The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Detroit Lions 34:31 in the NFC Championship Game and thus advanced to the Super Bowl.
The team from California is catching up brilliantly. After a halftime deficit of 7:24, 27 unanswered points were scored in a row in the second half. Superstar Christian McCaffrey ended up with two touchdowns.
On the Lions side, an energetic first half remains unrewarded.
In Super Bowl LVIII, San Francisco is now waiting for the defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, who eliminated the Baltimore Ravens away from home. It is the new edition of the final from four years ago.
THIS IS HOW THE GAME GOES:
If you want to use a really cheap pun, things were going for the Detroit Lions in the beginning. And how they went.
The underdog had a magnificent 148 rushing yards at halftime – and that against an actually good 49ers defense, which, however, seemed completely unprepared for the varied and energetic performance of the Lions offense.
All three Detroit touchdowns in the first half also came on the ground. Jameson Williams started things off with a 41-yard run – San Francisco was completely surprised that the receiver would get the ball.
With this move at the latest, the momentum was on the guests’ side. David Montgomery maneuvered the ball into the end zone to make it 14-0, and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs made it 21-7 with a 15-yard run.
This third Lions touchdown was preceded by an interception by 49ers QB Brock Purdy. This was in keeping with the long-term lackluster performance of the 49ers offense, which actually only lived up to its good reputation on the TD drive at 7:14. Christian McCaffrey completed this attack series from two yards.
Kicker Michael Badgley made it 24:7 for Detroit at halftime.
49ers turn up the heat after the break
After the break the tide turned completely. The first 27 points of the second half were scored by the 49ers – and sometimes strangely so. First kicker Jake Moody shortened it to 10:24, then things got wild.
How San Francisco capitalized on the Lions’ missed fourth attempt fell into the category of luck. Actually, Purdy’s long pass should have ended with a Lions interception by Kindle Vildor, but it dropped and the deflected ball landed in the arms of 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk, who ultimately completed the drive with a TD catch.
Suddenly it was just a one-score game and on the next drive the 49ers recovered a fumble from Lions RB Gibbs and punished the Lions’ mistake with McCaffrey’s second TD of the night. Equalizer to make it 24:24. Almost out of nowhere, a clear affair became a thriller!
And the Lions couldn’t withstand that nervously. The broad chest of the first round was gone, suddenly drops crept in with supposedly easy catches.
The Niners were completely different, as they suddenly acted confidently and followed up with a field goal from Moody and a TD run from Elijah Mitchell. Along the way, Purdy also made one or two important runs.
At the same time, the defense stopped another fourth attempt by the Lions – it can be assumed that discussions will now begin in Detroit as to whether they should have at least taken a field goal.
If you look at the final score of 31:34 from the Lions’ perspective, then yes. Because Jameson Williams’ second touchdown was ultimately not enough. Detroit was unable to recover the following onside kick.
Big Play BA! @THE2ERA#DETvsSF on FOX
???? NFL+ // pic.twitter.com/vo86PIJWfd— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 29, 2024
THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS FOR BOTH TEAMS:
For the San Francisco 49ers, it primarily means the chance to conquer the long-awaited sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy after a 29-year wait.
At the same time it also means the chance for revenge. The new edition of the NFL final four years ago awaits against the Kansas City Chiefs, when San Francisco left the field as a loser.
In the last two seasons they lost out in the NFC Championship Game, but this time, like in the divisional playoffs against Green Bay, they pulled their head out of the loop after poor performance at times.
Both Green Bay and Detroit are inexperienced on this stage. This shortcoming certainly doesn’t bother the Chiefs. No team currently has more playoff and Super Bowl experience.
Kansas City will likely be the favorite, but has proven to be vulnerable this season. So maybe the experienced 49ers squad will turn the tables.
The Lions? Came to stay
One can only feel sorry for the Lions. The gut says that this young and powerful team around head coach Dan Campbell has definitely come to stay among the NFL elite.
However, the head warns a bit that a bitter defeat like this, when many probably already felt like they had one foot in the Super Bowl, could be a setback that one has to chew on for a while.
After all, it would have been the very first Super Bowl participation for the Detroit Lions, who, as a notorious loser franchise, were a laughingstock for years and decades.
However, one thing should be certain: those days are over. The foundation under Campbell should be solid enough to continue playing a good role. But also one so good that the chance of the “Big Game” will soon be within reach again?
Can’t be tamed @EliMitch15#DETvsSF on FOX
???? NFL+ // pic.twitter.com/DS1c2dhwFI— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 29, 2024
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS:
Name
Passing Yards Rushing Yards Receiving Yards Brock Purdy 267 (1 TD, 1 INT) 48 Christian McCaffrey 90 (2 TD) 42 Elijah Mitchell 7 (1 TD) Deebo Samuel 7 89 Kyle Juszczyk 3 33 Brandon Aiyuk 68 (1 TD) George Kittle 27 Jauan Jennings 8
DETROIT LIONS:
Name
Passing Yards Rushing Yards Receiving Yards Jared Goff 273 (1 TD) David Montgomery 93 (1 TD) 20 Jahmyr Gibbs 45 (1 TD) 11 Jameson Williams 42 (1 TD) 25 (1 TD) Amon-Ra St. Brown 2 87 Sam LaPorta 97 Josh Reynolds 25 Anthony Firkser 8
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