Read on for commentary and live analysis from Saturday night's N.F.C. divisional-round playoff game between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers as it happened. The game was a rematch of the teams' Week 1 encounter, won by the 49ers, 30-22, but that game offered few clues about what was to come Saturday night.
11:36 P.M. |Final: 49ers 35, Packers 31
Colin Kaepernick set a host of N.F.L. records by rushing for 181 yards in a groundbreaking performance as the San Francisco 49ers overwhelmed the Green Bay Packers, 45-31, on Saturday night in a divisional-round playoff game.
Covering ground like a deer running in an open field, Kaepernick rushed for two scores and passed for two more. He is the first player in N.F.L. history with at least 175 yards rushing and passing in the same game and, after an early mistake, he never gave the Packers a chance.
After spotting Green Bay a 7-0 lead when he had an interception returned for a touchdown on the game's fourth play from scrimmage, Kaepernick responded by leading a scoring drive that ended with a 20-yard sprint to the end zone. He scored on a 56-yard run in the second half — he averaged more than 10 yards a carry — and also threw two touchdown passes to Michael Crabtree.
Kaepernick became the 49ers' starter at midseason when Alex Smith was injured but never surrendered the job once Smith recovered. He will now lead the 49ers into the N.F.C. championship game against the winner of Sunday's Atlanta Falcons-Seattle Seahawks matchup. San Francisco lost in that round to the Giants a year ago, a step short of the Super Bowl, with Smith at the controls. This year, they will go as far as Kaepernick can take them.
11:33 P.M. |Learn to Spell Harbaugh
The odds of a Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh Super Bowl have never looked better. The Ravens and the 49ers combined for 83 points today.
11:31 P.M. |Rodgers to Jennings to the Off-Season
Rodgers makes the final score a little closer with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, but no one in Wisconsin sees it through their tears.
49ers 45, Packers 31 with 57 seconds left.
11:23 P.M. |Remember How the Rookie Starter's Night Started?
Don't forget: Kaepernick threw a 52-yard pick six on the fourth play of the game. Honest. I checked the live blog. It's down there.
11:19 P.M. |Some Scary Stats to Chew On for Falcons and Seahawks
The Fifth Down's Chase Stuart is impressed:
SF has 581 yards of offense, 4th most ever in a playoff game ('11 NO vs. DET, '63 SD vs. BOS, '87 WAS in SB vs. DEN)
— Chase Stuart (@fbgchase) 13 Jan 13
Kaepernick with 200+ passing, 175+ rushing today. Only 16 college QBs have done that since 2000 (including CK) http://t.co/cGUjqy2J
— Chase Stuart (@fbgchase) 13 Jan 13
Colin Kaepernick is the first player in NFL history with 175+ passing, 175+ rushing in the same game.
— Chase Stuart (@fbgchase) 13 Jan 13
11:12 P.M. |Using Frank Gore to Kill Clock Just Seems Unfair
Gore, suddenly his team's second-best rushing threat, is over 100 yards on the ground tonight too: 23 carries for 119 and a touchdown. He gets the ball to the 2, then trots off while Anthony Dixon punches it in. (Thank goodness fantasy season is over.)
That is what's affectionately referred to as The Dagger in the Times office. 49ers 45, Packers 24 with 3:34 left.
Drive home safely.
11:06 P.M. |Remember When Kaepernick Was a Backup?
It's amazing that Alex Smith kept Colin Kaepernick on the bench for a season and a half.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) 13 Jan 13
He's at 179 rushing yards with eight minutes left. It's like watching an SEC quarterback recruit play in a mediocre high school league. Except it's the N.F.L.
11:04 P.M. |If You're Into Advanced Stats …
… Green Bay's win probability has plummeted in the past 15 minutes.
10:59 P.M. |Rodgers Being Rodgers
Or not. Rodgers comes out 5 for 5 on the drive, then just misses Jennings behind the defense on third-and-4.
Sooooo close, and Rodgers knows it. Green Bay punts, but he's the one kicking himself.
10:55 P.M. |And Now for Some 49ers Defense
As the San Francisco front four gathers to come out after the kickoff is returned to the 11 (!), one realizes this is a big series for Rodgers. He's had his way with the 49ers' vaunted defense so far, and that must be driving Smith, Smith, Willis, Bowman and the rest nuts. With a 14-point lead, they might just come right after him and try to end it here.
10:54 P.M. |TOUCHDOWN — Frank Gore.
Gore over the right side for 2 yardsand the 49ers open a 14-point lead on the first play of the fourth quarter. San Francisco 38, Green Bay 24.
10:50 P.M. |Gorgeous Throw to Davis; Is This the Moment?
Kaepernick throws a perfect ball to Davis down the seam — 44 yards to the Green Bay 15 — and Gore follows by burrowing up the middle for 13 more to the 2 as the third quarter ends.
Is this the moment when the game turns? Don't bet on it. As great as Kaepernick has been — and he's been really, really great — the Packers are still only down a score (maybe two in a second). And Rodgers has been terrific too. Long way to go.
Ravens 38, Broncos 35 is looking more and more like a pitcher's duel.
10:41 P.M. |Jealous, Rodgers Scrambles for 17 Yards
Colin who?
10:39 P.M. |Remember the Night Colin Kaepernick Changed the N.F.L.?
Yeah, that was tonight.
In basketball-speak, he's just unguardable right now.
10:38 P.M. |This Is Definitely Kaepernick's Game
I don't know how good Kaepernick was in baseball, but he wasn't this good at it.
That's 12 carries, 163 yards and 2 scores. Oh, and he's also thrown two touchdown passes.
10:36 P.M. |First and Oh My
Kaepernick fakes a handoff to Gore up the middle at his 44, sprints around right end and finds — nothing. He races 56 yards for a touchdown. He's done a lot of impressive things tonight, but that's the best one so far.
49ers 31, Packers 24.
10:31 P.M. |Drive Stalls; Crosby Kicks — GOOD!
The Packers run out of steam and Mason Crosby comes on for a 31-yard field goal that — yup — ties the score again, 24-24.
The Packers really caught a break before the kick though, when Cobb appeared to fumble as he tried to reach for a first down he was never going to get. The ball popped free when he was hit and the 49ers recovered, but the officials had blown the play dead. Cobb is really lucky he's not over on the sideline explaining himself right now.
10:26 P.M. |Heating Up Again
A comparatively slow start to the second half for each team, with Gore getting a rare touch for San Francisco, but Rodgers is now on the move again.
Kaepernick 4th QB with 99+ rushing yards in a playoff game. You probably could guess Vick (119)/McNabb, but DYK Otto Graham had 99 in '50 CG
— Chase Stuart (@fbgchase) 13 Jan 13
9:58 P.M. |Halftime: 49ers 24, Packers 21
Another Kaepernick scramble puts the ball at the 18 and the 49ers let the clock run down and send Akers out with three seconds left.
Timeout Niners.
Timeout Packers.
And the 36-yard field goal is … GOOOD!
At halftime, it's 49ers 24, Packers 21. Whew.
Go get a drink and meet us back here in 15.
9:53 P.M. |Kaepernick Takes Off Again
That's 18 more yards on a scramble. He's going to go over 100 yards rushing in the first half, and it seems like the Packers can't do anything to stop him. Cover deep and he takes off. Pen him in and he throws to Crabtree (5 catches, 65 yards).
at some point capers is going to realize he can't play man and have his dbs turning their backs to kaepernick.
— Jim Trotter (@SI_JimTrotter) 13 Jan 13
The good news for the Packers is he can't possibly keep this up, right? Right????? Besides, they're going to go into the half losing the time of possession by more than two to one. But thanks to Rodgers (and Shields's early pick six), the score is tied. That is a very good trade for Green Bay right now.
9:47 P.M. |Two-Minute Warning: Everyone Take Another Breath
Kaepernick scrambles 19 yards to take us to the two-minute warning. You really have to feel for the officials, who are not all young men I must note: between the 49ers' gobbling up yards and Rodgers running the no huddle, they're getting a workout.
9:42 P.M. |Tied Up Again, Thanks to Rodgers; 21-21
It's not entirely Kaepernick's fault that Rodgers isn't getting to play much. He's just been brutally efficient when he has.
This time he throws a 20-yard touchdown pass to James Jones — Rodgers's second TD pass of the half — to cap a seven-play drive and tie the score at 21.
The march was more like a sprint; it took Rodgers less than three minutes to lead his team 80 yards.
9:36 P.M. |Hey Look! It's Aaron Rodgers
Remember him?
9:32 P.M. |Annnnd Kaepernick Makes Up for It — Niners, 21-14
That's why they love him: seconds after making a dumb mistake (well, two of them), Kaepernick drops back and finds Crabtree at the goal line for a 20-yard touchdown — Crabtree's second of the half.
The 49ers go back in front, 21-14, with their rookie starting quarterback directly responsible (once bad, thrice good) for all but one of the game's touchdowns.
9:30 P.M. |Great Run by Kaepernick; Dumb Moves at End of It
Kaepernick scrambles up the middle for 15 yards but then makes two mistakes: first, he takes on the Packers defender M.D. Jennings head on, risking injury. Then, pleased with himself after absorbing the big hit, he spins the ball at the Jennings's feet and gets flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. So basically, he did all that work for nothing.
9:24 P.M. |Bad Decision by Rodgers There
Out of options, Rodgers seemed to just fling the ball long in the general direction of Jordy Nelson down the center of the field on third-and-7. Probably should have made sure to overthrow everyone though; Brown runs under it at the 13, then curls and returns it back inside Packers territory just across midfield.
As bad a decision as that was by Rodgers, you nonetheless have to be impressed that he just nonchalantly flipped the ball more than 60 yards in the air.
9:18 P.M. |Remember How the Giants Beat Jim Kelly's Bills?
In keepaway, 49ers are killing it. In football, it's tied 14-14.
— John Branch (@JohnBranchNYT) 13 Jan 13
Time of possession so far: 49ers 15:21; Packers 3:40.
9:15 P.M. |Kaepernick — Crabtree — TOUCHDOWN!!
Tie game as Crabtree loses his man slashing across the middle and races in with Kaepernick's pass for a 12-yard TOUCHDOWN!
The game's tied again, 14-14. Do not expect it to remain so.
9:12 P.M. |49ers Punt — but Packers Fumble!
The game's second huge break goes the other way as a 49ers punt is fumbled by Jeremy Ross inside his 10. The 49ers' CJ Spillman dives on it before Ross can even figure out where it's gone, and San Francisco is on the doorstep. Inexlicably — or maybe not, since he never is — Jim Harbaugh is not happy.
9:07 P.M. |Tebow's Brother Celebrating the Broncos' Loss
Peter Tebow is making friends for himself and trouble for his brother:
Am I the only one in Denver who's happy right now?
— Peter Tebow (@petertebow) 13 Jan 13
9:01 P.M. |Rodgers Solves the Puzzle; Packers 14, 49ers 7
A little long, a little short and the Packers are back in front. Rodgers throws a beautiful deep ball to James Jones, who slips behind his man down the right side and leaps to make a 44-yard catch. DuJuan Harris goes right up the middle with a handoff on the next play — 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN!!
The Packers are back in front, 14-7, with 29 seconds left in the first quarter. Are we headed for a second 38-35 final today?
8:58 P.M. |The Difference on Defense
The Vikings dropped deep against Rodgers last week, giving him anything he wanted underneath and daring the Packers to beat them with runs and screens. He was more than happy to oblige.
The difference tonight is that the 49ers give nothing away for free on defense. If the Packers are going to move the ball, they're going to have to earn every yard. And it's probably going to hurt.
8:55 P.M. |Breath Deep and Start Over
I am not ready for this GB-SF game. I need at least 30 mins to unwind.
— Chase Stuart (@fbgchase) 13 Jan 13
8:51 P.M. |Kaepernick on the Move Again
His early mistake aside, Kaeernick is really something to watch. He has 40 yards rushing on four carries, giving you a glimpse — again — of why Harbaugh made the risky move to stick with him after he replaced an injure (and then healthy) Alex Smith at midseason. Strong-armed and able to over ground like a deer in an open cornfield, he is a nightmare for opposing defenses.
8:47 P.M. |It's Over in Denver: Ravens 38, Broncos 35 (2OT)
A terrible interception by Peyton Manning sets the stage for a 47-yard field goal by Justin Tucker early in the second overtime. Ravens 38, Broncos 35.
Even though the teams combined for 73 points, CBS is falling all over itself to credit Ray Lewis for the win. To be honest, he looked a step slow a lot today.
8:46 P.M. |Split Decision So Far for Kaepernick
The 49ers have 54 receiving yards, two more than Packers defensive back Sam Shields.
8:45 P.M. |And There He Goes ….
Three and out and Rodgers trots back off.
Introducing Aaron Rodgers. Time of possession: 10:51 to :56. Tie game, 7-7.
— John Branch (@JohnBranchNYT) 13 Jan 13
8:44 P.M. |Oh Yeah, Rodgers Is Here Too
More than six minutes — and two 49ers possessions — into the game and Aaron Rodgers finally trots out with the Packers offense.
8:42 P.M. |There's Your Answer: Kaepernick Evens Its Up
Great call by the 49ers out of a timeout, especially after Gore had carved them up. They line up four receivers and a tight end, send them all deep off the snap, and then Kaepernick takes off. Sprinting to his left he runs untouched 20 yards for the tying touchdown. No one laid a glove on him.
That's an important response for him and his team to the pick six. Tie game, 7-7.
8:36 P.M. |Much Better From Kaepernick There
Scrambling to his left, he lobs a ball over the corner to Frank Gore, who had led him out of the backfield. Gore rumbles 45 yards with it.
Gore is killing Green Bay: after another run he's at 69 yards (24 rushing, 45 receiving) already.
8:34 P.M. |Replaying the 100 Years War in Denver
More than 10 minutes into overtime in Denver and it's still 35-35.
8:29 P.M. |Oh Wow! Pick 6 — Packers Lead!!!
Kaepernick, perhaps thrown off when his primary receiver slipped making his cut, throws off his back foot to his left — right into the hands of Sam Shields, who races 52 yards for a touchdown.
Kaepernick knew right away what he had done — he was running toward Shields before he even caught the ball — but he couldn't make it right. Huuuuge, huuuuuge mistake by the playoff rookie. Video here.
8:26 P.M. |49ers Win Toss; Here We Go
Kaepernick will start at his 28. A lot to live up to, both for him and Coach Jim Harbaugh, as John Branch noted today.
San Francisco opens with a 9-yard pass to Michael Crabtree and two runs by Frank Gore for 10 more. Fans scream, "More of this please!"
8:22 P.M. |Our Man by the Bay
It is roughly 40 degrees warmer in San Francisco than it is in Denver. Not sure how the Packers will adapt to the warmth.
— John Branch (@JohnBranchNYT) 12 Jan 13
8:16 P.M. |Teams Are on the Field
The Packers and the 49ers are on the field at Not Candlestick Park. The N.F.L. probably would have held the kickoff a few minutes, but they can't wait for the first game forever, so get ready to flip between channels for a few minutes.
8:14 P.M. |Driver Active for Packers
Donald Driver, a healthy scratch against the Vikings last week, will play tonight.
8:05 P.M. |Waiting for the Early Game to End
The Ravens and the Broncos just went to overtime after the worst piece of prevent coverage in N.F.L. history, but the 49ers and the Packers have other things to worry about.
A couple clues for 49ers fans in the inactive list:
¶ Billy Cundiff, who was brought in to put the fear of God (or at least Jim Harbaugh) into David Akers, apparently didn't impress. He won't play.
¶ Harbaugh also designated defensive linemen Tony Jerod-Eddie and Ian Williams as inactive rather than keep them as cover for Justin Smith, who has missed two games with a torn triceps muscle. That's good news for 49ers fans but bad news for Aaron Rodgers, who probably could do without seeing Smith in his face all night.
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