(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers didn’t play well for much of Saturday’s playoff game versus the Green Bay Packers, but they came through in crunch time and overcame a seven-point deficit to win, 24-21.
They got the job done without wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who missed the majority of the game with a shoulder injury.
Samuel reportedly has a 50-50 chance of being able to play in this Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, which will take place in Santa Clara versus the Detroit Lions.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the good news is that Samuel doesn’t have a fracture, and he gave Wednesday, January 24, as the key date as far as knowing something more substantial about Samuel’s status for Sunday, per Matt Barrows.
Kyle Shanahan on Deebo Samuel:
Says the 49ers WR does not have a fractured shoulder, “which is a good sign” but that there’s still a lot of pain, which makes his status fuzzy for Sunday. Shanahan thinks he will have a better idea of No. 19’s availability on Wednesday.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) January 22, 2024
Samuel had 892 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns, and five rushing touchdowns in 15 games during the regular season, and he plays a huge role in San Francisco’s offense.
Without him, the complexion of their offense changes, and his absence puts plenty of pressure on their other skill players to work harder in order to gain yardage.
Samuel missed two games during the regular season, and the Niners lost both of those contests while mustering only 17 points apiece.
The Lions have had a remarkable season and have already accomplished things they have never accomplished as a franchise, and they have the ability to give Samuel’s squad a stiff challenge this weekend.
One way or another, the Niners will have to play better than they did on Saturday in order to secure their second trip to the Super Bowl in the last five seasons.
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