The San Francisco 49ers Advance to the Super Bowl

Written by: Nate Wyrsch •

Player Updates

Brandon Aiyuk celebrating a catch

Overview

The San Francisco 49ers came from behind to defeat the Detroit Lions Sunday, crowning themselves as NFC Champions.

The 49ers were able to erase a 17-point lead after halftime and ride the momentum of the third quarter all the way through the game. They ended up winning 34-31.

Key 49ers Performers

Brock Purdy played a good second half to help lead the comeback against the Lions. He threw for 267 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the game. Purdy also had several big rushes in big spots that helped extend drives.

Purdy was helped by his two top receivers, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, through the air. Samuel had 89 yards on eight catches, making it shown his return was crucial for success. Aiyuk had 63 yards and a touchdown, which included a miraculous circus catch that rejuvenated the crowd.

Christian McCaffrey also helped the team back into the game rushing for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 42 receiving yards and was almost unstoppable when he touched the ball in the second half.

The Lions only scored one time after halftime, and that was with a minute left in the game. The 49ers defense was all over in the second half, and that unit was led by Fred Warner and his 13 tackles. They also recovered a huge fumble that set them up for the game-tying drive.

Lions' Miscues

For Detroit, their season ends in heartbreak as they fall just short of the Super Bowl. They had the game in hand but had some questionable decisions down the stretch that ultimately led to their loss.

The first half was very strong for everyone on the Lions. The run game was dominant, and both David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jameson Williams all had rushing touchdowns. After halftime, however, they were completely shut down and they were forced to throw the ball.

There were numerous key drops from Lions receivers that could have altered the game. Josh Reynolds had a huge fourth-down drop that would have set the Lions up inside the 25 yard-line. Reynolds also had a massive drop on third down that looked as if it was going to be a huge gain. Last, Jameson Williams dropped a crucial deep ball in the endzone that he seemingly just lost track of.

Dan Campbell also has to be questioned for his decision-making. The Lions were set up in a comfortable field goal range twice, but both times he chose to go for it and did not get either. Losing by three makes this hurt even more as they could have potentially had the lead going into their final possession.

Looking Ahead

In all, the Lions players and fans will be left heartbroken for a long time after this loss. The 49ers, however, will start celebrating and preparing for a Super Bowl matchup with the Chiefs in two weeks.

The Niners will be looking to avenge their 2020 Super Bowl loss, which was also against Kansas City, and we are set up for a great game on February 11th.

Recent Posts: