The 49ers’ 23-20 NFC wild-card victory over the Packers on Sunday wasn’t even an hour old before Colin Kaepernick offered the Panthers some prime bulletin-board material.
“We owe them!” Kaepernick said boldly as he stood just outside the San Francisco locker room at frigid Lambeau Field.
The star of the Niners’ comeback win was talking about avenging a 10-9 home loss to Carolina in November when they visit the Panthers this Sunday, but San Francisco owes Carolina for a lot more than that.
One of the more shocking statistics in light of the 49ers’ dominance since Jim Harbaugh arrived as coach three seasons ago concern their years of futility against the Panthers — hardly one of the NFL’s powerhouses.
Not only has San Francisco lost its last four meetings with Carolina, but the Niners also are an embarrassing 2-8 against the Panthers since 1999.
Not what anyone would expect from a franchise chasing its sixth Super Bowl victory against a team that will be making just the fifth playoff appearance in its 19-year history — and the first since 2008 — this weekend at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
But the 49ers (13-4) sound convinced this time will be different from their most recent meeting with the Panthers — and not just because Harbaugh’s team is undefeated with new unofficial mascot “Nature Boy” Ric Flair giving pregame speeches.
“We’re more dangerous,” Harbaugh said Monday, his voice still hoarse from celebrating the monster 14-play drive Kaepernick led the day before that took the final five minutes and ended in Phil Dawson’s game-winning field goal at the gun.
Harbaugh’s comment might come off as one of his typically brash missives, but it’s also demonstrably true.
The 49ers were missing wide receiver Michael Crabtree that day against Carolina because of Achilles’ tendon surgery, and tight end Vernon Davis was lost early on to a concussion.
Both players are now healthy and played key roles in the victory over the Packers. Crabtree led the team with eight catches for 125 yards, while Davis caught a touchdown pass from Kaepernick in the second half.
The Nov. 10 loss to Carolina was followed quickly by a second straight defeat the following week in New Orleans, but that stretch now has the look of a turning point for the 49ers.
San Francisco has since reeled off seven consecutive victories, while the Panthers were up and down for much of December with a loss to the Saints and narrow wins over the Jets and Falcons — both non-playoff teams.
No wonder the 49ers are so confident their awful run against Carolina the past 14 years is going to start going in the other direction.
“They’re going to get our best game,” Kaepernick said Sunday. “That’s for sure.”