On Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 19-12 in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the third time in four years.
In a game with the offense struggling to score, the defense allowed only 12 points to secure the victory. In addition, the defense held the Cowboys' high-powered offense to 282 total yards, including 206 passing yards and 76 rushing yards.
The key to success was the two turnovers the 49ers defense created. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir had the team's first interception, and linebacker Fred Warner had the second after a tipped pass by defensive back Jimmie Ward. The two turnovers helped the 49ers earn the lead, and the defense, as a whole, found a way to win. The defense also generated five pressures, four quarterback hits, and one sack by defensive end Samson Ebukam.
Though the offense was able to get going in the second half, the team could only get into the end zone once after an excellent bobbled catch by George Kittle. Kittle also generated a defensive holding call in the red zone on the drive that finished with a touchdown run by running back Christian McCaffrey, giving the team a seven-point lead. Those seven points allowed the defense to do what it does best—close out the game.
The defense allowed only six points in the second half of the game. On the game's last play, Dallas tried to trick the 49ers by lining up their running back, Ezekiel Elliot, as the center. 49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair ran over Elliot, and Jimmie Ward sealed the deal with the game-clinching tackle.
The good ol' cliche "defense wins championships" is true. The 49ers will travel to the "City of Brotherly Love" to take on the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles. If the defense continues to play as the number-one defense in the league, the 49ers could be headed to Super Bowl 57.