What was on linebacker Fred Warner's mind when his San Francisco 49ers defense stepped onto the football field one more time against the Dallas Cowboys, looking to keep quarterback Dak Prescott from pulling off a miracle?
"I'm thinking, let's go to Philly," Warner told FOX Sports' Erin Andrews in a post-game interview, just moments after his 49ers emerged with a 19-12 win. "We had to finish it out. Huge team win. I'm so grateful right now. All glory to God, and our team, just putting together a team win. I'm happy for us, for sure."
Warner and the 49ers advance to the NFC Championship Game for the third time in four years. In their way of a Super Bowl return are the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles.
After putting up 31 points on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs, the hopeful Cowboys are headed back to Dallas filled with disappointment. Warner and his defense held the Cowboys to only 12 points and limited them to one touchdown.
How did the 49ers' defense successfully stymie the Cowboys' offense, which finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in total yards and points scored?
"We're the best in the world," Warner responded. "We've got to come out and show it every single time we step in between this grass, in between the white lines. I'm just super proud of the guys, super proud of our team for coming up big and finding a way to win."
The 49ers have now won 12 consecutive games. The defense has been downright dominant during most of that stretch. There have been some exceptions. There have been games where the prideful unit feels it didn't play up to their standard.
That wasn't the case on Sunday, though.
"It sure felt like us," Warner shared with reporters after the game. "That one drive where they went on, I think it was a 12-play drive and scored on us, kind of broke down in coverage a couple of times, they had some third-and-shorts that they converted. But for the most part, it felt like us. And obviously, we know we've got to play big-time football in the playoffs and have a chance to win this next game."