The Detroit Lions took a 24-7 lead into halftime in Santa Clara on Sunday night, as they surprised the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers within the first half of the NFC Championship Recreation.
From that time, seemingly all the pieces that would go fallacious for the Lions did go fallacious, whereas the Niners capitalized on errors and managed to seek out huge performs after they wanted it in a method Detroit merely couldn’t. There might be loads of blame to go round in Detroit, as their protection couldn’t get a cease, receivers couldn’t pull down key catches, and Dan Campbell’s decision-making on fourth down and with the clock late all contributed to a quite unbelievable collapse because the 49ers got here again to win 34-31.
The primary drive of the second half noticed the Niners transfer it into Detroit territory, however the Lions have been in a position to pressure a discipline aim try to remain forward by two touchdowns. On the following drive, the Lions continued to dominate on the bottom, all the way in which up till some curious play-calling and decision-making put a halt to issues. On third and 4, the Lions selected to place receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown within the backfield as a substitute of one in all their operating backs that had been consuming all day, and solely acquired two yards on an inside handoff. On 4th and a couple of, the ever-aggressive Dan Campbell selected to go for it, which most everybody agreed with, however put the ball within the air, with Josh Reynolds unable to haul in a troublesome catch in good protection, as Jared Goff hit him within the arms, however it was low and away and bounced to the turf.
At that time, issues actually began to take a flip. Brock Purdy put up a deep ball that ought to’ve been intercepted by Kindle Vildor turned a 51-yard completion to Brandon Aiyuk after bouncing off Vildor’s facemask, resulting in TD just a few performs later.
On the primary play of the following drive, Jahmyr Gibbs put the ball on the bottom after a clumsy handoff trade with Goff, with the Niners leaping on the ball to get one other possession in plus-territory.
Christian McCaffrey would then punch it in for a TD to tie the sport.
On the following drive, the Lions had two drops over the center of the sector on 2nd and third and 10 that will’ve been first downs. The primary noticed Sam LaPorta unable to make a troublesome catch as he acquired hit, adopted by a stone chilly drop from Reynolds whereas broad open.
From there, the Lions have been unable to down an ideal punt by Jack Fox on the 1, because the gunner overran the ball bounding up within the air, along with his momentum carrying him into the tip zone for a touchback. The Niners would march for an additional discipline aim (with some extra Purdy escapism alongside the way in which), taking their first lead of the ball sport at 27-24.
On the following drive by the Lions, they once more discovered themselves dealing with a 4th and brief in discipline aim vary and selected to go for it. Once more they handed the ball, however this time the Niners acquired strain on Goff and compelled an incompletion that was nowhere near a receiver.
From there, the protection lastly appeared like they could get a cease, however have been unable to deliver down Purdy on third and 4 at midfield, as he escaped a sack and broke free for an extended scramble that finally arrange an Elijah Mitchell landing run (after a giant McCaffrey run as effectively) to go up 34-24.
As soon as once more the Lions moved it into San Francisco territory on their subsequent drive, as Goff labored it within the three-minute drill however as soon as they acquired to the aim line, they stalled and on third and 1 determined to run the ball with a minute on the clock, solely to get stuffed. Relatively than go hurry up and save their timeouts, Campbell referred to as his first timeout, that means although they scored on a TD go to Jameson Williams on 4th down, they wanted to efficiently get an onside kick which nobody does within the NFL anymore.
After three runs to bleed out the clock, the Niners have been in a position to have fun a second straight comeback win and one other journey to the Tremendous Bowl, the place they’ll meet the group that beat them the final time they have been there, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. The Niners undoubtedly deserve credit score for his or her effort within the second half. Brock Purdy made big performs after they wanted him most, particularly scrambling and making performs outdoors of the play construction. The protection acquired proper after being decimated within the first half and had the proper design on every of the fourth down performs to pressure an ideal throw and catch that the Lions couldn’t execute.
Even so, the Lions will spend the following eight months (or longer) wanting again at this parade of miscues and mishaps, questioning what may’ve been in the event that they’d simply managed to safe one or two of these huge performs of their favor. Campbell must reply limitless questions on his fourth down aggression (particularly when he didn’t go for it on the finish of the primary half in a 4th and aim from the three), however the timeout administration late was the larger teaching mistake in my thoughts — together with just a few “too cute” play selections, headlined by the St. Brown handoff whereas they have been rolling on the bottom in any other case.
