The San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons met in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship game in the last ever regular-season game at Candlestick Park.
The 49ers could seal a playoff place with a victory over Mike Smith's side but a defeat could have left them fighting for a place in the post-season on Sunday.
However, they didn't let themselves or the grand stadium down as Navarro Bowman made a crucial interception late in the game to stop a Falcons drive and seal his side's victory with a touchdown to secure their post-season place.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good morning and welcome to the live commentary of the NFL clash between the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons.
It's an emotional night for the 49ers as they are poised to say goodbye to Candlestick Park, their home for the past 43 years, as they will move to Levi's Stadium next season.
The stadium has seen some great players grace the field and the 49ers will want to sign out with a performance to fit the ground, as they can also gain a much-needed win for their playoff chances going into the final game of the season.
San Francisco are 10-4 coming into the game and can close the gap to the Seattle Seahawks on 12-3, meaning a defeat for Pete Carroll's side in their last game, could see Jim Harbaugh's team steal away the number one seed. An unthinkable thought last month.
Having said that the 49ers will need to win today to make any of that possible, in a rematch of last year's NFC Championship game. Who would have thought at the start of the season, that this game would only involve one potential playoff team?
One player who needs to find his form ahead of the post-season is Colin Kaepernick, who has been well below par this season. His throwing has looked off from the start and that may have had something to do with the absence of wide receiver Michael Crabtree, although, since his return the 26-year-old has still looked shaky. He hasn't been able to run as much as he did last year and that seems to have knocked his game off, but with big games coming, he will need to click into gear.
Frank Gore has been producing the goods on the ground again this season with another 1,000+ yardage campaign. He also has eight touchdowns on the year, and despite looking a bit out of touch at the start of the season, a good outing against the Seahawks last time out at Candlestick showed that he has plenty left to give.
Once again the 49ers are proving to have a dominant defense. They are ranked second in the NFL in fewest yards allowed as linebackers Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis lead the way in shutting their opponents out, while the pass-rushing skills of Aldon Smith, Justin Smith and Ahmad Brooks are enough to strike fear in the heart of any quarterback in the NFL.
Where did it all go wrong for the Falcons this season? As mentioned before they were in the NFC Championship game last season and were 10 yards from the Super Bowl but it's all fallen apart. Injuries have taken their toll as players such as Julio Jones, Steven Jackson, Sean Weatherspoon and Kroy Biermann have all been injured, but other teams have sustained worse and survived. The depth hasn't been there for Mike Smith's this year and they have been exposed; they have a lot of things to address in the off-season thanks to this 4-10 season.
49ERS INACTIVES: Manningham, Baldwin, Carrier, Moody, Dial, Looney, Seymour
FALCONS INACTIVES: Weatherspoon, Johnson, Motta, Vaughn, Jones, Locklear, Robertson
Mario Manningham is out for the 49ers in their most notable absence while Sean Weatherspoon is out for the Falcons, a huge blow for them today.
Dawson kicks the ball out of the endzone and Ryan will begin at the 20 for his side.
The Falcons move the chains thanks to the running ability of Jackson as he runs through the middle of the line to get seven yards and then comes back on third and one to get a crucial pick up of two yards to move the chains at the Falcons 31. Nice start from Smith's side.
Atlanta's first drive comes to an end as Jackson takes a loss of four yards on a screen play on first and the Falcons can't get any yardage back leaving them with a third and 11 situation, and Ryan's pass to White falls incomplete looking for his receiver on a comeback route down the right sideline. Bosher punts to James who returns the ball to the SF 32.
The 49ers get moving immediately as Kaepernick fires short to Boldin for a six-yard gain on first and then hands the ball off to Gore on second down on a draw play right through the middle of the line for 10 yards to gets the first down, taking SF to their 48.
Kaepernick fires on a quick slant to Boldin and he uses his guile to beat Trufant in coverage and makes the grab to move the chains for the 15-yard gain to move his side to the Atlanta 37.
SACK! Kaepernick tries to escape the pocket on third and two but Peters manages to get him to drag him down for a two-yard loss to kill the 49ers' drive at the Atlanta 31, that will leave Dawson with a 49-yard field goal.
FIELD GOAL GOOD! Falcons 0-3 49ers
Dawson has no problem dispatching the kick through the posts to hand the 49ers the lead.
Rodgers takes the ball out of the endzone from Dawson's kickoff and he gets dropped at the Atlanta 18 for a return of 20 yards.
The Falcons get a first down as Ryan drops back on third and seven and gets time in the pocket, he finds Douglas over the middle of the field for a seven-yard gain, as he beats Reid in coverage with a good juke move.
Ryan throws downfield on third and 13 and manages to get the ball to Gonzalez but he can only get 11 yards on the play to leave them two yards short of the first down marker, after they took a false start penalty that cost them five yards on first and they couldn't get the yardage back. Bosher's punt is collected for the fair catch by James at the SF 8.
The 49ers get the first down as Gore powers over the right side of the line on first to get nine yards before he gets knocked out of bounds by Decoud, then Kaepernick keeps the ball on the read-option and manages to get the yard he needs before he gets pushed out.
The 49ers get a huge gain on third down and seven as Kaepernick lofts the ball up for Boldin on a go route and he makes the catch down the right sideline for a gain of 22 yards to move his side to their 44, after they could only muster three yards on first and second.
Penalties knock the 49ers back five, then 10 yards after a seven-yard gain by Gore on first but Kaepernick gets 17 of those back as he fires a dart to Osgood who makes the grab over the middle of the field, leaving a third and one situation at the Atlanta 47, at the start of the second quarter.
END OF FIRST QUARTER: Atlanta Falcons 0-3 San Francisco 49ers
SACK! Kaepernick goes down again for a sack as he tries to fool the Falcons with a play-action pass on third and one with a heavy run formation, but Davis can't get open and he's forced to try and escape the pocket but Nicholas drags him down for a seven-yard loss. Lee's punt goes into the endzone so Ryan will begin at the 20.
Rodgers gets the handoff for the Falcons on first and manages to get through the middle of the line for an eight-yard gain and that allows them to throw for the first down on second as Ryan finds White on an out route for five-yard gain before he gets pushed out of bounds at the Atlanta 33.
The Falcons are rolling as on third down and six, Ryan escapes the rush and fires downfield to his receiver Davis, who makes a man miss with a spin moveand sprints down the right sideline, he gets a good block from White as he gets inside the 20 but he's brought down at the SF 5 for a reception worth 59 yards. A great play from the Falcons there.
The sides trade penalties as Holmes false starts for the Falcons but the visitors get a break as Whitner gets penalised for a hit on Jackson, which gives them back the yardage and moves them to the four-yard line, again.
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS!
The Falcons get into the endzone as Ryan hands the ball off to Jackson and he powers over the left side of the line, bouncing off a hit from Whitner this time on his way to a four-yard touchdown. A good drive from the visitors and they take the lead.
Bryant's kick is collected in the endzone and the 49ers will begin at the 20.
Gore gets the handoff on first and second and powers for carries of seven yards and then six yards to move his side to their 33, both were attempts over the right side of the line.
Again, Kaepernick struggles on third down and long as he is forced to scramble out of the pocket and he gets brought down well before the first down marker. He was in third and long after Gore was taken down for a three-yard loss on second by Nicholas. Lee's punt is returned to the Atlanta 22 by McClain.
Jackson powers through the middle of the line for a five-yard gain on first and that allows Ryan to go to the air again and he finds White on second for a seven-yard gain to move the chains to shift the Falcons to the 34-yard line,
Atlanta get a first down again as Jackson gets seven yards through the middle of the line on first and again Ryan goes to White on second on a short out route and gets five yards to move the chains at the Atlanta 45. Good offensive plays so far from the Falcons.
SACK! A sack from Justin Smith kills the drive from the Falcons as the 49ers bring the blitz on second and the defensive end gets to the quarterback for a seven-yard loss and on third and 12, Ryan can only checkdown to Snelling but he can only get six yards forcing the punt from Bosher. James collects his punt back at the SF 13.
The 49ers continue to struggle on offense as Kaepernick on third and four throws the ball at the feet of Boldin and McClain in coverage, but luckily for him it falls incomplete. The only yards they mustered on that was a short pass to Gore for six yards. Lee's punt is collected by McClain who reverses field and takes it back over midfield to the SF 47.
Atlanta get rolling as Rodgers powers through the line for a gain of five yards on first down and then Ryan goes to the air on second and finds his target of the night, White who makes the grab for a six-yard reception to move his side to the SF 36, and gain another set of downs.
The Falcons move the chains again as Ryan goes short to Gonzalez on third and four and he gets the first down reaching the ball over the marker with Willis draped over his back at the SF 26, after Rodgers made a good catch and move to get six yards on second on a checkdown.
After taking a three-yard loss on second the Falcons nearly get enough for a first down as Ryan throws a screen pass to Douglas and he makes a man miss and takes the ball 12 yards before he gets knocked out of bounds leaving a fourth and one. The Falcons opt for a field goal and Bryant will attempt a 35-yarder.
FIELD GOAL GOOD! Falcons 10-3 49ers
Bryant fires the kick between the posts and hands the Falcons a seven-point lead.
James manages to get a decent return on the kickoff but he gets knocked out of bounds at the 43 to end the half.
HALF-TIME: Atlanta Falcons 10-3 San Francisco 49ers
The Falcons take a surprising seven-point lead into the break as they have dominated the first half, offensively and defensively, as Ryan has looked in control against the physical 49ers defense bar one minor setback when he was sacked. While their defense has given Kaepernick fits as he hasn't been able to get anything meaningful going for his side. The Falcons will need to keep that level of intensity up to win this game.
San Francisco should be at panic stations at the moment, as Ryan has dissected their defense with limited options and they could be a lot further behind, luckily for them they're not. More worryingly for Harbaugh will be his side's offense, Kaepernick looks a shadow of the player he was last season, as he can't seem to find an open man with ball and his decision making to run is questionable and has got him caught on more than one occasion.
The 49ers won't want to have to go to Arizona to win their playoff place, so they need to get into gear quickly to prevent that from happening because if they lose here, they could miss out on the post-season, that is a frightening thought for any 49ers fan.
James returns the kickoff to the 17, where Kaepernick will begin.
A huge error from Umenyiora hands the 49ers another chance on third down after Kaepernick's pass to Crabtree was dropped by the receiver but the connect on the next play on third and five and Trufant misses a tackle and he sprints down the sideline for a gain of 47 yards to take his side to the Atlanta 31.
Kaepernick makes another good throw over the middle of the field to Crabtree who goes up to make the grab for a 19-yard reception to move his side to the 10-yard line of the Falcons.
TOUCHDOWN 49ERS!
The 49ers get themselves back in the game as Kaepernick fires the ball to the right on a wide receiver screen and Boldin coasts between blocks of Davis and McDonald to get into the endzone for the 10-yard touchdown. How crucial will that error from Umenyiora prove to be.
Dawson kicks the ball out of the endzone and Ryan will start at the 20.
The Falcons move the chains immediately as Ryan fakes the handoff to Jackson but fires deep over the middle of the field to White on a post route for 19 yards to move his side to their 39. Another good pass and catch by the duo there, they look in good rhythm today.
The 49ers make a play as Bowman manages to get into backfield and drags Jackson down for a no gain on third down and one at the Atlanta 37, after White had got seven yards on a short pass on second down but was stopped just before the marker. Bosher's punt goes into the endzone and Kaepernick will start at the 20.
Kaepernick fakes the handoff to Gore and reverses to drill the ball to Crabtree for a 10-yard reception right at the marker on a comeback route to move the 49ers to the 30.
The 49ers get moving again as Gore does get the carry this time and he finds space over the right side of the line and he gets the first down before being dragged down at the 42-yard line for a 12-yard gain.
Kaepernick gets the first down for his side on third and two as he drops back in the pocket and delivers a dart to Crabtree on a slant route over the middle of the field for a 22-yard gain, that moves the 49ers to the Atlanta 27.
The 49ers get a huge break on third down and 19 after Kaepernick takes a huge sack on second as he runs right into Massaqoui, but he throws the ball looking for Boldin, but is falls incomplete, however, the officials throw a flag for pass interference on Worrilow for absolutely no reason, there was no contact, and the 49ers have 19 yards back and a first down at the Atlanta 20.
San Francisco can't take advantage of that call as they can only get four yards as Hunter powers through the middle for six on first down, while he and Gore are held without gain on second and third, leaving Dawson with a 30-yard field attempt.
FIELD GOAL GOOD! Falcons 10-13 49ers
Dawson fires his kick through the posts and the 49ers regain the lead.
Dawson's kickoff is grounded in the endzone by Rodgers, so Ryan will start at the 20.
The Falcons go three and out as Ryan escapes the pocket on third and 10 but is forced to throw the ball away as none of his receivers can get open, after Jackson could only get two yards on a run on second. James gets a good return on Bosher's punt taking it back to the 43.
The 49ers move the chains immediately as Kaepernick takes off down the middle of the field, finding a huge hole and he accelerates down to the Atlanta 36 for a 22-yard after Gore got four yards on first down. Better from the 49ers.
Kaepernick fires short to Boldin on second and five, following a five-yard gain from Gore on first and he beats his man to get the first down before he finally gets brought down at the Atlanta 21 for a 10-yard gain.
END OF THIRD QUARTER: Atlanta Falcons 10-13 San Francisco 49ers
Gore gets the first down for his side to move them inside the 10-yard line after Kaepernick ran himself over the right side of the line, on a read-option play for nine yards to set up a third and one, and the running back powered between the tackles to get another set of downs.
TOUCHDOWN 49ERS!
Kaepernick takes the ball himself on the four-yard line and he powers between the tackles and leaps into the endzone for the score to hand his side a 10-point lead.
Rodgers takes Dawson's kickoff back to the 31-yard line where Ryan will begin.
White makes a great grab on a hitch route on third and four for the Falcons to move the chains with a five-yard grab with Brown in tight coverage, after Jackson and Rodgers combined for six yards on first and second.
Ryan does well on third down to come back from a poor throw to Jackson as he got he dropped by Willis for a three-yard loss with a huge gain over the middle of the field on a crossing pattern on third and nine, for a gain of 19 yards.
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS!
What a throw and catch by Ryan and White. The receiver goes deep downfield on a go route and gets between Reid and Brock and Ryan puts the through right on the money in the endzone for a 39-yard touchdown. We have a three-point game now, as Atlanta are right back in this.
Gore gets the chains moving for the 49ers as he powers through the middle and jukes a couple of tacklers to get into the open field and he manages to find 16 yards for the first down to move his side to the SF 41.
Gore does it again for 49ers as he charges through the middle of the line for a nine-yard gain and then comes back on second with a powerful three-yard carry to move the chains at the Atlanta 47.
Hunter gets the carry this time and he finds a huge space over the right side of the line and he takes off down the sideline and looks to be heading into the endzone before a good tackle from Decoud knocks him out of bounds at the two-yard line for a 45-yard run.
TOUCHDOWN 49ERS!
The perfect response from the 49ers as Kaepernick hands the ball off on the one-yard line to Gore who gets into the endzone powering through the line to the score. An excellent drive from the 49ers using all power football. That should be game over.
Dawson's kick goes out of the endzone and the 49ers will start at the 20.
The Falcons go three and out as Jackson churns out nine yards on first down but Ryan throws an incompletion on second down, leaving third and one, and on that down Willis comes charging through the line to take down Jackson for no gain. That leaves fourth and one for the Falcons and they are opting to go for it.
Atlanta get the first down as Ryan takes the ball in the shotgun and he fires short to White on an incut from the right sideline and he makes the grab for a seven-yard reception at the Atlanta 35.
White does it again for the Falcons as he goes deep on a corner route and makes a grab for a 22-yard reception to take his side into SF territory at the 44. A great throw as Aldon Smith was closing in on Ryan as he released.
The Falcons are handed five yards as Brock puts his hands on the face of Douglas and give the Falcons another set of downs.
Ryan is locked in on this drive as he throws an eight-yard completion to Douglas on the sideline and then fires over the middle to Gonzalez to take his team to the 16-yard line, with a 15-yard reception.
Douglas comes up big for Ryan as he drills the ball over the middle of the field on a crossing route and he makes the catch for a 10-yard reception at the six-yard line before he gets dropped to the ground by Brock. That was unnecessary roughness, if ever there was reason to use that rule as the cornerback slammed the receiver to the ground.
Douglas didn't get the first down but it doesn't matter as Ryan throws a three-yard completion to White and he gets the first down at the SF three-yard line.
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS!
The Falcons are well and truly back in this as Ryan throws to the endzone and who else but Gonzalez goes up to get the score for the three-yard touchdown. A good throw on the run and a leaping catch by the tight end, it's a three-point game now.
ONSIDE KICK RECOVERY!!
The Falcons go onside kick and Bryant's effort goes right through the hands of Bowman and it spins towards the sideline but Snelling makes an excellent one-handed grab to stay in bounds to earn his side possession at the SF 30. Oh my, this could get interesting.
Ryan keeps his side moving as he drills the ball to Douglas on a slant route for a 10-yard reception for a first down at the SF 20, just two minutes left. The 49ers need a stand from their defense.
INTERCEPTION & TOUCHDOWN 49ERS!
NOPE! No mistake! The 49ers get the touchdown as they bring the blitz on second and one and Ryann releases quickly. His pass to Douglas is broken up by Brock and it falls right into the grasp of Bowman and he runs 89 yards for the touchdown. An incredible play. What a game!
Snelling returns the ball to the 21 where Ryan will begin.
The Falcons get to midfield as Ryan throws the ball first to Snelling and then Gonzalez for 10-yard gains each.
Ryan guides his team to the SF 35 with a nine-yard completion to Gonzalez. They are going to attempt a hail mary to get seven points.
INTERCEPTION 49ERS AND THEY WIN THE GAME!
FULL-TIME: Atlanta Falcons 24-34 San Francisco 49ers
What a finish to the game. Just when all hope looked gone for the 49ers, Bowman comes up with a huge play that sends them into the playoffs and lets Candlestick Park sign off in style. If the Falcons had managed to punch the ball into the endzone there, Arizona could have found themselves in the playoffs on Sunday but it wasn't to be as Ryan failed once again in the clutch against the 49ers with shades of last season's NFC Championship game.
San Francisco now travel to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday with the knowledge that if they win and the Seattle Seahawks lose, they can steal the one seed in the NFC playoffs away from them. What incentive that is and it all rested on that play from Bowman. These are the fine lines in the NFL!
Thanks for joining our coverage of Monday Night Football this season. This is the last game on Monday as we head into the final week of the regular season on Sunday. Be sure to check out all our coverage of week 17 at the weekend. Until then, have a Merry Christmas, goodbye!
