Add Sunday’s game to the list of thrilling and unlikely San Francisco 49ers playoff wins under Kyle Shanahan.
The comeback against the Philadelphia Eagles should be grouped in with the stunning win in the divisional round against the top-seeded Green Bay Packers in January 2022, or the NFC championship game against the Detroit Lions in January 2023.
The 49ers were dealt with yet another devastating injury after losing George Kittle to an Achilles tear, Shanahan confirmed to reporters after Sunday’s game. Yet they still found a way advance despite losing the lead twice.
San Francisco won, 23-19, behind a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns for Christian McCaffrey and clutch performance from Brock Purdy that included overcoming two interceptions.
The Eagles entered 8-1 while winning the turnover battle, and won it 2-0 against the 49ers on Sunday. But Shanahan’s team improved to 9-4 in the postseason during his tenure. It will get another chance to play the Seattle Seahawks next weekend and avenge the Week 18 loss that cost the 49ers the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Here’s what Shanahan had to say about the game.
A resilient group that battled through adversity
The 49ers entered Sunday as heavy underdogs against the defending Super Bowl champs. They appeared to have a significant disadvantage on paper having to start Eric Kendricks and Garret Wallow at linebacker after both joined the team late in the season.
“ I was proud of the guys, how hard they battled,” Shanahan said. “Having two linebackers who weren’t on our team a month ago, and those guys playing that whole game and playing at a high level, it was so impressive. Having two turnovers and them having none, and finding a way to win that I thought was huge.
“Losing Kittle early in the game, it was obviously a depressing play for everybody. When you see that and guys stepped up and still made plays and competed, and find a way to win that game. We thought it would be a grimy game. That’s how we say it. It was, and our defensive allowed it to be that way. And then the last drive, the plays that Juice (Kyle Juszczyk) made on it were big.
“Brock, had a couple mistakes obviously with his two picks, but to come back on that last drive and get us in the end zone, lead us all the way down there, get to a third guy in his progression on his touchdown. (I’m) real proud of the guys.”
Overcoming the loss of Kittle
Kittle, the star tight end who has made a strong case for the Hall of Fame, left the game with 6:03 left in the third quarter. He was carted off and was quickly ruled out with an Achilles injury. He’ll miss the remainder of the playoffs and likely much, if not all, of next season.
But on Sunday the 49ers found a way to overcome the injury, continuing a theme of winning despite missing star players throughout the season.
Shanahan was asked how he thought the team responded after Kittle went down.
“It’s always different for me just because I’m not by the bench, I’m in front of everyone,” Shanahan said. “Once I heard on the headset, just going over there, just felt horrible for Kittle. Jake (Tonges) and Luke (Farrell) had stepped it up for us all year so. So I hink the guys had a lot opf confidence in those guys that they could still do it. But I think everyone’s just hurting for Kittle.”
Shanahan said he didn’t need to make a stirring speech to the team at halftime after Kittle went down.
“It’s football, guys understand that,” Shanahan said. So you don’t have to address that. Guys know right away. ... But at halftime we came in and said this is exactly the way we wanted this game to be.”
Robinson has his best game of the season
Receiver Demarcus Robinson had more yards on the 49ers’ first possession than he had a game all season.
The 31-year-old receiver was pressed into action while 2024 first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall remained sidelined with knee and ankle issues. Robinson finished with a game-high 111 yards on 6 catches and scored a touchdown. He had a 61-yard catch and run on the second snap of the game and scored just his second touchdown of the season moments later.
“D-Rob was huge,” Shanahan said. “That play at the beginning of the game big time, to finish it with a touchdown. D-Rob’s stepped it up for us all year.”
Going deep into the playbook for the highlight of the game
The 49ers took a 17-16 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter when receiver Jauan Jennings, a former high school quarterback, threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey. It was Jennings’ second career touchdown pass with the over coming to McCaffrey in Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs..
Shanahan said the play had been in the offensive game plan for weeks dating back to the regular season. It’s the same play Shanahan dialed up in a 2019 regular season game against the New Orleans Saints.
“It’s called Sky Bang Reverse Pass,” Shanahan said. “Last time we called it, it was called Deebo Bang Reverse Pass. We ran it in New Orleans when Emmanuel (Sanders) threw it to Raheem (Mostert) in the same area of the field. We were trying to set it up a little bit. We called a jet sweet to Skyy (Moore) earlier in the game. It had to be on the right hash for the play, because Jauan’s not left handed.
“Klay (Kubiak) suggested it. It was a hell of a suggestion. Jauan threw a perfect ball, which made me a little scared. I thought he should have thrown a bad ball and put it on him. So I thought it was a hell of a catch by Christian. I didn’t see it, but knowing he got roughed up and stuff, it shows what a ‘G’ Jauan is. A high school quarterback.”
On another game against the Seahawks
The 49ers finished 1-1 against the Seahawks, whom they’ll play in the divisional round next week. They won in the season opener on a last-second touchdown pass from Purdy to Tonges, but lost in the season finale when the Seahawks came to Levi’s Stadium with an authoritative performance and 13-3 win.
Shanahan said he expects the game to be on another short week, as were the final two games of the regular season. With the game likely coming Saturday night at Lumen Field in Seattle.
“I’m glad we get another shot,” Shanahan said. “They played us real well, definitely beat us. But I know we can play better than that.”
Shanahan said he would “very strongly” prefer the game to be next Sunday following the cross-country trip to Philadelphia. “But hopefully if the NFL’s cool and understanding, they’ll make it Sunday.”