GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 22: San Francisco 49ers’ Robbie Gould (9) celebrates his recreation successful discipline objective towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers for his or her NFC divisional playoff NFL recreation at Lambeau Area in Inexperienced Bay, Wi., on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
It was Robbie Gould who knocked a 45-yard discipline objective by means of the uprights to clinch the 49ers’ 13-10 come-from-behind victory at Lambeau Area on Saturday evening, however San Francisco’s placekicker was hardly the one particular groups hero from an upset win over the top-seeded Inexperienced Bay Packers.
Particular groups coach Richard Hightower has drawn vital criticism for frequent failures from his group all through the season, however it was Gould’s two discipline objectives coupled with three crucial particular groups performs towards the Packers that propelled the 49ers into subsequent weekend’s NFC Championship Sport.
All 13 of the 49ers’ factors towards the Packers have been produced by their particular groups items as Hightower and Co. overcame a 12 months stuffed with miscues to ship on the most important stage but.
“You may’t discuss sufficient about our particular groups right now with (Hightower), our particular groups coach, he’s been by means of so much this 12 months,” tight finish George Kittle mentioned postgame. “However we had confidence in him and he had confidence in us.”
Moments earlier than the primary half ended, security Jimmie Ward did not cowl Packers operating again Aaron Jones, who snuck behind cornerback Donate Johnson on a wheel route from the backfield for a 75-yard completion that gave Inexperienced Bay a possibility so as to add to its 7-0 lead.
Ward admitted duty for the protection bust, however atoned for the error three performs later when he sprinted by means of the road of scrimmage and blocked Packers kicker Mason Crosby’s 39-yard discipline objective try as time expired within the first half.
“Hightower positively pointed it out and informed me I had a superb probability of getting it,” Ward mentioned.
In his postgame press convention, Ward highlighted the assistance he obtained on the play from defensive lineman Jordan Willis, who opened the C-gap for Ward by chopping down on the left hand of Packers lineman Dean Lowry.
“It was nice penetration on the sector objective block to assist me block the sector objective,” Ward mentioned. “That’s why I shouted out Jordan Willis.”
Numero Uno mentioned NOPE!#SFvsGB on FOX/49ers App pic.twitter.com/Z0MSMluWp9
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 23, 2022
After the 2 groups emerged from their locker rooms, the following play proved to be one other crucial momentum shift within the 49ers’ favor offered by their particular groups. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has been reluctant to make use of star receiver Deebo Samuel on particular groups this 12 months, however the 49ers’ most dynamic offensive playmaker opened the third quarter because the kick returner and introduced the opening kickoff of the second half out 45 yards to arrange San Francisco’s offense on the 50-yard line.
A 49ers crew that struggled within the purple zone all evening and didn’t discover the top zone till the ultimate 5 minutes of the sport didn’t capitalize on Samuel’s return with a landing, however the favorable discipline place led to a 29-yard discipline objective from Gould that reduce Inexperienced Bay’s result in 7-3.
After the Packers added on with their very own discipline objective early within the fourth quarter, Inexperienced Bay was ready to depend on a lights-out protection to place the sport away within the closing minutes. Following a third down sack from Arik Armstead with 5:29 to play within the recreation, the Packers introduced out their punt unit from their very own 12-yard line.
That’s when Willis made one of many best particular person particular groups performs in franchise historical past as he bull-rushed his manner deep into the Inexperienced Bay backfield earlier than lifting his left hand within the course of Corey Bojorquez’s punt. Willis’ block despatched 49ers defenders scrambling for the soccer and rookie Talanoa Hufanga was the person who scooped the ball in stride and rumbled his manner into the top zone for a game-tying landing.
WHAT A HEADS UP PLAY BY THE ROOK @TalanoaHufanga 🤙#SFvsGB on FOX/49ers App pic.twitter.com/yzP6NAqWgW
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 23, 2022
“I didn’t know the place it was at till I heard it,” Hufanga mentioned. “However I simply need to give a shout out to (Hightower) and what he dialed up for us this week.”
Hufanga’s head coach, Shanahan, was grateful the security had the notice to try to rating as a substitute of merely falling on the soccer and giving the 49ers possession within the purple zone.
“In these parts, I used to be actually hoping he was going to select it up and return it as a result of I wasn’t desirous to name performs from there,” Shanahan admitted.
Hufanga ended up with the ball ultimately zone, and minutes later –after quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led the 49ers into discipline objective vary for Gould– Willis ended up with a distinct one within the locker room.
“I gave (one recreation ball) to Jordan Willis for that blocked punt,” Shanahan mentioned. “I feel that’s all I gave, I ought to have given much more, however I’ll in all probability do it on the airplane.”
Because of a resilient particular groups effort, the flight dwelling from Inexperienced Bay the 49ers took within the early hours of Sunday morning received’t be the final time the crew boards a airplane this season. Following the conclusion of the opposite NFC Divisional Spherical matchup between the Rams and Buccaneers, the 49ers will study whether or not their efforts at Lambeau Area will end in a visit to Los Angeles or Tampa Bay for subsequent weekend’s NFC Championship Sport.