Throughout the playoffs, the San Francisco 49ers have demonstrated their ability to stage comebacks after falling behind in games, securing two come-from-behind victories. The first occurred in the Divisional Round against the Green Bay Packers, requiring quarterback Brock Purdy and the offense to orchestrate a game-winning touchdown drive. The following weekend, in the NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions, the 49ers overcame a 17-point deficit to advance to Super Bowl 58.
These playoff games contrasted with the 49ers' regular-season dominance. Despite the valuable lessons learned in the past few weeks, the team aims for a less stressful outing against the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas.
"Man, I feel all of us were sort of learning that, just really that chip on our shoulder, the mindset of our backs being against the wall, and we need it," Purdy told reporters on Friday. "That's when our best style of ball comes out, and we all step up to the plate and play our best. So whatever that mindset is early on, we need to get to it."
Purdy and his teammates hope to carry the late-game momentum and mindset into their early drives in Super Bowl 58. Some 49ers on the roster recall owning a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 54, only to witness quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs score 21 unanswered points to win 31-20.
General manager John Lynch would like to avoid a repeat of that heartbreaking outcome.
"We need to have our footing from the beginning, and we need to come out on point, especially against a guy like Patrick Mahomes," Lynch said on Friday. "I think he embodies that. Just look at every play with him. The play is never dead. He can play in rhythm, he can extend. You think you have him tackled, and then next thing you know, he's spun out."
Lynch admits that Super Bowl 54's outcome still haunts him. However, it also fuels him to ensure things are different this time, emphasizing the need for a fast start.
"The best way to do that is attack everything we do, with us starting fast, being on the details, play every play, and finish everything we do," Lynch said.
Purdy continued discussing the need to play better football right out of the gate, stating, "Obviously, we need to do a better job with third downs early in the game and converting on those and staying on the field. But when we needed to come back, we step it up, we pick up the intensity, everyone's just on it, and on point."
While Purdy struggled for much of the playoff game against the Packers, he excelled in the game-winning touchdown drive, connecting on six of his seven passes during the 12-play, 69-yard effort that put the 49ers on top.
Purdy concluded, "So if we can have that kind of mindset early on, just like we have all year, and come out firing away, I think that's when our defense plays well with that. So that's something that we all got to talk about and be better at, and that starts with me, for sure."
