in a six-yard touchdown, giving the 49ers a four-point lead.
From there, Green Bay’s final push fell short as Love’s final pass was intercepted.
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