ATLANTA — The Falcons wanted to stop Colin Kaepernick from running, and they accomplished that. Kaepernick rushed just two times for 21 yards.
The Falcons wanted to stop Michael Crabtree from scoring, and they accomplished that, too. Crabtree caught six passes for 57 yards and no touchdowns; he fumbled at the goal line.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Atlanta Falcons
Frank Gore high steps it in to the end zone for his first TD of the night as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Forty Niner head coach Jim Harbaugh is all smiles with Jonathan Goodwin, right and Leonard Davis, left after San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Frank Gore high celebrates a victory as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Dashon Goldson upends Falcon receiver Roddy White as the 49ers beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Chris Culliver tries to block a punt by Matt Bosher of the Falcons as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Aldon Smith celebrates his fumble recovery against the Falcons as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Colin Kaepernick looks for a receiver as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Colin Kaepernick of San Francisco beats Cliff Matthews, left and Kroy Bierman around the end as the 49ers beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
LaMichael James scores through the right side over Stephen Nicolas as the Forty Niners beat the Falcons 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 in the NFC Championship game in Atlanta. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
In anger, Jim Harbaugh throws his headset after a questionable call by officials in the fourth quarter as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Frank Gore high steps it in to the end zone for his first TD of the night as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Frank Gore high steps it in to the end zone for his second TD of the night as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Frank Gore is upended in front of Thomas DeCoud as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Jim Harbaugh cheers on Brian Jennings, left and Anthony Davis after an Atlanta fumble as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Frank Gore is upended by Christpher Owens as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Julio Jones of the Falcons is tripped up by Tarell Brown as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Colin Kaepernick ends a QB keeper in front of Thomas DeCoud San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
David Akers misses a field goal as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Fans celebrate San Francisco's victory over Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Colin Kaepernick reels from a sack as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Carlos Rogers breaks up a pass in the end zone on Roddy White as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Darcel McBath breaks up a pass on Roddy White of the Falcons as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Colin Kaepernick calls an audibles as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Aldon smith almost gets a sack on QB Matt Bryant of the Falcons as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
In what could have turned the tide of the game, Michael Crabtree fumble on the one yard line as he tries to score, with the Falcons recovering. San Francisco stopped them on the possession, as the Forty Niners beat the Falcons 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 in the NFC Championship game in Atlanta. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Jason Snelling is stopped short of the goal line by the Niners defense as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Frank Gore Chris Culliver celebrates as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Justin Smith goes high to block a pass against Matt Bryant of the Falcons as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
San Francisco 49ers' Colin Kaepernick (7) celebrates with Leonard Davis and Daniel Kilgore (67) after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Superbowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Frank Gore and his son Frank, 7, walk off the field after San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
The San Francisco 49ers bench erupts after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
San Francisco 49ers' NaVorro Bowman, Darcel McBath and LaMichael James celebrate as time runs out in the second half of the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Superbowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with Ray McDonald after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with his team after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
San Francisco 49ers fans react after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
A San Francisco 49ers fan shows off his tattoo after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
San Francisco 49ers' Colin Kaepernick has water thrown on him as he celebrates with teammates after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh hugs Vernon Davis after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with the team after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
San Francisco 49ers' Frank Gore holds up a championship hat during the George Halas Trophy presentation after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
San Francisco 49ers' Colin Kaepernick celebrates after the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Atlanta. The 49ers won 28-24 to advance to Super Bowl XLVII. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Vernon Davis shakes the tackle of Thomas DeCoud of Atlanta as San Francisco beat Atlanta 28-24, Sunday January 20, 2013 during the NFC Championship game in Atlanta (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2013
Unfortunately for the Falcons, they forgot to stop Vernon Davis.
You may have heard of him. He's the tight end for the 49ers. He's the most athletic tight end in the NFL and, with apologies to the aging Tony Gonzalez, maybe of all time. For part of the season, the 49ers forgot about him, too.
"The tight end was an issue," Falcons head coach Mike Smith said after the game. "They made a number of explosive plays with the tight end. When you go into a game and have a game plan in place and you put resources to one area, one of our main goals was to stop the quarterback from running the football. We did not cover the tight end as well as we needed to. Those were the plays that I felt like they made and it wasn't necessarily the wide receivers or the running back. It was the tight end."
(page 2 of 4)
The Falcons had the same issue last week. They gave up eight catches for 142 yards and a touchdown to the Seahawks' tight end, Zach Miller. "I watched that whole game probably three times in two days," Davis said afterward in the locker room.
Did the Falcons watch it? If they did, they didn't learn from it. Maybe someone forgot to give them that film clip because they let Vernon Davis sprint around the field uncovered most of the game.
Maybe Falcons defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan, the man who drafted Vernon Davis for the 49ers in 2006, thought the 49ers' offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, lost track of the fact Vernon Davis is on the team. Or maybe Nolan thought Roman didn't like Davis for some reason. Or maybe Nolan thought Davis wasn't good any more.
Whatever Nolan was thinking, he was wrong. Davis caught five passes for 106 yards and a touchdown and played like, well, Vernon Davis.
Over the past seven games, Davis had caught just seven passes, and none of them was a touchdown. The 49ers kept saying Davis was getting double-covered, so Kaepernick had to throw to other receivers.
(page 3 of 4)
The Falcons decided to oblige the 49ers. They double-covered Michael Crabtree, not Davis. Davis mostly faced one-on-one or one-on-none coverage. After the game, Davis estimated he faced double coverage one time: "They tried to use two guys on me on one play," he said. "It was a corner route. They tried to use two guys to hold me at the line, so I just squeezed through. I was wide open and made the play."
Davis was asked if he knew he was going to have a big game when he first saw the 49ers' offensive game plan on Tuesday.
"They put in plays for me each and every week," he said. "Sometimes I get extremely excited. Other times, I just let it come. I'll wait and see what happens."
Here's what happened: At the beginning of the second quarter, the 49ers were down 17-0. Their first two drives were three-and-outs. On their third drive they gained three first downs, but they faced third and 7 near midfield after a delay of game penalty on Colin Kaepernick.
Vernon Davis lined up in the slot. The Falcons were playing zone defense. Davis ran a shallow crossing route. Zero Falcons covered him.
(page 4 of 4)
Kaepernick hit Davis in stride, and Davis ran all the way down to the Falcons' 15-yard line. Gain of 27. The 49ers scored two plays later, and they did not punt again until there were 13 seconds left in the game.
After Davis made his first catch, the 49ers' offense became unstoppable. In the first quarter, Davis had no catches and the 49ers had negative 2 net yards. In the second, third and fourth quarters, the 49ers had 375 net yards — 8.3 yards per play. During that span Davis caught a 4-yard touchdown, a 19-yard pass, two 25-yard passes (one was called back due to a holding penalty on Mike Iupati), and a 31-yard pass. Every time the 49ers needed a big play, Kaepernick passed to Davis and he caught it.
"Confidence was out of the roof," said Davis. "Never seen it before."He's hasn't seen that much attention this season. It's always nice to be rediscovered.
ATLANTA — The Falcons wanted to stop Colin Kaepernick from running, and they accomplished that. Kaepernick rushed just two times for 21 yards.
The Falcons wanted to stop Michael Crabtree from scoring, and they accomplished that, too. Crabtree caught six passes for 57 yards and no touchdowns; he fumbled at the goal line.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, they forgot to stop Vernon Davis.
You may have heard of him. He's the tight end for the 49ers. He's the most athletic tight end in the NFL and, with apologies to the aging Tony Gonzalez, maybe of all time. For part of the season, the 49ers forgot about him, too.
"The tight end was an issue," Falcons head coach Mike Smith said after the game. "They made a number of explosive plays with the tight end. When you go into a game and have a game plan in place and you put resources to one area, one of our main goals was to stop the quarterback from running the football. We did not cover the tight end as well as we needed to. Those were the plays that I felt like they made and it wasn't necessarily the wide receivers or the running back. It was the tight end."
The Falcons had the same issue last week. They gave up eight catches for 142 yards and a touchdown to the Seahawks' tight end, Zach Miller. "I watched that whole game probably three times in two days," Davis said afterward in the locker room.
Did the Falcons watch it? If they did, they didn't learn from it. Maybe someone forgot to give them that film clip because they let Vernon Davis sprint around the field uncovered most of the game.
Maybe Falcons defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan, the man who drafted Vernon Davis for the 49ers in 2006, thought the 49ers' offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, lost track of the fact Vernon Davis is on the team. Or maybe Nolan thought Roman didn't like Davis for some reason. Or maybe Nolan thought Davis wasn't good any more.
Whatever Nolan was thinking, he was wrong. Davis caught five passes for 106 yards and a touchdown and played like, well, Vernon Davis.
Over the past seven games, Davis had caught just seven passes, and none of them was a touchdown. The 49ers kept saying Davis was getting double-covered, so Kaepernick had to throw to other receivers.
The Falcons decided to oblige the 49ers. They double-covered Michael Crabtree, not Davis. Davis mostly faced one-on-one or one-on-none coverage. After the game, Davis estimated he faced double coverage one time: "They tried to use two guys on me on one play," he said. "It was a corner route. They tried to use two guys to hold me at the line, so I just squeezed through. I was wide open and made the play."
Davis was asked if he knew he was going to have a big game when he first saw the 49ers' offensive game plan on Tuesday.
"They put in plays for me each and every week," he said. "Sometimes I get extremely excited. Other times, I just let it come. I'll wait and see what happens."
Here's what happened: At the beginning of the second quarter, the 49ers were down 17-0. Their first two drives were three-and-outs. On their third drive they gained three first downs, but they faced third and 7 near midfield after a delay of game penalty on Colin Kaepernick.
Vernon Davis lined up in the slot. The Falcons were playing zone defense. Davis ran a shallow crossing route. Zero Falcons covered him.
Kaepernick hit Davis in stride, and Davis ran all the way down to the Falcons' 15-yard line. Gain of 27. The 49ers scored two plays later, and they did not punt again until there were 13 seconds left in the game.
After Davis made his first catch, the 49ers' offense became unstoppable. In the first quarter, Davis had no catches and the 49ers had negative 2 net yards. In the second, third and fourth quarters, the 49ers had 375 net yards — 8.3 yards per play. During that span Davis caught a 4-yard touchdown, a 19-yard pass, two 25-yard passes (one was called back due to a holding penalty on Mike Iupati), and a 31-yard pass. Every time the 49ers needed a big play, Kaepernick passed to Davis and he caught it.
"Confidence was out of the roof," said Davis. "Never seen it before."He's hasn't seen that much attention this season. It's always nice to be rediscovered.
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