49ers Show Mercy to Dan Campbell, Beat Lions, 41-33
The Detroit Lions' roster, coaching staff and head coach Dan Campbell wanted to kick off the 2021 season with a renewed sense of purpose.
Instead, the San Francisco 49ers and their loud supporters who joined them at Ford Field spoiled "The Dan Campbell Experience."
We will quickly get to the details of what happened at Ford Field, but the debut of Detroit's new head coach was eerily reminiscent of the 48-17 drubbing that former Lions head coach Matt Patricia took on Monday Night Football to kick off that failed era of Lions football.
After gaining momentum, following a quick 49ers turnover, the Lions' cavalcade of errors and what seemed like an uncontrollable snowball ruined whatever good will had been built up by the 2021 edition of the Lions.
The defense gave up a sweltering 9.3 yards per play on average in the first half. Kyle Shanahan's offense did not toss an incompletion until the half nearly ended.
49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance will remember his first toss in the National Football League very fondly, as it was a touchdown pass to wideout Trent Sherfield.
After telling reporters that the 49ers would attempt to try and trick the defense with motions and shifts, Campbell and Co. still could not do anything about it, as the defense bit heavily and allowed George Kittle to secure a big gain in the first half.
By the midway point of the third quarter, the 49ers' offense had executed six plays of 20 yards or more.
Same old Lions defense.
After receiving the football first, the Lions' offense could not punch it in to the end zone, even after the energized crowd cheered on a 22-yard early completion to tight end T.J. Hockenson.
On fourth-down-and-short, new Detroit running back Jamaal Williams could not maintain his footing to secure the first down.
New Lions quarterback Jared Goff inexplicably threw the ball into a sea of 49ers defenders, after getting hit, and was intercepted. The 49ers' defense took advantage of the pick-six, and never looked back.
Goff and the passing attack did not reasonably threaten the 49ers secondary in any meaningful way.
It was the 49ers who struck first, and then often as the first half progressed.
There was nothing to indicate that this was a team coached by a new individual, as the usual drops, missed tackles, mistakes and soft defensive coverage were all on display for fans at Ford Field to digest.
Even Jeff Okudah, the embattled defensive back, gave up another deep pass -- this time a 79-yard strike to Deebo Samuel, who feasted on the lax coverage of the secondary all afternoon.
The game was all but secured by the time the fourth quarter started, as the 49ers led, 38-17, after three quarters.
Credit to the Lions for at least continuing to fight, as they scored 16 quick points, late in the game, to make the final score more reasonable.
There will be more opportunities for Campbell and the new coaching staff to instill some sort of competitive spirit in this roster, but for the time being, it's back to the drawing board for the 2021 Lions.
Detroit (0-1) will face Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 on Monday Night Football.
© Kirthmon F. Dozier via Imagn Content Services, LLC
© Kirthmon F. Dozier via Imagn Content Services, LLC
© Kirthmon F. Dozier via Imagn Content Services, LLC
