Finally over NFC title hump, 49ers won’t have weight off shoulders until ‘clock says zero-zero’ with them on top

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Super Bowl LVIII is indeed a rematch, but it's been a while since the first game was played.

Time has passed. Teams have changed. This isn't the clash of the same titans.

But the 49ers have reason to feel somewhat satisfied with the fact they've gotten to this point. After two straight years of losses on the doorstep of the Super Bowl, they're finally back. They've cleared a hump that only increased in size with each passing season.

For some, it's a minor accomplishment amid the pursuit of a greater goal. For all, it's not enough. While it's great to be in the Super Bowl, the job isn't finished.

"I don't think there will be any weight off our shoulders until that clock says zero-zero and the Niners are on top," receiver Deebo Samuel said Thursday.

He's right. If getting to the Super Bowl came with pressure, playing in the Super Bowl will only multiply it exponentially.

Balancing this reality comes down to an individual-by-individual process. Everyone finds motivation in different places, and none of the participants will struggle to locate the drive necessary to perform. But managing the expectation and pressure -- both personally and as a team -- remains paramount to success.

If anything, the 49ers have some recent experience delivering under pressure. They've overcome two playoff deficits at home with furious second-half comebacks, building tidal waves of momentum to complete thrilling victories.

If only, though, it weren't so difficult.

"I always find myself looking at the positive sides of it," Kyle Juszczyk explained Thursday. "We didn't play complete games, and now we have that experience of what it takes to come back and win a high-stakes game.

"For me, it's like all right, now I have that tool on my