What a night it was for the San Francisco 49ers and their fans. The Bay Area team entered the playoffs as the sixth seed in the NFC. They already knocked off the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys, and on Saturday, eliminated the top-seeded Green Bay Packers in an upset at Lambeau Field.

The 49ers special teams unit, often criticized as the team's weakest link, shined. There was a field goal block by safety Jimmie Ward before halftime. Defensive lineman Jordan Willis blocked a punt in the second half, and safety Talanoa Hufanga scooped up the football and returned it for a game-tying touchdown.

Then, of course, you have kicker Robbie Gould's game-winning field goal in the closing seconds to punch the 49ers' ticket to the NFC Championship Game.

"I [expletive] love you guys," head coach Kyle Shanahan told his team in the locker room after the 13-10 win. "Hey guys, everything about that game, their first drive, how it went down the field, I didn't see it again after that, [defense]. Unbelievable the whole game. You guys kept fighting.


"They almost get a field goal before the half. Jimmie Ward, right? ... We said at the beginning of the week, 'Special teams, you've got an opportunity to win this game.' And Robbie Gould! And what about Jordan Willis?"

That's when Shanahan walked over to Willis and handed him the game ball.

"We've been through a lot this year, and we kept battling, so let's just keep going," Willis told his teammates.

Shanahan wanted to add one more thing before leaving his players for his post-game press conference with the media.

"How many people put it in the line to get us to this point?" Shanahan asked. "There's going to be two teams left after tomorrow [in the NFC]. Guys, I love everybody here."


Then, a 49ers player can be heard closing things out with what could be the team's mantra moving forward.

"All I got to say is I think we ain't done yet," the player said to his team's delight. "I think we ain't done yet!"

Next up: The winner of Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.


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