Dom Capers lasted five more seasons after the 2012 NFC Divisional playoff debacle, but it could be argued that his nine-year tenure as the Packers’ defensive coordinator was never the same after that night at Candlestick Park.



Now the question becomes, can Mike Pettine ever get past what happened to him Sunday night in the NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium?



The 49ers made Capers look foolish by scoring 45 points and gaining 579 yards, but at least what 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman did was considered innovative. No quarterback had ever run for 181 yards in a playoff game before Colin Kaepernick bamboozled Capers with the zone read.



San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan runs a sophisticated offense with deceptive motioning and elaborate disguise. What destroyed the Packers was the Football 101 part of it that featured 82.4 percent running plays and a second-string running back that gained more yards (220) than...