Locals in the NFL Playoffs: Here are the Utah collegians 1 win from the Super Bowl

AROUND THE SHIELD — Fred Warner was in the game as former Utah State quarterback Jordan Love tried to drive the go-ahead touchdown in the final moments for the Green Bay Packers.

The San Francisco 49ers linebacker has been focused on assignments all year, learning his own defense and the opponents' offense as he's become the leading tackler for the NFC leaders.

But on this play, Warner looked at the crowd in anticipation of a celebration. And that, he admits, may have been a mistake.

After Dre Greenlaw pulled down his second interception, all the 26-year-old linebacker had to do was take a knee and let San Francisco advance to the NFC Championship for the fourth time in five seasons. That's what Warner assumed his teammate would do.

But you know what they say about assumptions. So when Warner turned around and saw Greenlaw "swimming with the football" and trying to return the pick, he laughed.

"Oh my heavens," Warner recalled at the podium, shortly after his linebacking teammate had spoken to the media. "I went up to him afterwards, asked why he didn't go down, and he said, 'I wanted a pick-six, like we talked about.'"

After a few minutes of laughing with Greenlaw, Warner shook his head: "What a win. What a win."

The former BYU linebacker and third-round pick had seven tackles and a tackle for loss — a team-high save for Greenlaw, who had eight stops to go with two interceptions — as the Niners rallied from a 13-7 deficit shortly after halftime to top the Packers 24-21 Saturday night.

The first word Warner used to describe the win for the 49ers (12-5) wasn't "joyful" or "celebratory." While those words may apply, he chose a different path: one of relief.

"We feel exhausted," said the linebacker rated by some among the best in the league. "That took everything and everyone. We knew it would be a close game; that is a heck of a team, and they gave us everything. This is the playoffs; we knew we had to find a way to win, no matter what. … That's how you've got to get it done. That's as grimy as it gets, and I think that will help us going forward."

Love completed 21-of-34 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns, including a 2-yard strike with 5:23 left in the third quarter, and a 2-point conversion to Aaron Jones that gave seventh-seeded Green Bay (9-8) a 21-14 lead after three quarters.

But Brock Purdy and the Niners didn't back down, outscoring the Packers 10-0 in the fourth quarter that included a 6-yard touchdown run by Christian McCaffrey with 1:07 left before Greenlaw sealed the win with his second interception in a game for the first time since his senior year of college.

The win ensures another shot at a trip to the Super Bowl for San Francisco. But it also gives the 49ers some added motivation as they prepare for the upstart Lions, Warner added.

"It's great that we won, but we would have loved to go into the NFC Championship game executing at a higher level and doing things the way we know we can," he said. "There's so much to correct going into this next game."

Here's a look at how other former Utah high school and college football standouts performed in the NFC and AFC divisional round:

Saturday's divisional round

No. 1 Baltimore 34, No. 4 Houston 10

Ravens (13-4)

• Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Active, but did not play.
• Marcus Williams, CB, Utah: Starting safety had two tackles and a pass defended in 49 snaps on defense.
• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Reserve linebacker made one tackle in 28 snaps on defense.

Texans (10-7)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham (via Stanford): Reserve tight end caught five passes for 43 yards in 41 snaps on offense.

No. 1 San Francisco 24, No. 7 Green Bay 21

49ers (12-5)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker totaled seven tackles and a tackle for loss in 67 offensive snaps and four on special teams.
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted four times for 179 yards (44.8 yards per punt) with two punts downed inside the 20 in nine snaps on special teams.

Packers (9-8)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Starting quarterback completed 21-of-34 passes for 194 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions; ran for 3 yards on five carries in 67 snaps on offense.
• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury: Reserve safety played 13 snaps on special teams.

Sunday's divisional round

No. 3 Detroit 31, No. 4 Tampa Bay 23

Lions (14-5)

• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills (via Oregon): Started at right tackle.

Buccaneers (9-8)

• Deven Thompkins, WR/RS, Utah State: Reserve receiver fielded one punt for no gain with three fair catches.

No. 3 Chiefs 27, No. 2 Buffalo 24

Chiefs (11-6)

• No locals on the active roster.

Bills (11-7)

• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Starting tight end caught five passes for 45 yards.
• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Starting nickel totaled six tackles, including four solo stops.

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