How the 49ers' special teams engineered an upset win over Packers

Jan. 23—It was Robbie Gould who knocked a 45-yard field goal through the uprights to win the game at Lambeau Field on Saturday night, but San Francisco's place-kicker was hardly the only special teams hero from an upset win over the top-seeded Green Bay Packers.

Special teams coach Richard Hightower has drawn significant criticism for frequent failures from his group throughout the season, but it was Gould's two field goals coupled with three critical special teams plays against the Packers that propelled the 49ers into next weekend's NFC Championship Game.

All 13 of the 49ers' points against the Packers were produced by their special teams units as Hightower and Co. overcame a year full of miscues to deliver on the biggest stage yet.

"You can't talk enough about our special teams today with (Hightower), our special teams coach, he's been through a lot this year," tight end George Kittle said postgame. "But we had confidence in him and he had confidence in us."

Moments before the first half ended, safety Jimmie Ward failed to cover Packers running back Aaron Jones, who sneaked behind cornerback Donate Johnson on a wheel route from the backfield for a 75-yard completion that gave Green Bay an opportunity to add to its 7-0 lead.

Ward admitted responsibility for the coverage bust, but atoned for the mistake three plays later when he sprinted through the line of scrimmage and blocked Packers kicker Mason Crosby's 39-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the first half.

"Hightower definitely pointed it out and told me I had a good chance of getting it," Ward said.

In his postgame press conference, Ward highlighted the help he received on the play from defensive lineman Jordan Willis, who opened the C-gap for Ward by chopping down on the left hand of Packers lineman Dean Lowry.

"It was great penetration on the field goal block to help me block the field goal," Ward said. "That's why I shouted out Jordan Willis."

After the two teams emerged from their locker rooms, the next play proved to be another critical momentum shift in the 49ers' favor provided by their special teams. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has been reluctant to use star receiver Deebo Samuel on special teams this year, but the 49ers' most dynamic offensive playmaker opened the third quarter as the kick returner and brought the opening kickoff of the second half out 45 yards to set up San Francisco's offense at the 50-yard line.

A 49ers team that struggled in the red zone all night and didn't find the end zone until the final five minutes of the game didn't capitalize on Samuel's return with a touchdown, but the favorable field position led to a 29-yard field goal from Gould that cut Green Bay's lead to 7-3.

After the Packers added on with their own field goal early in the fourth quarter, Green Bay was prepared to rely on a lights-out defense to put the game away in the closing minutes. Following a 3rd down sack from Arik Armstead with 5:29 to play in the game, the Packers brought out their punt unit from their own 12-yard line.

That's when Willis made one of the greatest individual special teams plays in franchise history as he bull-rushed his way deep into the Green Bay backfield before lifting his left hand in the direction of Corey Bojorquez's punt. Willis' block sent 49ers defenders scrambling for the football and rookie Talanoa Hufanga was the man who scooped the ball in stride and rumbled his way into the end zone for a game-tying touchdown.

"I didn't know where it was at until I heard it," Hufanga said. "But I just want to give a shout out to (Hightower) and what he dialed up for us this week."

Hufanga's head coach, Shanahan, was grateful the safety had the awareness to try and score instead of simply falling on the football and giving the 49ers possession in the red zone.

"In those elements, I was really hoping he was going to pick it up and return it because I wasn't wanting to call plays from there," Shanahan admitted.

Hufanga ended up with the ball in the end zone, and minutes later — after quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led the 49ers into field goal range for Gould — Willis ended up with a different one in the locker room.

"I gave (one game ball) to Jordan Willis for that blocked punt," Shanahan said. "I think that's all I gave, I should have given a lot more, but I'll probably do it on the plane."

Thanks to a resilient special teams effort, the flight home from Green Bay the 49ers took in the early hours of Sunday morning won't be the last time the team boards a plane this season. Following the conclusion of the other NFC Divisional Round matchup between the Rams and Buccaneers, the 49ers will learn whether their efforts at Lambeau Field will result in a trip to Los Angeles or Tampa Bay for next weekend's NFC Championship Game.

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