Category: Playoffs

Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers is a rematch 66 years in the making

Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers is a rematch of the last Lions playoff win on the road way back in 1957

The Detroit Lions are setting themselves up to face off against the San Francisco 49ers this coming Sunday. The winner of that battle of top-tier NFC teams will represent the conference in Super Bowl LVIII.

This is not the first time these two teams have faced off with a chance to play for a league championship.

On Dec. 22, 1957, a mere 66 years ago, the Lions and 49ers met in San Francisco in the Western Conference title game. The Niners held a commanding 24-7 halftime lead, led by the passing of Y.A Tittle. The second half saw the Lions score 24 points while holding the 49ers to just three points, with Detroit advancing to the NFL Championship against the Cleveland Browns.

This 49ers team is likely to come out of the gates firing. They will be pressing the Lions’ secondary and linebacking groups. Brock Purdy will be doing his best Tittle impression, but the Lions need to do what they did back in 1957 — bend but not break. This Lions defense has done that all year, and they need to do it for two more games.

Will history repeat itself come Sunday?

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What does history say about No. 1 seeds vs. No. 3 seeds in the playoffs?

The third-seeded Lions face the No. 1 seed 49ers in the NFC Championship. How have those seed matchups gone in the past?

Sunday’s conference championship games include two matchups of No. 1 seeds hosting No. 3 seeds. In NFL history, things don’t bode very well for the No. 3 seed, and the numbers aren’t very reassuring if you are a Chiefs or Lions fan.

Obviously, both Kansas City and Detroit have overcome their fair share of obstacles this season. They also have trump cards in the form of Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) and momentum (Lions).

There have been 15 total matchups between No. 1 and No. 3 seeds. Here is how these teams historically have fared by the numbers:

– The No. 1 seed has won 14 of 15 matchups with No. 3 seeds.

– The only upset came in 2003 when the Panthers defeated the Eagles.

– No. 1 seeds are averaging 26.3 points per game, while the No. 3 seeds are averaging 14.8 points per game.

The Chiefs and Lions both are hoping to be able to bend history to their own benefit come Sunday. History repeats itself more in the NFL than in any other sports league, one could argue.

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Lions draw controversial referee for NFC Championship against the 49ers

Detroit Lions play against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship, where they will have a ref who they bad history with in the past

The Detroit Lions secured a decisive victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning their ticket to the NFC Championship where they are set to face the perennial powerhouse San Francisco 49ers. As the stage is set for this crucial matchup, the referee assignments have been announced, and unfortunately for the Lions, they find themselves under the oversight of Clete Blakeman, a referee with a troubled history in Detroit.

Clete Blakeman has been entrusted with refereeing duties for the NFC Championship, prompting disappointment among Lions fans. The mere mention of Blakeman brings back memories of the 2019 debacle when the Lions appeared on the verge of defeating the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night, only to be thwarted by a series of controversial calls, resulting in a heartbreaking 23-22 loss and almost ensuring the NFC North title for the Packers.

While the Lions had Blakeman as a referee earlier in the season during their matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, there were no significant issues reported. However, an incident where he waved off a holding call from an umpire raised concerns about his attentiveness to his officiating responsibilities.

Despite Blakeman having one of the lowest totals for flags thrown (220), he has dismissed 45 of those calls, tying for the highest dismissal rate among officiating crews. Recent history includes the memorable flag-heavy game between the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys, where flags seemed to fly every 30 seconds, with many being picked up later.

In the playoffs, officiating crews vary from the regular season, introducing an element of unpredictability. However, convincing Lions fans to overlook Blakeman’s contentious history with the team may prove challenging. As the NFC Championship game approaches, all eyes will be on how officiating unfolds, with the shadow of past grievances lingering in the background.

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.

Twitter and Justin Jefferson call out the league for posting insensitive picture

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson joined fans in calling out the National Football League for sharing an insensitive picture

The divisional round of the playoffs has lived up to the billing. The Houston Texans held in there through the third quarter before the Baltimore Ravens took over for a 34-10 win and the San Francisco 49ers survived a resilient Green Bay Packers team for a 24-21 win.

Sunday afternoon was more of the same, as the Detroit Lions played a tough Tampa Bay Buccaneers team and advanced to their first NFC Championship Game since 1991 with a 31-23 victory.

During the game, the league’s official Twitter/X account shared a picture of a sign from a Lions fan in the crowd as it was meant to resemble the opening press conference when head coach Dan Campbell took the job.

The original press conference was about biting a kneecap off but both of those were ACL injuries caused by safety Kerby Joseph on low open-field hits to the knees of T.J. Hockenson and Tyler Higbee.

The picture set off a lot of Vikings fans and even elicited a response from Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

49ers edge Packers, will host NFC Championship game

49ers edge Packers, will host NFC Championship game even if the Lions beat the Buccaneers

It was hard not to dream about the Detroit Lions hosting the NFC Championship game as the postseason rolled into the second weekend. Sure, two outcomes had to happen first — most notably the Lions beating the Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon.

Dream another dream, that dream is over before the Lions even played. That’s because the San Francisco 49ers held off the Green Bay Packers in a very close game on Saturday night. Niners LB Dre Greenlaw picked off Packers QB Jordan Love for the second time of the game on Green Bay’s final drive, sealing a 24-21 comeback win in Santa Clara.

Because the 49ers are the top seed, they will host the NFC Championship game next Sunday no matter who wins the Lions-Buccaneers game. The Lions host Tampa Bay for the right to move on and play for a shot to get into the Super Bowl.

Vikings Twitter reacts to the Packers brutal loss vs. 49ers

Minnesota Vikings fans took to Twitter with their excitement over the Green Bay Packers loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Minnesota Vikings aren’t in the 2023 NFL playoffs but there are still rooting interests for them.

With two NFC North teams in the playoffs heading into the divisional round of the playoffs, fans of the purple and gold can either cheer for their division rivals or hope for their downfall.

On Saturday night, the Green Bay Packers led for the majority of the second-half against the San Francisco 49ers but they couldn’t hold onto the lead in a 24-21 loss.

Needless to say, Vikings fans were enjoying the loss in a major way and took to Twitter to show their excitement.

Former Bears players on 2024 divisional playoff teams

Here’s a look at the former Bears who are playing in the divisional round this weekend:

The NFL 2024 postseason continues with the divisional playoffs, which will feature four games over the next two days.

While the Bears have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, there are some familiar faces for fans to watch for this weekend, including linebacker Roquan Smith, running back David Montgomery and edge rusher Leonard Floyd.

Here’s a look at the former Bears who are playing in the divisional round:

20 potential free agent Vikings targets Saturday’s Divisional round

These free agents could potentially be targets for the Minnesota Vikings and are worth watching during Saturday’s Divisional Round games

With the Minnesota Vikings entering year three of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell era, it’s a very pivotal offseason. Over the first two seasons, the Vikings sit at 20-14 and should have more injury luck next season.

The divisional round of the National Football League playoffs has eight excellent teams with players that are about to hit free agency.

There are two great matchups on Saturday night with the Houston Texans taking on the Baltimore Ravens and the Green Bay Packers taking on the San Francisco 49ers.

In both of these matchups, there are plenty of free agents to be that could be intriguing pieces for the Vikings and worth keeping your eye on during the games.

Lions, Buccaneers announce uniform choices for divisional round

The Lions and Buccaneers announced their uniforms and Dan Campbell’s squad is going with their lucky charm choice with blueberry.

The Detroit Lions are preparing for their second home playoff game of the year on Saturday. They are dotting their eyes, crossing their t’s, and players are getting healthy. Everything is settling in except one thing, the uniforms. 

The Lions have had some fun uniforms this year but none have been as lucky as their blueberries. As a subtle nod to the Michigan blueberry farming, which is one of the biggest in the world, it has become a lucky charm of sorts. 

Going back to the regular season, the Lions had been 5-0 while wearing them and had averaged 33 points per game. They improved that record to 6-0 when they wore them this past Sunday when they defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL’s Wildcard Round. They now hope it will move to 7-0 as they announced the team will be wearing them on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.