NFC Championship Game
NFC Championships - Close Games
The No. 2 seed 49ers (13-4-1) defeated No. 1 seed Falcons (14-4) 28-24 in the NFC Championship Game in Atlanta to advance to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. It marked the sixth consecutive NFC Championship Game to be decided by seven points or fewer, the longest streak in conference championship game history.
The past six NFC Championship Games to finish within seven points or fewer
Season | Teams | Winner | Final Score |
---|---|---|---|
Source: NFL | |||
2007 | N.Y. Giants at Green Bay | N.Y. Giants | 23-20* |
2008 | Philadelphia at Arizona | Arizona | 32-25 |
2009 | Minnesota at New Orleans | New Orleans | 31-28* |
2010 | Green Bay at Chicago | Green Bay | 21-14 |
2011 | N.Y. Giants at San Francisco | N.Y. Giants | 20-17* |
2012 | San Francisco at Atlanta | San Francisco | 28-24 |
The 49ers Postseason Success
The 49ers advance to their sixth Super Bowl with the 28-24 victory over Atlanta and now tie the Denver Broncos (6) for the fourth-most Super Bowl appearances in NFL history.
The 49ers have won all five of their Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowl XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV and XXIX) and have the fourth-most postseason wins in NFL history (28).
The teams with the most Super Bowl appearances in NFL history are the Dallas Cowboys (8), Pittsburgh Steelers (8), New England Patriots (7), Denver Broncos (6), San Francisco 49ers (6) while four other teams are tied with 5.
San Francisco's Winning Formula
San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh has compiled a 27-8-1 (.764) record in his first two seasons (including postseason), leading his team to two NFC West titles, consecutive NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl berth.
Harbaugh became the fifth head coach since 1970 to reach the conference championship game in each of his first two seasons, joining Don McCafferty, Rex Ryan, George Seifert and Barry Switzer.
With the 49ers win over Atlanta on Sunday, Harbaugh (27) tied STEVE MARIUCCI (27) for the third-most victories by a head coach in his first two seasons in NFL history (including playoffs).
The NFL head coaches to reach the conference championship in each of their first two seasons since 1970
Coach | Team | Seasons |
---|---|---|
Source: NFL *Won Super Bowl | ||
Jim Harbaugh | San Francisco | 2011-2012 |
Rex Ryan | N.Y. Jets | 2009-2010 |
Barry Switzer | Dallas | 1994-1995* |
George Seifert | San Francisco | 1989*-1990 |
Don McCafferty | Baltimore | 1970*-1971 |
NFL head coaches with the most wins in their first two seasons in NFL history (including playoffs):
Coach | Team | Seasons | Wins (Including Playoffs) |
---|---|---|---|
Source: NFL *Active | |||
George Seifert | San Francisco | 1989-1990 | 32 |
Barry Switzer | Dallas | 1994-1995 | 28 |
Jim Harbaugh | San Francisco | 2011-2012 | 27* |
Steve Mariucci | San Francisco | 1997-1998 | 27 |
Jim Caldwell | Indianapolis | 2009-2010 | 26 |
Mike Martz | St. Louis | 2000-2001 | 26 |
San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick led the 49ers to a 28-24 win over Atlanta and has a 7-2 career record as a starter, including the postseason.
With Kaepernick starting on Sunday, San Francisco became the first team since WASHINGTON in 1986-1987 (JAY SCHROEDER in 1986; DOUG WILLIAMS in 1987) to start different quarterbacks in consecutive conference championship games. Nine teams have started different quarterbacks in consecutive conference championship games since the merger.
With the start, Kaepernick (seven) tied PAT HADEN (seven) for the fourth-fewest regular season starts by a starting quarterback in an NFC-AFC Championship Game. JEFF HOSTETLER of the New York Giants only had four regular season starts before the 1990 NFC Championship Game.
The quarterbacks with the fewest regular-season starts entering an NFC or AFC Championship Game
Quarterback | Team | Season | Regular-Season Starts | Championship Game Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Source: NFL | ||||
Jeff Hostetler | N.Y. Giants | 1990 | 4 | Won 15-13 at San Francisco |
Shaun King | Tampa Bay | 1999 | 5 | Lost 11-6 at St. Louis |
Vince Ferragamo | L.A. Rams | 1979 | 5 | Won 9-0 at Tampa Bay |
Pat Haden | L.A. Rams | 1976 | 7 | Lost 24-13 at Minnesota |
Colin Kaepernick | San Francisco | 2012 | 7 | Won 28-24 at Atlanta |
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49ers - Falcons NFC Championship Game: A Look Back