Two playoff games, two big-time comebacks against NFC North teams. The San Francisco 49ers are obviously a quality team, but one specific aspect of their postseason run can't be overstated: the mental strength to keep fighting even when the odds are stacked against them.

When Aaron Jones broke a big run with the Packers leading, several teams would have given up. When the Detroit Lions were leading 24-7 by halftime, it could have been easy to throw the game away. But the 49ers kept fighting in each one of these games, making big plays when it mattered the most, and taking advantage when the momentum swang.

That's true for quarterback Brock Purdy as well. He hasn't played nearly as well in the playoffs as he did in the regular season, but he has had the calm (and sometimes luck, like in that Brandon Aiyuk catch) to avoid mistakes and make big plays to put the 49ers in position to score. Three scrambles to generate first downs are the biggest example of how Purdy can be more effective for this offense than Jimmy Garoppolo ever was.

It was easy to think that down 17 points, Purdy would have been exposed. But the 49ers kept their plan, kept what works for them. And, well, it worked.

It certainly helps when you have playmakers all around the roster. Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle all had important plays. On defense, safety Tashaun Gipson forced a Jahmyr Gibbs fumble, and Arik Armstead recovered it. It's a tough, resilient team that makes impactful plays when they are there to be made.

New opportunity to show it

Four years ago, it was the same Super Bowl matchup. There are obvious differences — Purdy instead of Garoppolo, Christian McCaffrey, and the Chiefs with a much better defense, but without Tyreek Hill. In the 2019 postseason, it was the Chiefs' mental toughness that made a difference, with a big fourth-quarter comeback.

And the Chiefs are still a mentally tough team. They faced adversity and doubts the entire season — about their offensive operation, their pass-catching weapons, and how Patrick Mahomes had played with them. But they overcame everything to beat the Baltimore Ravens and win the AFC.

Against them, it will be more difficult for the 49ers to have that edge. But San Francisco's roster has consistently shown they are able to do it.

After that painful loss, Kyle Shanahan never showed fear. He told reporter Michael Silver words that would resonate four years later.

"I'm OK," Shanahan said. "We'll bounce back. We'll get it done."

Since then, it's been two NFC Championship Game losses. The Trey Lance failure could have put everything at risk. But they did bounce back, as Shanahan promised. In two weeks, we will get to know if they will, in fact, get it done. The challenge couldn't be more meaningful.

49ers’ Kyle Shanahan under biggest pressure of his career

He must rise to the occasion.