Final thoughts
Well I wanted an exciting NFC Championship Game and I certainly got one! So many twists and turns. You have to feel bad for Lions fans but it’s hard to argue that the better team didn’t win.
The Lions are good enough to be here again but this is really San Francisco’s time. This should be an all-time Super Bowl between the 49ers and the Chiefs, even if the sentimental favorites may not have made it this far. They are sentimental favorites for a reason!
This will be the end of our liveblogging for today. Stay tuned for the Guardian’s NFL coverage for the next two weeks and then I will see you all again one last time for the final NFL game of the season. I so hope that you join us.
Until then feel free to relive today’s wild battle between the Lions and 49ers in the Guardian’s game report, helpfully linked below!
49ers are the first team to trail by 17+ points at halftime and win a Conference Championship Game
— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) January 29, 2024
I assumed this but good to know!
And we have the NFC Championship trophy ceremony here.
Chiefs head coach Kyle Shanahan mentions that the team capitalizing on the Lions’ turnovers was the key to their win. He’s 100% right.
Email from Christian Svanes Kolding:
having not watched US football all season, i tune in a little while ago and much to my surprise see Giovanni Ribisi as detroit’s quarterback - that is Jared Goff.
He can play it in the movie version of this NFL game. It will be a horror movie.
Email from Riccarda Jarvis:
The coach who made the decisions to go on 4th down twice…versus getting the field goals cost them this game.
I cannot argue with this. In the midst of this, one of the FOX commentators said that you can’t blame Dan Campbell’s decision-making just because it didn’t work out as that’s how he’s been winning games all season-long.
As someone who is on-board with the idea that coaches don’t go for in on fourth-down enough, this is just flat out wrong. There are many occasions when it is simply a bad decision going in, regardless of outcome. The first fourth-down decision was dicey but defensible. There was no defending the second. If it had worked out, it would have been the Lions dodging a bullet not a sign that it was the right one.
In any case, the Lions lost by a field goal on a game where they decided against kicking two makeable ones. That’s the main story here and, despite all of the other mistakes made by his players, that’s probably extremely fair!
The San Francisco 49ers are NFC Champions!
We’ve talked about the Detroit Lions collapse but there’s no denying that the San Francisco 49ers took advantage of every single opportunity they had in the second half to put together a comeback for the ages. They truly deserve to head to the Super Bowl where they will face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Lions 31-34 49ers, FINAL, 4th quarter
Elijah Mitchell runs a bit. The Lions use their timeouts, trying to extend the time they have but they are only barely putting off the inevitable. There’s just a one second differential.
The 49ers have beaten the Lions 34-31 in a game that will be remembered in Detroit for a very long time for all the wrong reasons.
Failed onside kick! Lions 31-34 49ers, :56, 4th quarter
The 49ers take a timeout here. The Lions are 0-for-3 on onside kicks, which pretty much never work. Can they pull off something ridiculous here?
Nope, George Kittle recovers and the San Francisco 49ers are going to the Super Bowl.
Except that the refs throw a flag on Detroit, which won’t matter but will extend the game slightly.
Can the Lions recover the onside kick here? Or will they lose by a (sigh) a field goal?
Touchdown! Lions 31-34 49ers, :56, 4th quarter
It’s 4th and goal and if the Lions don’t get into the end zone here, it’s all over.
Goff finds Williams for a touchdown! Will it be too little, too late, however?
Lions 24-34 49ers, 1:00, 4th quarter
Goff finds Reynolds for a 25 yard gain. 1st and 10. Goff finds LaPorta for an eight yard gain. 2nd and 2. Goff finds St Brown for a seven-yard gain. 1st and goal at the SF 9. Goff finds Anthony Firkser for an eight-yard gain.
2nd and goal. Goff throws incomplete.
3rd and goal. Montgomery gets pushed back for a two-yard loss. The Lions take a timeout with a single minute remaining.
Im so mad I can't even type. You've blown a huge lead. You're on the road. You have a chance to tie up the game. You grab that with BOTH HANDS! If they come down and score you're still in it. that's some dumb analytic s*it right there.
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) January 29, 2024
The first time, I was like fine. That was a chance to breakopen the game and put the 49ers in a deep hole.
I do not understand doing it when you’re down by a field goal late and have not scored a single point in the second half!
Lions 24-34 49ers, 2:00, 4th quarter
Closing time for the Lions. They start on their own 25. Goff throws incomplete. 2nd & 10. Goff finds Gibbs for a four-yard gain. 3rd and 6. Goff finds LaPorta for a nine-yard gain. That’s a first down.
Goff goes to LaPorta for a 13-yard gain that will take them to the San Francisco 49. That’s good for them. It’s the two-minute warning. That’s bad for them.
Imagine making Madden like head coaching calls in an NFC Championship game? Why not kick a field goal and kick the field goal and head into a tie on the road. I just don't get it man. @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) January 29, 2024
Dan Campbell is a key reason for the Lions’ turnaround but he is absolutely culprit number one for this meltdown although, man, there is a lot of blame to go around for this historic second-half collapse.
Touchdown! Lions 24-34 49ers, 3:02, 4th quarter
McCaffrey runs for 25 yards! The 49ers are knocking on the Lions’ front door and they’re going to let them right in. Elijah Mitchell runs into the end zone for a touchdown. Moody makes it a 10-point game with an extra point.
That is 27 unanswered points by San Francisco.
Lions 24-27 49ers, 4:42, 4th quarter
2nd & 8. Purdy finds McCaffrey for a four-yard gain. 3rd and 4, the Lions defense has to make a stop here, period.
Instead they let Purdy escape and he scrambles for a 21 yard gain to the Detroit 28. This is done.
Lions 24-27 49ers, 6:11, 4th quarter
This is over. Calling it here. You can’t do that twice. The Sports Gods will punish you every time. Purdy takes over at the San Francisco 30. He runs up the middle for a seven-yard gain. On 2nd and 3, Purdy finds Samuel for an eight-yard gain and a first down.
1st and 10, McCaffrey picks up two yards.
Turnover on downs. Lions 24-27 49ers, 7:32, 4th quarter
On 2nd & 10, Goff throws incomplete to Gibbs. On the next play, Goff throws to St Brown for a seven-yard gain to get them to the SF 30. This is makeable field goal distance.
But they don’t put in the field goal unit. Is Dan Campbell gambling again? Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.
Goff throws incomplete to St Brown. Turnover on downs. Oh god this is a horror show.
Updated
Email from Rowan Sweeney:
Subject: Lions gonna lions
G’day from sunny Australia, Hunter.
I checked the score when it was 24-7, right before Moody kicked that field goal, and what immediately sprang to mind was a slow motion replay of the Dan Orlovsky safety in 2008. Lions gonna Lions, it seems.
I won’t lie, this is one of those games where if the 49ers win, their fans are going to be like, “still I feel bad for the Lions.”
Lions 24-27 49ers, 8:28, 4th quarter
Goff attempts to find Williams in the end zone for a touchdown but he can’t get to it. On the play, San Francisco’s Ambry Thomas was injured so we’re in another timeout.
Lions 24-27 49ers, 9:15, 4th quarter
Safe to say that the Lions have to score on this possession. They start at their own 25 after a touchback. Goff throws one deep and Williams holds on for a 22-yard catch! That’s the first thing that has gone right for Detroit in this half.
The Lions are at their own 47. Montgomery gets the ball next and rushes for 16 yards to make it to the San Francisco 37. Another first down.
Field goal! Lions 24-27 49ers, 9:52, 4th quarter
Purdy takes it himself on the next play and scrambles for 10 yards to the Detroit 13. It’s 1st and 10. On the next possession he holds on just a little too long and gets taken for a seven-yard loss. 2nd and 17, Purdy gets sacked again! The second sack of the game for Detroit.
It’s now 3rd and 19 at the Detroit 22. Purdy finds Samuel, he can only get seven yards. The 49ers will settle for a field goal here. Moody’s 33-yarder is good and there you have it, the 49ers have a lead after going on a 20-0 run.
Lions 24-24 49ers, 12:57, 4th quarter
On 1st and 10, McCaffrey picks up four yards and the 49ers take their first timeout.
Lions 24-24 49ers, 14:19, 4th quarter
On first down, Purdy throws to Samuel who can pick up a yard. The Lions desperately need a stop here and preferably a turnover!
They won’t get it here, Purdy throws a deep ball to Kittle who takes it and runs to the Detroit 27 for a 28 yard gain!
Lions 24-24 49ers, end of the 3rd quarter
Purdy at his own 30, he makes a throw to Juszczyk for a 10-yard gain while under pressure. On 1st and 10, he hands it to McCaffrey. McCaffrey picks up 8-yards. On the next play, McCaffrey picks up six for another first down. That’s the end of the third quarter. They’ll start the 4th on their own 44.
I’m going to cheat and quote my own tweet here because it bears repeating.
I've been liveblogging NFL games for a decade. In that time, I have never seen more things go wrong for a team in a single quarter of a playoff game I've covered.
— Hunter Felt (@HunterFelt) January 29, 2024
Lions 24-24 49ers, 2:01, 3rd quarter
Another touchback. On their own 25, Montgomery only manages a single yard. 2nd and 9, Goff throws to LaPorta. Nothing doing. 3rd and 9. Goff’s next throw is a surefire first down throw to Reynolds.
And Reynolds drops it! Oh my lord, everything has gone wrong. Fox punts the ball and it bounces at the two, where it should pin the 49ers back. However it bounces back into the end zone for a touchback. The sports gods do not want the Lions to win this game and they are pulling out all the stops.
If it's Detroit vs Everybody right now, Everybody is looking a lot better right now. @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) January 29, 2024
Going into this game I felt that no matter how this game went, the Lions should feel good about themselves for getting this far.
If they end up losing this game, and it’s really hard to see how a team can mentally recover from this, it might just be the one possible scenario where they won’t be able to feel good about themselves.
Touchdown! Lions 24-24 49ers, 3:02, 3rd quarter
On the next play, Samuel picks up three yards and gets the ball to the Detroit 1.
We know where this is going. McCaffrey walks into the end zone! The extra point is good and we have a tied game as the Lions have scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter and there’s still three minutes remaining.
Updated
Lions 24-17 49ers, 4:29, 3rd quarter
The 49ers take over on the Detroit 25. Purdy throws to George Kittle, oh right he exists, who gets pushed back a yard. It’s 2nd and 11 and Purdy … breaks free and rushes to the Detroit 4. Everything that can go wrong has gone wrong for the Lions since that fourth down decision!
Fumble! Lions 24-17 49ers, 5:17, 3rd quarter
Moody’s kick hits the end zone for a touchback. It definitely feels like they are not going to hold San Francisco to 17 points, so they’re going to need to get something here to regain momentum. The crowd is now massively loud.
And, oof, Gibbs immediately fumbles! San Francisco recovers! Calamity!
It’s a vibe-shift in San Francisco, so of course the FOX bumper music person gives us a taste of the Dead heading into the break. It’s Bob Weir’s own “Throwing Stones” and it’s very much appreciated by this second-generation hippie.
Touchdown! Lions 24-17 49ers, 5:17, 3rd quarter
1st and goal. McCaffrey gets pushed back for a two-yard loss. 2nd and goal at the Detroit 6, Purdy can’t find Aiyuk. 3rd and goal. Purdy finds Aiyuk this time! The 49ers take advantage of Campbell’s gambling and score a touchdown on the other end. Moody’s extra point is good.
Now is the time for the Lions to be worried.
Lions 24-10 49ers, 6:29, 3rd quarter
Purdy throws a huge bomb and bounces and almost gets intercepted but Aiyuk finally makes a play by catching it on the deflection. A flag flies but it was a mistake. “There is no foul on the play.” The 49ers are on the Detroit 4 with a fresh set of downs.
Lions 24-10 49ers, 6:39, 3rd quarter
If the 49ers manage to pull off a comeback here, Campbell’s decision to go for it right there will definitely be seen as the turning point. It was an understandable move, that could have been the game right there, but sometimes those moves don’t payoff.
On the next play, Purdy passes to Samuel who picks up 17 yards to the San Francisco 45.
Lions 24-10 49ers, 6:58, 3rd quarter
Goff finds LaPorta for a six-yard gain. 3rd & 7, St Brown gets two yards. Head coach Dan Campbell goes for it on 4th on 2, Goff almost finds Reynolds but he just can’t hold on. That could have been the game but instead San Francisco has new life. They will start at their 28.
Lions 24-10 49ers, 8:29, 3rd quarter
It’s 1st & 10 at the San Francisco 48. Montgomery picks up seven yards for a first down. On the next down, he gets five for another first down. On the next play, Goff lets it fly, but it’s incomplete to LaPorta.
Lions 24-10 49ers, 9:53, 3rd quarter
Can the 49ers keep the Lions off the board on their first possession here? That might be the key to see whether or not this will be a game. Goff finds LaPorta for a 16-yard completion right away. That’s not a good star. Montgomery picks up six yards to the Detroit 47. On the next play there is no play, because there’s a neutral zone infraction on the defense that equals a five-yard penalty.
Field goal! Lions 24-10 49ers, 11:02, 3rd quarter
Samuel takes a three yard loss on the next possession. 3rd and 4. However, Purdy finds Jauan Jennings who makes a one-handed catch for a first down at the Detroit 27. McCaffrey picks up two yards. 2nd & 8, Purdy nearly throws another pick, but it’s just incomplete. Big 3rd and 8 here. Purdy throws and it’s incomplete.
The 49ers have to settle for a field goal here. Moody makes this one, a 43-yarder. Not the ideal scenario for San Francisco, but they at least answer Detroit’s field goal and they have a lot of time left on the clock. Can the defense get stops however?
Lions 24-7 49ers, 13:57, 3rd quarter
McCaffrey picks up eight yards. That’s a start. 2nd & 2. Purdy finds Samuel for a nine yard gain. That’s another first down. Good start for the 49ers.
Start of the second half!
Lions 24-7 49ers, 15:00, 3rd quarter
Ray-Ray McCloud looks at Fox’s kick which falls in the end zone. Touchback again!
This is Detroit, for the record. A pretty cool scene!
The Detroit Lions sold out tickets for their watch party at Ford Field — 2,500 miles away from their game in San Francisco — with proceeds benefitting local youth.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 28, 2024
pic.twitter.com/PcwOlZFatY
Lions fans have started "Jared Goff" chants 🗣️
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 29, 2024
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/osJ4QuqUo4
Again, the game is in San Francisco.
The good news for the 49ers is that they wisely deferred to start the game and while they were unable to stop the Lions from scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, it does mean they will get the ball back to start the second half.
24-14 is a very different score than 24-7, especially psychologically and it looks like a lot of the 49ers issues right now involve their confidence.
You would think that with the Lions having a 24-7 halftime lead that Jared Goff would be putting up pinball numbers but he has 145 yards and no touchdowns.
That, however, is the key to why the Lions are winning. He’s relying on their ground game: David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams all have rushing touchdowns and a combined 148 yards. When that’s working, there’s no reason to go for the deep ball every single time.
The other good thing about having such a skilled rushing unit? If you happen to have a lead late, you can keep the opposition off the field and run down the clock. The 49ers, on the other hand, will be forced to air things out which may or may not be good with Purdy’s tendency to make a bad throw every now and then.
Halftime thoughts
Remember back in the preamble when I mentioned that the least probable outcome would be a lopsided Lions victory?
Well, in this first half, it does indeed look like stranger things might be happening (hopefully Netflix’s trademark lawyers don’t ding me for this). Purdy’s interception was definitely a gamechanger but a more worrisome thing might be the 49ers’ third-down defense which has proven entirely inadequate against the Lions.
Lions 24-7 49ers, end of the first half
Ray-Ray McCloud receives the kick with seconds left but doesn’t get far and there’s a flag on the play. It’s offensive holding, enforced at the San Francisco 24. Yeah, the Niners will just take a knee here and go back to the locker room where they need a motivational speech of the ages.
Field goal! Lions 24-7 49ers, :07, 2nd quarter
Gibbs is stopped short of the end zone. It’s 4th and goal at the San Francisco three-yard line. Are they going to go for it?
No. That would be a little ridiculous! Instead, Dan Campbell puts in his field goal unit. Badgley makes a 21-yard field goal to make it a 17-point Detroit lead.
Updated
Lions 21-7 49ers, :17, 2nd quarter
It’s 3rd and 7 and the Niners can’t get stops on third down. Goff throws to St Brown for a nine-yard gain. The Lions are on the San Francisco 7. On 1st and goal, Goff throws incomplete to LaPorta. On 2nd and goal, Gibbs barely gets a yard. Lions take their first time out.
Lions 21-7 49ers, :33, 2nd quarter
And we’re back and now it’s 2nd and 6. Also, the refs reset the clock to :47. Time and space are relative things! That’s just plain quantum mechanics. Goff throws and just misses Gibbs in the end zone.
Updated
Lions 21-7 49ers, :35, 2nd quarter
1st and 10. Gibbs picks up another three yards. It will be 2nd and 7 after a brief timeout.
Lions 21-7 49ers, 1:09, 2nd quarter
As soon as I said a bad thing about the Niners’ defense, Nick Bosa decided to prove me wrong with a sack on Goff for eight yards. The 49ers take one of their timeouts. 2nd & 18. Gibbs tries to get something to happen but can’t pick up anything. It’s third and forever and it’s looking like they will get the ball back here before the end of the half unless something goes terribly wrong.
They take another timeout.
Something goes terribly wrong! Goff finds St Brown who catches a long Goff pass and gets extra yards for a 23-yard gain that takes Detroit to the SF 19!
Lions 21-7 49ers, 1:55, 2nd quarter
Goff throws deep to LaPorta to no avail. 3rd and 12. Can the 49ers get a stop here? They really need a stop!
They do not get one. Gibbs finds exactly 13 yards to keep the drive alone. My stars, the 49ers defense has picked a bad day to have a bad day.
One of my roommates came in and asked who won the first game. I replied that the Chiefs did and his response was that he was sick of Taylor Swift.
You will never hear me say such a thing, I won’t lie.
Lions 21-7 49ers, 2:00, 2nd quarter
Offensive lineman Penei Sewell is reported as eligible here, as he has several plays this drive. He doesn’t get the ball this time, instead it’s Gibbs who gets stuffed for two yards before the two-minute warning.
Lions 21-7 49ers, 2:30, 2nd quarter
Montgomery yet again and he gets nine yards here! It’s 2nd and 1, desperately close to midfield. Goff is going to stick with what’s working, handing it to Montgomery who gets six yards and another easy first down.
Lions 21-7 49ers, 4:21, 2nd quarter
Montgomery gets up to middle, picking up five yards. 2nd & 5, Montgomery gets six yards. That’s good for a first down, the Lions are at their own 40. We might be seeing a lot of ground game to end this half for Detroit.
Lions 21-7 49ers, 4:59, 2nd quarter
49ers start on their own 25 again after a touchback. Purdy’s first throw is incomplete to McCaffrey. McCaffrey gets the ball again but gets stuffed for no gain. On 3rd and 10, Purdy tires to find Aiyuk and that hasn’t been working all game! He dives and can’t get it. 4th &10. Mitch Wishnowsky is in for a rare punt.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, who also has a cool name, gets it to the Detroit 29 for a ten-yard gain. If the Lions can score on this drive, San Fransisco is going to have a hard time of things in this second half.
That is a really filthy personal foul by Detroit there. That is not at all cool. It’s a shame on a great play as well. Football is tough enough, at least show a general level of respect. @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) January 29, 2024
It ended up not affecting the Lions, but it really could have. Absolutely senseless on Gardner-Johnson’s part.
As I said in the preamble, the Lions’ best bet to pull off this upset was to take advantage of Brock Purdy’s bad throws and, well, that was a huge swing and now the 49ers really need to score before halftime here.
Touchdown! Lions 21-7 49ers, 5:54, 2nd quarter
And just like that! The Lions are in the San Fransisco end zone again! Gibbs takes it in for a touchdown. Badgley’s extra point is on the money! The Lions convert Purdy’s interception into seven points!
Lions 14-7 49ers, 5:54, 2nd quarter
On 1st & 10 at the San Francisco 46, Gibbs gets taken for a five-yard loss. However, on 2nd & 15, Goff finds LaPorta for a 16 yard gain. 1st and 10, Gibbs gets to the San Francsico 32. 2nd & 7. Goff finds St Brown who picks up 17 yards! They are already at the San Francisco 15!
Interception! Lions 14-7 49ers, 8:47, 2nd quarter
Purdy throws incomplete to Aiyuk, the two had trouble connecting all game. They try again, and no dice. 3rd & 10. One imagines Purdy will be going elsewhere this time.
He does, he throws an interception to Detroit’s Malcolm Rodriguez… BUT there’s a flag on the play. It’s still Detroit ball but there’s a 15-yard penalty for an illegal blindside block on C.J. Gardner-Johnson on the return. Terrible penalty for the Lions.
Lions 14-7 49ers, 9:04, 2nd quarter
Purdy throws to McCaffrey for a five-yard gain. On 2nd & 5, Samuel gets seven yards. That’s a first down, although he has to fall face first to get it. They’re at their own 24.
Lions 14-7 49ers, 10:17, 2nd quarter
3rd and 15. Goff finds LaPorta who can only pick up nine yards. Niners’ Dre Greenlaw gets hurt on the play, while the Lions have to punt it away.
Ray-Ray McCloud makes a fair catch for San Fransico at their own 12-yard-line.
Lions 14-7 49ers, 11:47, 2nd quarter
St Brown throws incomplete on 2nd & 10. 3rd and 10. A huge momentum shift for San Francisco if they can stop the Lions here. Instead St Brown makes a catch and extends the play to the 50-yard-line. Another fresh set of downs.
However, now the 49ers defense kicks it up a notch. They stuff Montgomery for no gain and then Nick Bosa sacks Goff for a five-yard loss.
Lions 14-7 49ers, 13:13, 2nd quarter
Moody’s kick falls in the end zone. That’s another touchback. Montgomery gets the ball first from the Detroit 25 and he rushes for 14 yards and a first down. At his own 39, Goff throws one deep but incomplete to Josh Reynolds.
Well, Lions fans. It was never going to be that easy. You were never going to shutout this offense. The Lions now pretty much have to start matching the 49ers blow-by-blow. They’re going to get their points.
Touchdown! Lions 14-7 49ers, 13:49, 2nd quarter
Juszczyk picks up three yards, taking the 49ers to the Detroit 2. On the next play, McCaffrey takes it to the end zone and the Niners have a much-needed touchdown! We have a ballgame!
Moody makes the extra point. Usually that’s a given, but with Moody? Maybe not.
Lions 14-0 49ers, 14:30, 2nd quarter
OK we’re back after a slightly longer commercial break than usual. Purdy and company are in a 1st and 10 situation on the Detroit 33. Purdy goes to McCaffrey again (you’re going to be reading that a lot) and he breaks a bunch of tackles and gets all the way to the Detroit five-yard line!
Lions 14-0 49ers, end of the 1st quarter
McCaffrey gets the next two carries for a total of eight yards. A big 3rd and 2 coming up. Purdy finds McCaffrey again and that’s a six-yard gain. The 49ers will be at the Detroit 33 at the start of the second quarter.
Updated
Lions 14-0 49ers, 2:05, 1st quarter
There’s a big play, Purdy throws one deep to Juszczyk, it’s a 23-yard catch that takes the 49ers into Detroit territory right off the bat.
Lions 14-0 49ers, 2:24, 1st quarter
Fox’s kick goes into the end zone for another touchback. Purdy finds Samuel for a six-yard gain to their own 31.
The Niners know Goff probably as well as they know any quarterback in the league, but such insight Phelan’s helped them yet! @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) January 29, 2024
The 49ers defense should be one of their strengths but they have not been at their best here. I am very much surprised to be honest.
The 49ers are going to have to score something on this drive just to shake off this bad start.
Touchdown! Lions 14-0 49ers, 2:34, 1st quarter
Montgomery gets the ball all the way to the San Francisco 1. On the next play, he pushes in and gets into the end zone. Badgley’s extra point is good! It’s a 14-0 lead early here! I was not expecting this game to star this way! The fans at Levi’s weren’t either!
And we go to the break with some Motown. “Dancing In The Streets,” which is certainly what they will be doing in the Motor City should the Lions hang on to this lead.
Still, a lot of time on the clock.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 3:59, 1st quarter
Goff tries to find St Brown again, but cannot. 2nd and 10. Gibbs gets 10 yards and carries it to the 49ers’ seven-yard line. Wow, Detroit has a chance to put San Francisco in a big hole early here.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 4:42, 1st quarter
2nd and 10. Gibbs gets just a yard. That’s 3rd and 9. 49ers could hold them to a field goal attempt here with a stop.
Or Goff could find Amon-Ra St Brown, who has the best name in the league, who gets the ball down to the SF 17. That’s a fresh set of downs for Goff.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 5:25, 1st quarter
2nd & 6 in San Fransisco territory . Goff finds Montgomery at the SF 31 that’s a 14 yard gained and yet another first down. Niners defense needs a stop. They get one on the next play, Goff throws incomplete to Gibbs.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 6:43, 1st quarter
Lions back on the field, starting at their own 38. Goff throws to LaPorta who picks up six yards. Jahmyr Gibbs picks up seven yards for a first down, taking them to the San Francisco 49. Goff finds Gibbs again for another four yards to take them to the 45.
If you’re going to miss a field goal, it’s better in the first quarter than the fourth. That’s the good news for Jake Moody.
Of course, if San Francisco loses by three points, it won’t really matter. Still a lot of game to go before we can even think about final margins however.
Missed field goal! Lions 7-0 49ers, 7:54, 1st quarter
Purdy throws incomplete to Aiyuk. 3rd and 11. Purdy throws to McCaffrey, who can only pick up five yards here. Still, they’re at the Detroit 30 and that’s field goal range for Jake Moody.
Or, er, maybe not. Kicker Jake Moody misses a field goal. Wide-ish right. After all of that, the 49ers put up zero points!
Lions 7-0 49ers, 9:28, 1st quarter
Purdy is going to keep feeding McCaffrey and why not? This time, however, the Lions defense manages to hit him for a loss. 2nd & 11.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 10:10, 1st quarter
Barnes is out with a leg injury. Meanwhile, on 3rd & 3, McCaffrey runs up the middle for a seven yard gain and another 49ers first down.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 10:23, 1st quarter
Purdy out of the shotgun gets it to McCaffrey for a five yard gain and we have a timeout on the field as Detroit deals with injured linebacker Derrick Barnes.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 11:12, 1st quarter
Purdy keeps putting together a drive here, handing it to McCaffrey who gets two yards somehow despite a pretty relentless Lions defense. 2nd & 8.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 12:00, 1st quarter
Purdy’s first pass is incomplete, nearly intercepted. On 2and 10, he finds Deebo Samuel for the first time this game and he makes a catch at the Detroit 48 for another first down.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 12:06, 1st quarter
Brock Purdy’s first pass is incomplete to Kyle Juszczyk. His second, however, is to Brandon Aiyuk for a 11 yard gain that takes them to their own 37 yard mark and a fresh set of downs.
Lions 7-0 49ers, 13:13, 1st quarter
Jack Fox’s kickoff goes into the end zone for a touchback. We’ll now see if the San Francisco 49ers can respond. McCaffrey gets the ball first, which makes sense, he picks up a single yard.
Email from Mark Moran:
Hi Hunter,
Can’t wait for this one. As I see it, we’re about to be treated to a showdown between the league’s two most exciting teams. We have two quarterbacks looking to prove the doubters wrong in the big time, the power of Christian McCaffrey versus the pace of Jahmyr Gibbs, and a star-studded receiving corps battle featuring the Sun God and Sammy Ballgame against Aiyuk, Deebo, and Kittle.
As a Panthers fan, I’d love to see CMC get a ring this year, but the passion that Detroit fans have for their team is fantastic. I’d be happy with either outcome; I think either taking on the Swifties would make a fantastic Superb Owl. I see the Niners edging this one by a score. 28-21 San Francisco.Here’s to a classic!
Well, we immediately have a Lions score, so we might indeed be getting the kind of game you predicted here!
Touchdown! Lions 7-0 49ers, 13:18, 1st quarter
Jared Goff finds tight end Sam LaPorta for 14 yards and a first down. On the next play, Jameson Williams goes 42 yards for an immediate touchdown. Michael Badgley’s extra point is good and Detroit is immediately on the board! Wow!
Lions 0-0 49ers, 14:31, 1st quarter
David Montgomery picks up 4 yards on his first carry and then 15 on his next, taking the Lions to their own 44.
Opening kickoff
Lions 0-0 49ers, 15:00, 1st quarter
49ers win the coin toss and rightfully defer. The kick goes into the endzone for a touchback, so the Lions will be starting at their own 25.
National anthem
Luis Fonsi gives a mostly understated take on “The Star Spangled Banner,” not going too booming with the high notes. Very smooth, not a lot of “American Idol” nonsense. 8/10.
It’s 6:30 pm and, per usual with prime time games, we’re still waiting for the actual game to start. The national anthem should be coming soon, however.
@HunterFelt 6th gen SF Bay Area native & lifelong Niners fan here-
— Jenifer Divine (@divine_jenifer) January 28, 2024
the game won't be that close, we really want a rematch w/KC! i'm saying 49ers 45, Lions 10 #BangBangNinerGang
Meanwhile, 49ers fans are optimistic, as they should be. Last year’s 49ers team had an opportunity to make the Super Bowl but Brock Purdy suffered an injury early against the Philadelphia Eagles. Down to their fourth-string QB, they had no chance. This year is their do-over year and they should be as motivated as the Lions or more.
Detroit Lions
This is, as a FOX graphic informs us, the first Conference Championship appearance for Detroit since 1991. It’s remarkable since the word on this team in the preseason was that they would make the playoffs but they were a year or two away from being genuine contenders.
A shock win today would completely upend all expectations. Yes, they would have a difficult time against the Chiefs but even just making the Super Bowl is the sign of a genuinely great team. Merely good teams don’t win three straight elimination games in the postseason.
Predictions
Confession: I write about sports betting but have never actually participated in the phenomenon. One has to pick and choose one’s vices on a freelance salary.
The closest thing I have to betting is the fact that I’ve been making predictions here for the last dozen years. Because of this, I sometimes make predictions that I don’t necessarily want to have happen. Yes, I believe in the Reverse Jinx because the worst that can happen is to be proved right.
So, I’m predicting a blowout 49ers win: 49ers 34-17 Lions, partly because I feel it’s the most likely outcome today and also because it’s the last thing I want to happen. Mostly, I want to liveblog a close, exciting game but also Lions-Chiefs would just be a more interesting Super Bowl matchup than 49ers-Chiefs.
Right or wrong, I can’t lose. That’s how one games the system.
Have a different prediction? Or simply want to back me up? As mentioned back in the preamble, you can send them via email to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com or tweet them to @HunterFelt. We’ll include them here for posterity.
The Kansas City Chiefs are returning to the Super Bowl
It’s official, the Chiefs have beaten the Ravens 17-10! Congratulations to Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the entire team. My condolences to everyone trying to make the Taylor Swift Curse happen.
NFL haunts my dreams
Although it doesn’t feel that way when doing live updates, writing happens at all times of the day not just when you're typing on a keyboard. Sometimes, I even end up writing in my dreams, like if Coleridge wrote about Fenway Park rather than Xanadu.
Once in a while, my subconscious even provides me with something decent to write. So, here courtesy of my dream this morning is a warning for gamblers. Many Lions fans have certainly bet on their team, despite them being 6.5 underdogs. Here’s the thing, you never want to bet on your own team during a potential elimination game.
Why? It’s just terrible self-care: you’re already going to be devastated if your team loses. Why compound that with a potential financial hit?
If you simply must bet when your team is playing, I always recommend putting a small amount of money (emphasis on small!) on the opposing team. If you’re emotionally devastated, you’ll still have something to smile about. If your team wins, well, you can tell yourself that it was your Reverse Jinx that sealed the victory.
San Francisco icon
As a Deadhead, I’m obliged to pass along this fact.
Original @GratefulDead member Bob Weir on the sidelines before today's NFC Championship 🎶 @49ers pic.twitter.com/65aSOWC9b4
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 28, 2024
Detroit is ready for some football
In the middle of a hockey game, an NFL chant broke out. If Lions QB Jared Goff can pull off the upset today, he will be worshipped as a god in Michigan for the rest of his life. Deservedly so!
If you listen closely, you can hear the Red Wings fans chant “Jared Goff” as they close out the game.
— Tyler Sawa (@tyler_sawa) January 26, 2024
The city is ready for Sunday pic.twitter.com/pxOcDjbqVe
AFC Championship Game
If you’re here, welcome! However, you might want to be reading David Lengel who is currently chronicling the end of the AFC Championship Game where it looks like the Kansas City Chiefs are about to stamp yet another Super Bowl appearance at the expense of a thoroughly discombobulated Baltimore Ravens team.
Preamble
It’s the NFC Championship Game and we have a battle between an overdog and an underdog. Yes, the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions had the same 12-5 regular season record but only one of these two teams was ever expected to get this far.
The 49ers earned the top seed in the NFC via tiebreaker and were by the eye test pretty clearly the most dominated team in their conference. Thanks to that, they received a bye week, giving them an all-important week of rest, and will play at home at Levi’s Stadium after just holding off the Green Bay Packers 24-21 in the Divisional Round.
Meanwhile, before beating the Los Angeles Rams by a single point two weeks ago, the Lions hadn’t won a playoff game in 32 years. They then decided to make it a win streak by taking care of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 in their Divisional Round matchup. Now they have to face their toughest opponent on the road after the benefit of an unprecedented two straight postseason home games. It’s going to be a tall task.
The key to this matchup? It all might be on quarterback Brock Purdy, San Francisco’s biggest question mark. While he is in charge of a high-powered offense highlighted by do-it-all running back Christian McCaffrey and do-it-all wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who will be playing, he’s still capable of making throws that show why he was the last overall pick in his draft class.
Purdy’s proven himself to be a starting quarterback in this league, no doubt, but this will be his Ultimate Test. If he’s good, the 49ers should be able to end the Lions’ fairytale run but if he’s not, and he had some questionable throws against the Packers, well then Detroit might … and I can’t believe I’m writing this … Detroit might make it to the Super Bowl.
In essence: the Lions v the 49ers could go many different ways. The 49ers could get ahead early and make this a laugher before halftime. The Lions could keep this close and exciting throughout but lose in the end. The 49ers could choke and Detroit could take advantage. The only thing that seems unlikely would be a Lions blowout, barring a key 49ers injury (and nobody wants to see that). We’ll see: strange things happen every day.
Per usual, we’d love to hear your thoughts here at the Guardian. As usual, if you have opinions, questions or criticism feel free to send them here and we’ll post them throughout today’s game. You can email them to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com or tweet them to @HunterFelt.
It’s the Detroit Lions v the San Fransisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium for the NFC Championship Game. Kickoff is scheduled to start at 6:30 pm EST, but we’ll be back before then with various updates. We promise.
Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Graham Searles’s preview of today’s game:
Story of the season: Dan Campbell took over the Lions with a fiery speech centred around biting kneecaps. It was a mantra that came across as faintly ridiculous at the time, but it has led to a total shift in culture, a first NFC North title, and Detroit’s first back-to-back home playoff wins. Now, they are one game from their first Super Bowl. The Lions are this season’s vibes champions, a tantalising juxtaposition with the cool, calm and ultra-calculating San Francisco 49ers. A historically destructive offense powered the Niners straight back to this stage, their fourth visit in five seasons, as the No 1 seed. Kyle Shanahan will feel his team are long-since due a place in the Super Bowl but the underdog will still be hungry for a kneecap or two.
What the Lions need to do to win: Ben Johnson’s offense needs to race out the blocks. Detroit’s defense – which has given up more than 400 yards in both postseason wins this year – is not good enough to stare down San Francisco. The Lions shouldn’t be too proud to crib from Green Bay. The Packers demolished Dallas by scoring on the opening drive after electing to receive and almost knocked off the 49ers in the same fashion. What is most helpful is that the Lions have already done it – in Week 4 to the Packers at Lambeau Field – with a win based on a 17-3 lead at the top of the second quarter. Detroit should take the initiative then exploit the 49ers’ tendency to get tight when under scoreboard pressure. Shanahan finally winning a game last week when trailing by five or more points (to produce a 1-30 overall record when needing a comeback) may be the exception that proves Detroit’s path to success.
What the 49ers need to do to win: Detroit’s premier pass rusher needs to be stopped. Green Bay pressured Brock Purdy five times through right tackle Colton McKivitz and another five past right guard Aaron Banks. The 49ers have to help out their men given the considerable assignment of stopping game-wrecking defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Soft fouls need to be eradicated too: San Francisco have given up the second-most penalty yards this season.
Key player for the Lions: Frank Ragnow, center. Detroit’s keystone. Ragnow embodies Campbell’s last man standing mentality. A sprained knee against the Bucs, he kept blocking. A sprained ankle on top of that, no problem. Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs are shining because of this ironman.
Key player for the 49ers: Deebo Samuel, wide receiver. San Francisco are said to be “cautiously optimistic” about Samuel’s availability to face Detroit. If he suits up they should be cautiously confident of making the Super Bowl. The 49ers are 12-2 this season – and score an average of 31.4 points – when Samuel plays a full game, compared to a 1-3 record with an 18.8 average without him. Shanahan needs his Swiss army knife back.
Prediction: 49ers over Lions. Detroit’s deficiencies on defense are too much to overcome, specifically against the pass. Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Christian McCaffery and Samuel, if he takes the field, are too strong. The forecasted dry weather should assist Purdy’s accuracy too.
