Deebo Samuel commends the 49ers' physicality and Jimmy Garoppolo's resolve for manifesting an upset win over the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round.
“It’s just the physicality that we’ve always had here as a whole,” Deebo told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer from the locker room postgame. “And I don’t think too many people love to play the physical game that we play. They have to get mentally prepared. And the week is not long enough to prepare for how physical we play.”
Samuel finished with 83 total yards in the 49ers' 13-10 win over the Packers at Lambeau Field. His contributions included setting up the game-winning field goal with a huge first-down run in the final seconds.
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Deebo emphasized that he never has lost faith in his quarterback, and credited Garoppolo's "heart" for once again leading the 49ers to within a game of the Super Bowl.
“I mean it’s hard being a quarterback in this league, and we know what it takes, and Jimmy has the heart and the mindset to do it,” Samuel told Breer. “There’s never a [time] that we ever doubted Jimmy. We know everything that he’s capable of. And mistakes are going to happen, but it’s just how you bounce back, and he bounced back.”
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That physical play and resilience from the 49ers has brought them to the NFC Championship Game and a third matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers won the two regular-season clashes, and have had LA's number over the past few seasons.
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Samuel has been at the core of that physical identity for the 49ers, and it might lead him to his second Super Bowl appearance in three NFL seasons.