In the NFC Championship, the #1 San Francisco 49ers host the #3 Detroit Lions this Sunday at 3:30 P.M in Levi’s Stadium
So far this season it seems we have seen this 49ers team matchup against every top team in the NFL besides this one, the Detroit Lions. They meet up here after both teams win in their respective divisional round games. Both these teams are gunning for the crown of the NFC and to represent the conference in Las Vegas for Super Bowl 58.
This is San Francisco’s third championship game appearance in a row but they haven’t won one since 2020 and Detroit’s first appearance since 1992 so both of these teams are looking to get over the hump and make the Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers open as the favorite to win this game as they are 7-point favorites via MGM Sportsbook.
Keys to Victory
San Francisco 49ers:
If the San Francisco 49ers want to win this game and move on to their 8th Super Bowl appearance in franchise history they need to execute these things.
- Pressure Jared Goff: The 49ers did not have a single sack against the Green Bay Packers, however, they did have 22 pressures but if the 49ers want to win this D-Line needs to step up to get to the Super Bowl. Jared Goff looks like Jared Goofball when he’s pressured he has a passer rating of 64.4
- Stop The Run: Aaron Jones had 108 rushing yards on 18 rushing attempts with an average of 6.0 ypg in his last game. The Lions have a better backfield than the Packers with a 1-2 punch of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, who combined 107 yards with 1 touchdown in their previous game.
- Pass the ball: Detroit has allowed 349 passing yards against Baker and The Bucs and 367 passing yards against Stafford and LA, with a total of 5 passing TDs between the 2. Brock Purdy has been one of the best Quarterbacks in the league this season so let the man air it out against Detroit.
Detroit Lions:
If the Detroit Lions want to pull off an upset and go to their first Super Bowl ever in franchise history they need to do these things.
- Target Ambry Thomas: Ambry Thomas allowed 5 catches and committed a huge pass interference on a 3 & 15 that led to a first down. He also allowed a passer rating of 118.8 when targeted.
- Go blow for blow: If the 49ers get in rhythm they will make this game a blowout before it gets started so the Lions need to get in rhythm as well to have a chance to go to Vegas.
- Corners Need to Step Up: Detroit corners Cam Sutton and Kindle Vildor have been getting cooked while in coverage by allowing a passer rating of over 120 each. Detroit can simply not allow this to happen on Sunday against a surgical passer like Brock Purdy.
Fan Survey: I asked a group of students here at Chavez who they think is going to win this NFC Championship game. Exactly 75% of students that I asked said the 49ers will come out on top. The reasons they gave me were that San Francisco will have explosive plays and are just a better overall team.
Prediction: I believe these NFC Juggernauts will have the battle of their lives to see who will get to the Super Bowl. It will truly be a battle of who wants it more but at the end of the day, it will be this San Francisco 49ers team who will be victorious as they have been here before and are ready to get over the hump. This game will be a shootout and an anxiety-inducing game
San Francisco 49ers 41
Detroit Lions 37
