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It was altogether becoming that the decisive play, the important thing play, the game-sealing play was additionally a play that prompted angst and fear and triggered the pinnacle coach to give you a rebuke each playful and nearly plaintive on the identical time.
The excessive of seeing linebacker Dre Greenlaw making a diving interception, securing the moist soccer on a wet night to lock up Saturday evening’s tense 24-21 NFC divisional playoff victory, was instantly and alarmingly adopted by the upcoming horror that Greenlaw would possibly really get separated from the ball — the one technique to not safe the victory.
And so, as there have been gasps of pleasure and reduction at Levi’s Stadium, there was additionally a puff and plea to “Get down!’’ by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
With 1:07 remaining, Christian McCaffrey scored on a 6-yard landing run to place the 49ers forward by three factors.
The Packers had sufficient time to get in place to presumably ship the sport into additional time.
However Jordan Love dedicated the quarterback sin of throwing late and throughout his physique and his wobbling go supposed for Christian Watson was picked off by Greenlaw with 46 seconds to go.
Recreation over — except Greenlaw did one thing loopy.
He almost did.
“I can’t consider he didn’t get down immediately,’’ Shanahan mentioned.
The unhealthy angel on certainly one of Greenlaw’s shoulders mugged the great angel on the opposite shoulder.
Greenlaw scampered to his toes and began working, zig-zagging as if he had been hell-bent and determined to supply factors for his crew.
He heard the shouts from the sideline to get down and shield the ball.
However he additionally heard the phrases that teammate and fellow linebacker Fred Warner mentioned to him main into the sport — that he was imagined to get a pick-six for the Niners.
“So it was type of his fault,’’ Greenlaw mentioned. “He was like, ‘Man, you’re getting a pick-six.’ So I attempt to get one each time I get the ball. However yeah, I do know I have to go down.”
For 12 harrowing seconds, Greenlaw was on his toes and tempting destiny.
At across the Inexperienced Bay 40-yard line, Packers huge receiver Jayden Reed almost stripped the ball from Greenlaw.
In the end, he went down and that was that.
Shanahan admitted he had “combined feelings’’ about what ought to have been a play that prompted nothing however celebratory feelings.
“We’ll put him on offense if he actually desires to run with the ball that unhealthy,’’ Shanahan deadpanned. “He might positively get down quite a bit sooner.’’
Good groups can overcome occasional lapses in judgment and periodic lapses in efficiency, and the 49ers had been capable of rise above their very own failings to keep away from an upset and elimination by the hands of the clearly impressed and underdog Packers.
Shanahan was philosophical about Greenlaw’s momentary mind cramp, likening it to what he watched for the higher a part of three hours.
“It was kinda like the entire day,’’ he mentioned. “All the fellows I might get actually upset with are additionally the fellows I’ve quite a lot of love for on the finish too, as a result of they had been those that pulled it off to get us the ‘W.’ ’’
In the long run, the ‘W’ is all that mattered for a crew with professional Tremendous Bowl aspirations.
The 49ers will play host to the Lions, who beat the Buccaneers 31-23 on Sunday, within the NFC Championship sport subsequent Sunday.
This would be the fourth time previously 5 years the 49ers are within the NFC title sport and their third consecutive look.
They misplaced 20-17 to the Rams following the 2021 season and misplaced 31-7 to the Eagles after final season, in a sport by which Brock Purdy injured his proper elbow, his alternative, Josh Johnson, suffered a concussion and Purdy needed to re-enter the sport although he couldn’t throw the ball.
Each of these NFC title sport losses had been on the street.
This subsequent one is at residence.
“We’ve been serious about it,’’ Purdy mentioned. “It’s been form of at the back of our minds, like final yr we had a crew to do it and we really feel like we didn’t have an actual alternative at it after the quarterbacks bought damage in that sport. So, I believe we’re actually excited for it.’’
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