Brandon Aiyuk knew that his San Francisco 49ers needed a big play in the second half of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.
The favored 49ers found themselves down 24-10 in the third quarter and attempting to get back in the game. That’s when the stud wide receiver put up what is the best catch of the NFL Playoffs thus far.
Brock Purdy hurled the ball down the field on 1st-and-10 from the 49ers’ 45-yard line. The ball ended up bouncing off the face mask of Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor and right into the hands of Aiyuk for a huge 51-yard gain to set San Francisco up in scoring position.
You have to see the catch to believe it.
Call it lucky. That’s fine. But Aiyuk’s ability to concentrate and come away with the ball was absolutely insane. It was the big play San Francisco needed to get back in the game.
Brandon Aiyuk would then score on a six-yard pass from Purdy later on that drive to pull the 49ers to within 24-17.
It had been a very frustrating NFC Championship Game for the 49ers up to that point. But one play got San Francisco back in it.
This is what Aiyuk has provided for the team all season long. He’s not stopping just because things weren’t going right early on Sunday.