SANTA CLARA — The 49ers’ offense wasn’t grooving Sunday prefer it normally does. The Cowboys’ protection was enjoying quick and rookie quarterback Brock Purdy began out gradual to get the ball off.
Put all of it collectively, and the longtime rivals have been tied 9-9 in the midst of the third quarter. A hotly anticipated NFC divisional-round playoff recreation that includes two high-powered offenses was turning right into a grinder.
The sport referred to as for a momentum changer. Enter, George Kittle.
On first-and-10 on the 49ers’ personal 21-yard line, Purdy discovered Kittle over the center — however threw it only a contact forward of him. An outstretched Kittle received one hand on it, then hit it in opposition to his helmet and bobbled the ball on his fingertips earlier than wrangling it in for a 30-yard catch.
“I believed, ‘OK, he’s both going to let this fall, keep within the air and get his head cleaned off, or he’s going to return down with it,’” proper deal with Mike McGlinchey stated. “He made a George Kittle kind of play.”
As Kittle fell, cornerback Trevon Diggs whizzed simply inches in entrance of his head, however the tight finish held on.
Levi’s Stadium erupted as Kittle jumped up from the grass, gave the Fox broadcast cameras a wide-eyed stare and caught out his tongue. A Kittle signature, daring viewers to scent what he and the 49ers have been cooking.
MR. KITTLE STOP IT. @gkittle46
📺: #DALvsSF on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/WBXF8YHjXz pic.twitter.com/GDhyL4y0h7— NFL (@NFL) January 23, 2023
“Simply attempting to be a bit of dramatic,” Kittle stated. “Get the scores up, that’s what we’re right here for.”
Kittle’s large catch stirred up the group and put the house staff in place to attain. However the holding name he drew later within the drive sealed the deal. He bought a bear hug from security Donovan Wilson to referees close by on what would have been a third-down sack of Purdy. It arrange a simple 2-yard dashing landing for Christian McCaffrey to open the fourth quarter, the 49ers’ solely landing of the evening of their 19-12 win.
In a decent, grind-it-out recreation between rivals, Kittle made clear he was staying free. When the printed SkyCam hovered over the 49ers’ huddle, Kittle stared immediately into the lens to make a face.
hello george pic.twitter.com/UD8aSxQdbl
— NFL (@NFL) January 23, 2023
“When it’s like 4 ft above you and I may contact it, it’s fairly onerous to overlook it,” Kittle stated.
After McCaffrey’s landing, he made certain to seize the landing ball and hand it to Corridor of Fame receiver and Levi’s stadium mainstay Jerry Rice, seated behind the tip zone.
“I noticed Jerry and I used to be like, Jerry Rice wants a soccer,” Kittle stated.
Kittle’s large catch was considerably improvised. With receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk lined, the rookie quarterback rolled again to his left in search of an open man. Kittle began the play blocking and switched gears as he noticed Purdy rolling.
Purdy performed the a part of a cowboy higher than his opponents. He noticed a small window to get the ball to Kittle on the transfer and flung it.
“I believed he was going to one-hand seize it after which he began bobbling it. I used to be like ‘come on, man,’” Purdy stated. “And yeah, it’s a tip drill however he got here down with it. Glad we received George on our staff.”
Added Kittle on the FOX post-game interview: “Simply shoutout to Brock. I really wasn’t even within the development and he nonetheless discovered me, in order that’s all that issues. I simply respect him giving me a shot at catching the ball.”
Kittle totaled 5 receptions for 95 yards on Sunday, with the circus seize by far the largest. Between that seize and the light-hearted vitality he brings to the sphere every week, Kittle was the important thing to pushing the 49ers out of the mud and into the NFC Championship Recreation.
As he stated after the sport: “Soccer’s lots simpler once you’re having enjoyable.”
Kittle caught CMC’s spike after which gave it to Jerry Rice 🤣
(through @nfl) pic.twitter.com/9pyIANc5Xz
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 23, 2023