Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing the NFC Championship with Niners Wire

Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing the NFC Championship with Niners Wire and some great tidbits from Kyle Madson

It’s gameday. The Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers face off at 6:30 p.m. ET tonight with the NFC Championship and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Both teams earned their way here with great seasons and impressive playoff wins. The Lions and 49ers haven’t played since the 2021 season, back when Detroit was a much different team and the 49ers had a different feel, too. To help get caught up on the top-seeded 49ers, I asked a few questions of my colleague Kyle Madson of Niners Wire.

He was gracious to shed some light on Brock Purdy, the 49ers defense, what worries him about the game, and a final score prediction.

Lions vs. 49ers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction

Lions vs. 49ers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction for the NFC Championship game

We’ve made it to the NFC Championship game! For just the second time in the Super Bowl era, the Detroit Lions are playing with a Super Bowl appearance on the line.

Sunday night’s game against the top-seeded 49ers in San Francisco figures to be a great one. As I anxiously mull about on Saturday night before an early-morning trip to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, here’s what I’m thinking about the matchup between the Lions and 49ers and how the game might play out.

Why I think the Lions will win

  • Jared Goff is playing some seriously inspired football. His confidence and mastery of the Lions offense is exemplary, and Goff’s play has risen when the stakes have gotten higher. He’s got big-game experience from his Rams days, and he won’t be fazed by playing a team he’s seen many times over the years.
  • The 49ers defensive front is designed to get pressure on the QB, not stop the run. Not that Javon Hargrave, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa, et al, aren’t capable against the run, but it’s not their forte. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have both been among the NFL leaders in yardage on first-down carries and red zone success rate. Moreover, the Niners aren’t used to a team sticking to the run even when San Francisco holds a lead. Detroit won’t abandon it and that can be very effective.
  • The Lions played a stylistically similar type of opponent last week, notably on defense. Tampa Bay and San Francisco do a lot of the same things defensively from the same base formations. The Lions won’t have to adjust the game plan of attack to accommodate a divergent style of defense. Meanwhile, the 49ers defense faced the Packers, who do a lot more deep throwing and quarterback movement than Detroit does. They’ll need to do more to adapt to the more diverse weaponry, power/gap run scheme and superior offensive line the Lions are bringing to the table.
  • Aidan Hutchinson is riding a heater, and he will primarily match up against 49ers right tackle Colton McKivitz. That’s the weakest right tackle in pass protection he’s faced in weeks. With Brock Purdy vulnerable to making mistakes under pressure, if Hutchinson stays hot, the Lions pass defense could get chances to make plays. They’ve been better at making those than the Packers defense that couldn’t corral Purdy’s mistakes last week.
  • Dan Campbell told his team in the locker room after last week’s win (paraphrasing here) that they’re too young to know they’re not supposed to keep winning. There’s no pressure on them. For the 49ers, there is considerable pressure to not lose the NFC Championship game for the third year in a row. Campbell knows how to coach that plucky underdog type of team, whereas I don’t trust Kyle Shanahan to wear the front-runner hat all that comfortably.

What worries me about the 49ers

  • They’re the No. 1 seed because they’re a very well-rounded team. Top five scoring offense. Top five scoring defense. They don’t need one unit to thrive to win. Detroit doesn’t need that either, but the 49ers have more margin for error built in.
  • Brock Purdy throws the most accurate deep ball (over 20 air yards) in the league, completing 70 percent of his deep downfield passes per SIS. He pulls that off in part because he’s got several targets who can get open deep, from Brandon Aiyuk to Deebo Samuel, George Kittle to Jauan Jennings. The Lions pass defense is infamously terrible at covering the deeper throws against inferior quarterbacks to Purdy with fewer quality options.
  • The injury situation on the Lions offensive line could be a lot worse, but it’s still suboptimal to face the 49ers rush without starting left guard Jonah Jackson and with Frank Ragnow nursing injuries to more body parts than a trainer learns exist on the first day of med school. As good as Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta and the run game are all playing, it all functions because the offensive line is great. Kayode Awosika was rough in pass protection in relief of Jackson last week, and there is zero depth behind anyone else. There could be some negative blocking impact from losing TE Brock Wright, too.
  • The fact I made it this far in talking about how good the 49ers are and didn’t even mention Christian McCaffrey, the NFL’s best all-around running back, is telling. Detroit’s decline in tackling of late must end, or else McCaffrey will prove why he deserves more MVP consideration.

Final score prediction

I think the 7-point line favoring the 49ers is way too high. I think the Lions would win about 46 of 100 matchups between these two current teams in San Francisco. Here’s hoping it’s one of the 46! But I can’t in good faith pick against the NFC’s top team at home with how good they are on both sides of the ball. 49ers 32, Lions 28.

Studs & Duds for the Lions playoff win over the Bucs

The Detroit Lions Studs and Duds for their playoff victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to take them the NFC Championship game

The Detroit Lions secure another playoff triumph, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23. They are now set to face the San Francisco 49ers in the upcoming NFC Championship game.

The Lions persist in showcasing their resilience and prowess in the face of challenges, silencing skeptics who doubted their place in the playoffs. This game underscores their capability to compete at the highest level. While the offense took a while to find its rhythm, it executed crucial plays effectively when needed. The defense, although with some areas to improve, demonstrated its ability to thwart the formidable Bucs offense when it mattered most.

As they edge closer to glory, let’s highlight the Studs and Duds for the Lions in their playoff victory against the Bucs.

Look: Top photos from the Lions playoff win over Tampa Bay

Here are some of the top photos from inside the stadium in Detroit’s NFC Divisional round win.

The Detroit Lions have won two postseason games in the same year for the first time since 1957. Beating the Buccaneers by a 31-23 score on Sunday sends the Lions to the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday with a chance to play for a berth in the Super Bowl.

The win over the Buccaneers was filled with big plays and key moments. It also featured some crazy energy from the Lions fans inside Ford Field.

Here are some of the top photos from inside the stadium in Detroit’s NFC Divisional round win.

Lions postgame injury update: Bad news for 2 players

Lions postgame injury update: Bad news for 2 players after the win over the Buccaneers

The Detroit Lions advanced to the NFC Championship game next weekend with a 31-23 home win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Unfortunately, head coach Dan Campbell indicated after the game that two members of the Lions offense are unlikely to make the trip to San Francisco to play in that game.

Tight end Brock Wright, who made a critical catch and run in Sunday’s win, will be out with a broken forearm. Wright initially told Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News that he suffered the broken arm later in the game. Campbell confirmed the injury in his postgame press conference.

Campbell also didn’t have good news on starting left guard Jonah Jackson, who left the game in the first half with a knee injury. Jackson did not return.

“Doesn’t look really good for next week,” Campbell said of the injuries. “But we’ll see,” he added.

Kayode Awosika filled in for Jackson for the remainder of the game. He figures to be the replacement against the 49ers.

As for Wright and tight end, the Lions have Anthony Firkser behind rookie Sam LaPorta, who showed no ill effects from his Week 18 knee injury. Reserves James Mitchell and Shane Zylstra are on injured reserve. Expect the Lions to add a tight end to the mix during the week, as they don’t currently have any on the practice squad.

Jared Goff on the Lions fans after 2nd playoff win: ‘They deserve to enjoy this’

Goff and Frank Ragnow both thanked and celebrated the Lions fans after the win over the Buccaneers

It has not been easy to be a Detroit Lions fan over the years. Quarterback Jared Goff knows that, and he had a message for the fans after leading Detroit to a 31-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Divisional Round game in Ford Field on Sunday.

“They’re the best.”

Goff began his postgame interview with NBC’s Melissa Stark by crediting the playmaking defense, which picked off Baker Mayfield twice and did just enough to keep the game tight when the Detroit offense was sputtering.

“Our defense stepped up at the end. I thought our defense played a hell of a game all night.”

It bought time for the offense and Goff to produce two fourth-quarter touchdown drives that broke a 17-17 tie and sent Detroit to the NFC Championship game next weekend.

“We played together,” Goff said matter-of-factly. “We played hard all night … we were able to finish drives when it really mattered.”

Then Goff turned his attention to the fans. The decibel level measurements aren’t available yet, but Ford Field was once again incredibly loud in cheering for the Lions.

“They’re the best, they’re the best,” Goff said proudly. “Look around right now — they’re not going to leave for quite some time. This was our last one in front of them (this year) and they were special tonight just like they were last week.

They deserve it. They deserve to enjoy this and I hope to give them a lot more of this going forward.”

Lions beat Buccaneers to advance to the NFC Championship game

Lions beat Buccaneers to advance to the NFC Championship game

For the first time in the Super Bowl era, the Detroit Lions have won two playoff games in the same postseason. The Lions beat the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-23, inside a raucous Ford Field on Sunday.

It was an epic matchup worthy of the national television audience and the high stakes.

Detroit and Tampa Bay traded field goals in the first quarter. The game was tied at 10 at the half. Both teams added a touchdown in the third quarter, leaving the fourth quarter a battle for the right to head to San Francisco and play for the NFC Championship next Sunday.

The Lions struck quickly with an impressive drive. Jahmyr Gibbs capped it with a gorgeous 31-yard run to seize the lead with a seven-play, 75-yard drive. Detroit’s defense forced a quick three-and-out for the second time in three drives, giving the ball back to the Lions offense with 12 minutes to play.

What came next was a championship drive, plain and simple. The Lions went 89 yards in 10 plays for a methodical, ruthlessly efficient scoring drive. Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown in the back right corner of the end zone on first-and-goal from the 9-yard line, rewarding the All-Pro wideout for a gritty 3rd-and-15 conversion earlier on the drive. The Lions took the lead, 31-17.

Because nothing comes easy, the Buccaneers answered with an impressive drive of their own. Baker Mayfield hit Mike Evans for a score to cap a 9-play, 75-yard drive. However, the 2-pt. conversion failed when Mayfield’s fade to Evans hit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu in the back.

The Lions next drive stalled at the two-minute warning, giving the Buccaneers one last shot. But Derrick Barnes nicely undercut a crossing route and picked off Mayfield’s pass to seal the win. Goff knelt in victory formation and all of the Lions fan base blew the roof off whatever building they might have been in.

Lions inactives vs. Buccaneers: James Houston will not play

Lions inactives vs. Buccaneers: James Houston will not play while Sam LaPorta is active

There was one big question lingering over the Detroit Lions and their inactive player list for Sunday’s playoff matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Would James Houston be active?

Detroit activated Houston from injured reserve during the week, but the second-year pass rusher was listed as questionable for the NFC Divisional Round game with the ankle injury that has kept him sidelined since September.

And it will continue to keep Houston out. He’s one of the seven inactive Lions for the game.

Houston and Kalif Raymond are the injury-related inactive players. Tight end Sam LaPorta was listed as questionable but he will play.

Lamar Jackson makes NFL history with dominant performance in 34-10 win over Texans

Lamar Jackson was dominant from start to finish and will likely win his second NFL MVP after making NFL history in Ravens 34-10 win over the Houston Texans

Lamar Jackson was on another level from start to finish and will likely win his second NFL MVP in the coming weeks.

In Saturday’s win, Jackson accounted for four total touchdowns while becoming the first player in NFL history to log two rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, 100 yards rushing, and 100 yards passing in the same game.

The stat line is a credit to offensive coordinator Todd Monken and the Ravens’ ability to develop a scheme that features what the dual-threat quarterback does best.

The Ravens avoided the repeat of 2019, advancing to the AFC title game after dominating the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium.

The win gave Baltimore two wins over DeMeco Ryan’s team, and the combined scores of 56-19 provide insight into how far Houston has to climb before they start thinking about championship Sunday.

In all, Jackson accounted for 252 yards, four total touchdowns, and a `121.8 quarterback rating on the night while getting Baltimore one step closer to a Super Bowl appearance.

Instant analysis of Ravens 34-10 win overTexans to advance to AFC title game

We’re looking at an instant analysis of the Baltimore Ravens 34-10 win over the Houston Texans in the divisional round to advance to AFC title game

The Ravens avoided the repeat of 2019, advancing to the AFC title game after a dominant 34-10 win over the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium.

The win gave Baltimore two wins over DeMeco Ryan’s team, and the combined scores of 56-19 provide insight into how far Houston has to climb before they start thinking about championship Sunday.

Lamar Jackson was dominant from start to finish and will likely win his second NFL MVP after accounting for 252 yards, four total touchdowns, and a `121.8 quarterback rating.

Mike Macdonald’s defense held Houston to 213 yards of total offense on 47 offensive plays, limiting C.J. Stroud to 19-33 passing for 175 yards and no touchdowns.

After overcoming past failures, here’s the national reaction to the Ravens’ dominant victory.