The Niners Special Teams Came Up Huge In An Upset Win Over The Packers

Despite an underwhelming game by Jimmy Garoppolo, the San Francisco 49ers will play for the chance to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. The Niners made the trip to a freezing cold Lambeau Field on Saturday night to take on the top-seeded Green Bay Packers, and thanks to a monster performance by the team’s defense and special teams, San Francisco came out on top, 13-10.

It was a gross, nasty game, with San Francisco’s defense doing everything it could to keep them in the game. Their offense did not always reciprocate that — the Niners ran for 3.7 yards per carry, while Garoppolo went 11-for-19 for 131 yards with no touchdowns and a pick. Still, the door was cracked open, and with the team down by a touchdown with just under five minutes remaining, it looked like San Francisco’s offense was going to get the ball back in good field position as the Packers punted from their own 12.

That didn’t happen, because the Niners’ special teams blocked Corey Bojorquez’s attempted kick. Talanoa Hufanga recovered it, and just like that, the game was tied at 10.

San Francisco’s defense came right back onto the field and forced a three-and-out, giving the ball back to Garoppolo with 3:20 left. The team managed to move the ball down the field and get into range for Robbie Gould, who has never missed a kick in his playoff career. That continues to be the case, as he banged in a 45-yard boot — his second of the evening — to punch his team’s ticket to the NFC Championship Game.

The Niners will once again go on the road for the title game, playing the winner of Sunday’s matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.