For the vast majority of their divisional round clash with the Green Bay Packers, the San Francisco 49ers did not play at a level likely to inspire confidence.

However, in producing one of their most unconvincing performances of a largely spectacular season, the Niners gave themselves an opportunity to do something they haven't done all year and win in ugly fashion.

Several San Francisco players had previously spoken about the need to prevail in a "grimy game", and that was exactly what they did in progressing to a third successive NFC Championship Game, in which they will face the Detroit Lions, having trailed the seven seed Packers 21-14 heading into the fourth quarter.

It ended a 30-game losing streak for the 49ers under Kyle Shanahan, including postseason, in games in which they entered the final period with a deficit, with San Francisco's victory coming in a contest in which no facet of the team played a complete game coming off the first-round bye.

A true test of character

Brock Purdy struggled mightily with his accuracy in inclement weather but went six of seven on the 49ers' final drive, capped by a six-yard Christian McCaffrey run, to give San Francisco a 24-21 lead they held on to thanks to Dre Greenlaw's second interception of Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

For Shanahan, Purdy's display, which came with wide receiver Deebo Samuel on the sideline as he suffered a shoulder injury in the first half, was emblematic of how the entire team played.

"I think it was almost the story of kind of our whole team," said Shanahan. 

"I think there were times that we were all off at times. What was cool, I thought everyone who had a few plays that stuck out that, either ended a drive or was why we didn't get a first down. Same thing on defense, even on special teams. 

"But everyone who did do that stuff made a huge play at the end, in all three phases to get us back into it. Brock, he made some big plays in this game, missed a couple. But leading us down on that last drive and getting the win, that's all you can ask for."

He added: 

"We just want to play our best football. Do everything we can to play our best so we feel we can win every game when we do that. We don't feel like we did that today, but we still found a way to win, which I'm very proud of the guys in there. I thought that was as big of a mental challenge and just a character game as any game I've been a part of. When things aren't going how you want on offense, defense, special teams, the rain, guys slipping a lot, losing Deebo early, having to change some things with that. Just some of the mistakes we made to overcome, it was a gut check for everybody. I couldn't be more proud of the people in there and just how they persevered."

Finally checking the box

San Francisco had previously come up short in similar games in the regular season, failing to produce comebacks against the Cleveland Browns, the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals in a three-week stretch prior to their Week 9 bye. The 49ers also lost to the Baltimore Ravens in a Christmas Day game in which Purdy threw four interceptions.

There were no turnovers from Purdy in primetime this time around despite him producing a series of turnover-worthy plays, with his somewhat fortuitous success in protecting the football crucial in giving him the chance to lead a comeback he believes will be huge for the Niners going forward.

"I think it is important," Purdy said. "Earlier this year we had games like Cleveland and Minnesota and Cincinnati at one point, you know you're down and you have to find a way. It's the fourth quarter, it's the NFL and then obviously we're in the postseason now, so we were all like, all right, this is it, this is our season. 

"And so, for us to capitalize like that was huge for all of us. And then obviously for myself as a quarterback, it's good for confidence and all that, but we have too many good players on this team, so many players that are difference makers and we’ve got a great defense. And so, for us to not find a way, it's not right. So, for us to finally have a game like this and pull through at the end was huge for all of us."

All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner echoed Purdy's sentiments.

"We talk about it all the time, grimy wins. That was as grimy as it gets," Warner said. "I think that is going to help us going forward – knowing that it doesn’t matter what type of game it is, we can win anyway. So that’s a big time win right there by our team.

"Any time you go through hard things together as a group, that’s going to harden you, that’s going to bring you closer. If we’re ever in that situation again, then we know we can look each other in the eye and know that we can get it done, no matter what."

Left tackle Trent Williams differed slightly from the view of Purdy and Warner, though he still regards coming through such a battle as a significant step for a team more accustomed to front-running.

"Yeah, I think it does check the box, whatever that means," said Williams. 

"I don't know if that helps you going forward, but I really do think that being able to grind it out and get a touchdown versus a really good defense and put the game in our hands, I think that is important. 

"We do need that. So it does check a box. It doesn't help you for next week but it does give us a little token of confidence to know that we can get it done.”

That confidence will be much needed against a gritty Lions team that embodies the mindset of head coach Dan Campbell while also winning with highly efficient offense. 

The weather forecast for Sunday doesn't call for the kind of conditions Purdy and Co. had to overcome on Saturday, but the Niners can now approach the conference championship with renewed belief they can come out on top if things get mucky once again versus Detroit.

Brock Purdy puts an end to the 49ers’ most irritating narrative

He delivered when it counted.