Predictions: Lions-49ers
Dan Campbell and his gritty, young roster are 60 minutes away from appearing in the Super Bowl.
Three years ago, Detroit's third-year head coach told those watching on a video conference eventually his team would be the "last one standing" after playing physical football.
Out West, Detroit has their toughest test of the 2023 season.
San Francisco runs the football well and also plays aggressive defensively.
With the teams evenly matched, Detroit has the edge at the quarterback position.
Veteran Jared Goff is playing at a high level and will lead his team to a trip to Las Vegas next week, after playing his best game of the season.
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will earn more credit after his defensive unit forces multiple turnovers and sacks Brock Purdy repeatedly.
Lions 20, 49ers 17
The Lions and the 49ers both are physical teams with run-first identities, so it will be a clash of similar squads Sunday evening. To me, this game will be won at the line of scrimmage, particularly when San Francisco has the ball.
The Lions must take away cutback lanes for Christian McCaffrey, who is as dangerous as any player in the open field. The interior will be responsible for that, while Aidan Hutchinson and other players on the edge will be tasked with turning these outside zone runs back inside.
Detroit has been very solid against the run all season long. I expect more of the same, and I think the Lions, themselves, can run the ball against anyone. It won't be easy, but I think the Lions make San Francisco one-dimensional and play ball-control on offense, to earn a hard-fought win and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Lions 23, 49ers 21
The Lions have earned every bit of what they've achieved this season, and deserve to be standing as one of the NFL's final four teams.
Yet, as much as it pains me to say it, I believe their dream season comes to an end this weekend.
In my eyes, the 49ers have been the only NFC team that has consistently been better than Dan Campbell's squad since day one of the 2023 campaign. And, I think San Francisco will remind folks of that Sunday.
I think Jared Goff and Detroit’s offense, even without left guard Jonah Jackson, will give the 49ers all that they can handle. But, in the end, I don't think the Lions’ defense will get enough stops of Brock Purdy and San Francisco's loaded offense to prevail against the NFC West champs.
49ers 31, Lions 27
San Francisco opened as a seven-point favorite this week, which if you ask me, sounds about right. The 49ers have a ton of great pieces on both sides of the ball, including Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and Nick Bosa. It remains to be seen what Deebo Samuel will contribute, but that's something I'll be looking at.
On the other hand, Detroit has had a magical season, accomplishing things that both fans and pundits never imagined to be possible.
In theory, this could a winnable game for Detroit, but it will need to execute everything to perfection, which feels like a long shot.
Ultimately, with key offensive players such as Jonah Jackson, Frank Ragnow, and Sam LaPorta still banged up, I don't think the Lions' offense will be able to keep up with San Francisco's explosive offense.
It hurts to write this, but as much as I would like to see the "good guys" go to the Super Bowl, I think the run ends here, capping off a fun season for Detroit.
49ers 31, Lions 24
My head says San Francisco is favored by a touchdown for a reason. The 49ers have been the more consistent and complete team throughout the year. However, the Lions have thrived in this underdog role, especially in primetime. It dates back to the win at Lambeau Field to close out the 2022 season. Detroit stepped up there, and stepped up at Kansas City when it was a big underdog.
No matter what, I believe the Lions will have a chance to win this game in the fourth quarter. It will just be a matter of whether they make plays.
I expect the defense to create pressure. The Lions will give up chunk plays, but also may force Brock Purdy into a few poor choices for turnovers. Without Jonah Jackson, Jared Goff is likely to see more pressure than he has the previous two games. If Goff can handle the pressure and not turn the ball over, Detroit definitely has a chance to win.
This playoff run has brought a lot of pride back to the state, and it’s a great story for the NFL. My heart says the Lions can find a way to finish the story, and that means finding a way to win this game.
Whether it’s a late-scoring rally, or another final defensive stand, I think the Lions will show the championship grit that has turned the franchise around.
Lions 24, 49ers 23
