San Francisco 49ers outsmart New Orleans Saints, 36-32 – NFL Playoff Recap
When Vernon Davis collected a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback, Alex Smith, with only nine seconds left on the clock on Saturday, January 14, 2012, jubilant spectators at the Candlestick Park yelled with excitement and tears began rolling over the
tight end’s cheeks.
They all knew that San Francisco 49ers had taken a four-point lead over New Orleans Saints, who could not make a comeback so late in the game.
The 49ers defeated the Saints, 36-32, and qualified for the National Football Conference (NFC) championship final.
The Davis-Smith combination worked exactly when needed by the 49ers. The pair got first scoring move of the game to put the team in charge, and combined right at the end of the final quarter to take the lead back again from the Saints.
The 49ers, renowned for their sturdy defence, could not do exceptionally well to registers their benchmark performance as the defence was strangled a bit, but Smith’s ball-throwing ability and accuracy saw his team through.
“Well, just really proud of our team. You’re going to live or die in these games. We lived. We move on and we move on in spectacular fashion,” 49ers’ coach, Jim Harbaugh, remarked.
“...it was a great play by [TE] Vernon Davis and [QB] Alex Smith,” he added.
As expected, the game proved to be a thriller with both sides competing hard on the field.
The 49ers were dominant in the first quarter.
Smith sent a 49-yard touchdown pass to get the lead, which was increased late in the quarter when Smith found Michael Crabtree from four yards.
The 49ers scored a field goal in the second quarter to take the score to 17-0, but the Saints are also a force to reckon with.
Drew Brees, who is one of the league’s best quarterbacks, began making plays in the second quarter.
At 9:32, he found Jimmy Graham from 14 yards to score first touchdown for the Saints. After around five minutes, Brees combined with Marques Colston for a 25-yard touchdown.
The 49ers, still in charge, increased their lead in the third quarter when David Akers scored a field goal, taking the score to 20-14.
The never-wracking final quarter had all the characteristics a playoff game between two tough teams should have.
John Kasay scored field goal to reduce the deficit for the Saints at the start of the quarter.
However, Akers responded with another goal to neutralise the effect and keep his team six points ahead of the Saints.
With less than five minutes left on the clock, Brees put the Saints in front. He and Darren Sproles combined for a 44-yard touchdown pass to take one-point lead over the 49ers.
The 49ers responded after around two minutes when Smith scored a rushing touchdown. The guards blocked the Saints’ defender to ensure a clear passage for the quarterback, who rushed for 28 yards to take the score to 29-24.
The host, however, missed an attempt to get two conversion points after the touchdown.
The Saints did not commit that mistake. At 1:37, Brees found Jimmy Graham for a 66-yard touchdown to get the lead, which was extended after a successful two-point conversion.
In the last anxious minute, when the score was 32-29, Smith initiated a drive. After a couple of plays, he fired a pass to Davis, who impressively made room for himself while dealing with his guard to score the historic touchdown.
"It stings right now because of the expectation level that we had coming into this tournament and understanding that if we win here we're into the NFC championship game and anything can happen," Brees said. "That's tough. Tough to swallow at this point."
The 49ers are now going to play Green Bay Packers or New York Giants in the conference championship final on Sunday, January 22.
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