Final observations from the 49ers 34-31 win over the Lions
After back-to-back years of NFC Conference Championship disappointments, the San Francisco 49ers are heading back to the Super Bowl to face the team they lost to in 2019: the Kansas City Chiefs.
In doing so, the 49ers found a way to beat the emerging Detroit Lions, who burst out to a quick 24-7 lead at halftime, but weren’t able to finish the job in the second half as San Francisco came surging back.
With momentum, experience, and quite frankly, luck, on their side, the 49ers accomplished a goal that had evaded the team in each of the past two seasons, but understand that the job isn’t finished with the main objective of a Super Bowl still on the horizon.
Here are my final observations from the 49ers 34-31 win over the Detroit Lions this past Sunday.
The Lions more than doubled the 49ers in 10+ yard plays (10 to 4), which included converting on a number of hefty third downs, where Detroit still looked to create plays near the chains in an attempt to extend the drive.
It’s January 14th, 2012. We’re at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. With 14 seconds to play, down three, and facing a third down, the 49ers need a score to keep their playoff hopes alive – without needing to roll the dice in overtime. The Saints meanwhile can end this here with a takeaway and head to the NFC Championship Game themselves. To understand how we got here and to appreciate everything this moment represents, we need to rewind.