The San Francisco 49ers are heading to their sixth Super Bowl and their first since 1994.
Despite falling behind 17-0 in the first half, the 49ers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 28-24 Sunday in the NFC Championship game in Atlanta. It was the 49ers second-consecutive appearance in the NFC title game.
Unlike last year’s 20-17 loss to the New York Giants, the 49ers ended up on top in a close contest and will play Baltimore in the Super Bowl.
Frank Gore scored the game-winning touchdown with 8:23 left in the contest on a 9-yard run. The score gave the 49ers their first lead of the game.
The 49ers then had to withstand one last drive by the Falcons. The 49ers defense, which struggled while allowing 477 total yards, came up with its biggest play of the game with a little more than a minute left in the contest.
On fourth down, Pro Bowl linebacker Navarro Bowman knocked down a Matt Ryan pass to hand the ball to the 49er offense. With six second left, the Falcons had one last chance but Ryan’s pass to Julio Jones took the Falcons to only the 35-yard line.
The 49ers shut out Atlanta in the second half, allowing the 49ers to score the game’s final 14 points in the victory.
In his second postseason start, Colin Kaepernick went 16-for-21 for 233 yards and one touchdown through the air. After running for 181 yards against the Green Bay Packers the week before, Kaepernick was held to only 21 yards on two carries.
Gore carried the load for the 49ers with 90 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.
In a losing effort, Ryan threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns on 30-of-42 passing.
San Francisco will play in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans on Feb. 3.
