By Dean Michaels, NFL Writer
Phil Dawson buried a 33-yard field goal as time expired to lift the San Francisco 49ers past the Green Bay Packers, 23-20, in Sunday's Wild Card game at Lambeau Field. Dawson's field goal capped a 14-play, 65-yard drive engineered by quarterback Colin Kaepernick
The 49ers offense was led by QB Colin Kaepernick, who threw for 227 yards and 1 TD. He also recorded a game-high 98 rushing yards on 7 carries. RB Frank Gore rushed for 66 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown. WR Michael Crabtree had 8 receptions for a postseason career-high 125 yards, and TE Vernon Davis hauled in his 6th career postseason TD on a 28-yard pass from Kaepernick. Phil Dawson connected on 3 of 3 FG attempts. Defensively, the Niners applied pressure to Packers QB Aaron Rodgers all game and registered 4.0 sacks on the day. LB Ahmad Brooks led the team with 2.0 sacks and registered a forced fumble in the process, giving him 4.0 career postseason sacks and his first-career postseason FF.
Coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers entered the game with three straight wins over the Packers. A fourth saw Harbaugh become the first NFL coach since 1970 to win 13 or more games, including the playoffs, in each of his first three seasons.
Aaron Rodgers completed 17 of 26 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown, Jordy Nelson caught seven passes for 62 yards and a score while Eddie Lacy ran for 81 yards on 21 carries for the Packers.
The game went down as one of the coldest games in NFL history, with a kickoff temperature of 5 degrees and a wind chill of minus 10. The 49ers won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.
Back-to-back field goals by Phil Dawson from 22 and 25 yards gave the 49ers an early 6-0 lead.
The 49ers defense forced a three-and-out by the Packers on their opening series of the game. QB Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers offense drove 69 yards in 13 plays as K Phil Dawson made a 22-yard FG to give San Francisco an early 3-0 lead. The Niners then forced another three-and-out by Green Bay. On the ensuing possession, Dawson made a 25-yard FG to cap off an 11-play, 42-yard drive, making the score 6-0 with 2:20 remaining in the 1st qtr. Two possessions later Aaron Rodgers found his mark, hitting Jordy Nelson with a five-yard touchdown pass to put the Packers ahead, 7-6 to cap off a 14-play, 70-yard drive.
However, the Packers' lead was short lived as the 49ers responded with a 5-play, 68-yard drive, including a 42-yard run by Kaepernick, capped off by Gore's run for a 10-yard touchdown and 13-7 49ers' lead. The Packers ended the first half with Mason Crosby's 34-yard field goal, to cut the deficit to 13-10.
The second half began with the teams exchanging multiple punts as neither team was able to put points on the board in the third quarter. FB John Kuhn ended the scoring draught for Green Bay, putting the Packers on top 17-13 early in the 4th quarter. The 49ers responded immediately with a 4-play, 63-yard drive as Kaepernick connected with TE Vernon Davis for a 28-yard TD pass to regain the lead 20-17 with 10:37 remaining.
The Packers countered with an 11-play, 61-yard drive as K Mason Crosby tied the score at 20-20 with a 24-yard FG.
With 5:06 remaining, Kaepernick engineered the game-winning drive as the 49ers were able to hold onto the ball for the rest of the game, picking up five first downs en route to the GB 15-yard line where K Phil Dawson connected on a game-winning 33-yard FG as time expired.
Familiar Foes
Sunday's NFC Wild Card playoff matchup was the seventh postseason meeting between the 49ers and Packers, tying for the fourth-most all-time (49ers vs. Giants, 8; Bears vs. Giants, 8; Cowboys vs. Rams, 8). With their victory, San Francisco has won three of the past four contests.The playoff games between San Francisco and Green Bay:
Season | Round | Winning Team | Score | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Source: NFL | ||||
2013 | Wild Card | 49ers | 23-20 | ??? |
2012 | Divisional | 49ers | 45-31 | Lost Super Bowl XLVII |
2001 | Wild Card | Packers | 25-15 | Advanced to Divisional Round |
1998 | Wild Card | 49ers | 30-27 | Advanced to Divisional Round |
1997 | NFC Championship | Packers | 23-10 | Lost Super Bowl XXXII |
1996 | Divisional | Packers | 35-14 | Won Super Bowl XXXI |
1995 | Divisional | Packers | 27-17 | Advanced to NFC Championship |
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NFC Wild-Card Playoff Round - Phil Dawson's Late Field Goal Lifts 49ers Over Packers