49ers head into the Super Bowl knowing they can win any kind of game, even against the Chiefs
Throughout the season, the one question that surrounded a largely dominant San Francisco 49ers team concerned their ability to come from behind. They failed to do so at any point in the regular season and an inability to oversee comebacks had followed head coach Kyle Shanahan throughout his time with the Niners, who prior to […]
Throughout the season, the one question that surrounded a largely dominant San Francisco 49ers team concerned their ability to come from behind.
They failed to do so at any point in the regular season and an inability to oversee comebacks had followed head coach Kyle Shanahan throughout his time with the Niners, who prior to the divisional round were 0-30 when trailing by five or more entering the fourth quarter under Shanahan.
San Francisco improved that record to 1-30 by overturning a 21-14 deficit entering the fourth quarter to knock off the Green Bay Packers, and claims that the Niners are only capable of playing as frontrunners now look extremely foolish after their stunning fightback in the NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions. The 49ers matched their own record for the largest comeback in NFC title game history by recovering from 24-7 deficit to prevail 34-31, scoring 27 unanswered second-half points in an instant classic.
For Shanahan, though, there was never any doubt he had the team capable of producing such turnarounds.
Asked if the idea that he and his team and quarterback Brock Purdy were incapable of producing comebacks has now been extinguished, Shanahan told his post-game press conference: "I mean, that's up to you guys to decide. I never thought that when it started.
"I mean, coached a long time. Guys play a long time. Get some of those circumstances. I've never felt like we didn't have a team who could come back or win a game like that. Just had to do it today when it mattered the most."
For Purdy, the 49ers' sudden prowess for dramatic recoveries from losing positions is the product of the culture built by Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
"It's just the character, man. The love, the brotherhood, it's real," said Purdy of the 49ers' resilience.
"It's the NFL. I guess you could say it's a business, but guys care about each other in this locker room, what we've been through. We've got a core group of guys that have been here for the last couple years.
"The standard and culture that they've built, the guys that Kyle and John brings in, everyone fits that mold. It showed tonight in a huge moment. If you're down 17, you've got to care about each other, love each other to get a comeback going. I think we showed that tonight. I'm really proud of this group."
While the 49ers will be delighted to have ended the narrative about their struggles playing from behind, they won't want to be in a position where they need to reaffirm their capabilities in that regard in Super Bowl 58 against the Kansas City Chiefs, with Patrick Mahomes and Co. likely to be much more ruthless in the rematch of Super Bowl 54 if they get a lead.
Asked if the 49ers could beat the Chiefs in the same fashion, tight end George Kittle told his press conference: "You never want to give Patrick Mahomes the lead, he's a fantastic football player, probably going to go down as one of the best to ever do it. Him and Travis have what 18, 19 touchdowns in the playoffs? They know how to win big games, they've won it twice.
"So would that be good for us, probably not, I believe in the team to be able to win in any circumstance though and we proved it again tonight, that's a fun thing to be able to say."
The 49ers are radiating belief after getting off the mat to keep their season alive in back to back weeks. Now the challenge is to find a way to send an opponent that seems invincible in the postseason to the canvas on the biggest stage of them all.
49ers won’t have reunion with Charles Omenihu in Super Bowl 58
Bad news for their former teammate.
