Young, 49ers Stun Favre, Pack

Terrell Owens' moment of redemption came at the last instant

Owens, who had four drops and a fumble earlier, leaped to catch Steve Young's 25-yard touchdown pass with three seconds remaining, giving the San Francisco 49ers a 30-27 NFC wild-card victory over the Green Bay Packers.

The victory ended San Francisco's run of five straight losses to the Packers, including the last three playoffs, and to their head coach, former San Francisco offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren.

Owens snagged the ball in the end zone amid three defenders, who immediately leveled him. But it was too late.

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"I knew I was going to have to make a big play," said Owens, who was in tears as he was hugged by coach Steve Mariucci on the sideline after the touchdown. "I started the game with a fumble and a couple of dropped passes. The guys stayed behind me."

The score capped a nine-play, 76-yard drive engineered by Young after Brett Favre put the Packers up 27-23 on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman with 1:56 remaining.

The 49ers (13-4) travel to Atlanta next Saturday.

Atlanta displaced the 49ers as NFC West champions.

The game could mark the end of an era for the Packers (11-6), who were denied in their bid to become the first NFC team to reach the Super Bowl three straight years.

Holmgren has said he might leave to take on the dual role of general manager and coach with another team. Retiring defensive end Reggie White, one of the league's top sackers, also could have played in his final game.

Terrell Owens pulls in the 25-yard game-winner s safeties Pat Terrell (40) and Darren Sharper slam into him into him in the end zone. (AP)

The 49ers began their winning drive at their 24-yard line. Two straight passes to J.J. Stokes put the ball on the Green Bay 49. On third-and-1, Young dumped the ball to fullback Marc Edwards, who broke a tackle behind the line of scrimmage and bulled his way to a first down.

With time running out, Jerry Rice caught his first pass of the game to help set up the winning play -- although it appeared he fumbled on the play.

Then Owens came open briefly at the goal line and reached up to catch Young's pass as three Packers decked him.

"He was frustrated, because he dropped a couple passes," Mariucci said. "I told him to keep playing and have a short memory. When he caught that TD, he became a little emotional."

Young, beating the Packers for the first time in nine tries, completed 18 of 32 passes for 169 yards, 76 on the final drive. He also had touchdown passes of 1 and 8 yards to tight end Greg Clark, who had just one scoring catch during the regular season. Young, who was harried all game and often appeared out of sync, threw two interceptions.

Favre was 20-for-35 for 282 yards and had touchdowns of 2 and 15 yards to Freeman, but also threw two interceptions, his first postseason turnovers against the 49ers.

Garrison Hearst, giving San Francisco a viable running game for the first time in its four playoff meetings with the Packers, gained 128 yards on 22 carries.

Dorsey Levens rushed for 116 yards for Green Bay, but also had a costly fumble.

Green Bay appeared to take control in the late going.

Levens converted a fourth-and-1 and Corey Bradford beat Marquez Pope for a 47-yard reception to the 31. Four plays later, Favre scrambled away from pressure and Freeman shook free in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead TD.

Forging the game's third tie at 20-20, Ryan Longwell kicked a 37-yard field goal with 11:51 left. But Wade Richey, who kicked a 48-yarder for San Francisco late in the third, put San Francisco back on top with his third field goal, a 40-yarder with 6:12 remaining.

Under pressure from Charles Haley, brought out of a two-year retirement the day before and pressed into service by San Francisco, Favre threw his first postseason interception against the 49ers. Lee Woodall returned it 16 yards to the Green Bay 33, leading to Young's second touchdown pass to Clark and a 17-17 tie.

Richey's 34-yard field goal tied it at 10, and San Francisco was poised to strike again after Roell Preston muffed a punt and Randy Kirk recovered at the Green Bay 17. San Francisco gave it back seconds later when Young overthrew Hearst in the flat and George Koonce made a diving interception.

The 49ers compounded their mistakes, allowing the Packers to advance 30 yards to the 47 on two penalties. Chris Doleman hit Favre late and Roy Barker was flagged for unsportmanlike conduct for picking up the flag and throwing it on the ground.

Robert Brooks got loose on a slant for 24 yards and Levens finished the march with a 2-yard scoring run that put Green Bay up 17-10 at halftime.

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