For 2nd Straight Year, 49ers Are a Win Away From Super Bowl

Christian McCaffrey scored on a go-ahead 2-yard run in the fourth quarter and San Francisco's defense did the rest, sending the 49ers to their second straight NFC title game with a 19-12 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, the AP reports. The 49ers (15-4) used back-to-back long scoring drives in the second half to wear down the Cowboys (13-6) and win their 12th straight game. San Francisco advanced to play the Eagles in the NFC title game next Sunday in Philadelphia after losing in that round to the Rams a year ago. The Cowboys lost for the record seventh straight time in the divisional round and have failed to make it to the NFC title game since winning their fifth Super Bowl title following the 1995 season.

The NFL's top two scoring teams over the past 13 weeks had trouble getting going as the defenses led by All-Pros Nick Bosa of San Francisco and Micah Parsons of Dallas controlled the play. Later in the game, the Cowboys had a shot when they took over at their own 18 with 2:59 remaining, trailing 19-12 after Robbie Gould's fourth field goal of the game capped a nearly eight-minute drive. But Dak Prescott threw two straight incompletions and was sacked on third down. The 49ers would reach their second Super Bowl in the past four seasons with a win at Philadelphia. The Eagles beat the New York Giants on Saturday night.

(More San Francisco 49ers stories.)