49ers at Lions

In Santa Clara later today, the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers will play to decide who will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas in two weeks.

As two of the greatest teams in the NFC, these two teams have been preparing for this battle for a few months. The Lions would participate in their first-ever Super Bowl if they prevailed.

The following five things are something to be aware of in today’s NFC Championship Game:

1. OFFENSIVE EXPLOSIVES

This season, the 49ers and Lions ranked second and third, respectively, in terms of total offence. In terms of points per game (28.4), San Francisco ranked third, while Detroit came in at number five (27.1).

The two offences are very similar to one another. With excellent running backs Christian McCaffrey, David Montgomery, and Jahmyr Gibbs, they both have a potent and reliable run game. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Deebo Samuel, two of the top wide receivers in the game, are featured in each of them. This season, George Kittle of the 49ers and Sam LaPorta of Detroit were the two best tight ends in the NFC. Both teams have receivers like Jameson Williams and Brandon Aiyuk who can blow a hole in the defence. And the 49ers’ Trent Williams on the left side and the Lions’ Penei Sewell on the right side are the two best tackles in football.

Although 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s stats this season are extremely similar to those of Lions quarterback Jared Goff, the latter has more experience at the position. Even the teams’ play callers, the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan and the Lions’ Ben Johnson are regarded as two of the league’s top offensive strategists.

Whichever offence is more adept at managing the football, scoring in the red zone, and converting on third downs will probably win this one.

2. QUICK, QUICK, AND FASTER (49ers at Lion)

Watching the 49ers defence, two things become immediately apparent. Two things about them as a team: one, they can shoot the ball quickly upfield; second, they move quickly generally, particularly at linebacker.

Perhaps the best linebacker tandem in the NFL is Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. They are among the best when it comes to playing sideline-to-sideline in the run game and covering.

“One could contend that these two are on par with Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith, Baltimore’s two stacked linebackers. “I think they’re the best football team,” Johnson declared this week. “Normally, when we attack, we try to fool them with some eye candy in an attempt to throw them off balance, but these guys have played together for so long that you can see they are skilled at diagnosing and reading their keys. They play football with a lot of instinct.”

The 49ers have an aggressive, quick defence up front and a “feisty” group in the backfield, according to Johnson. Detroit’s offence must get out to a quick start to counter the 49ers’ defensive aggression with plays that are executed quickly.

3. BOSA & YOUNG VS. SEWELL & DECKER

This strength-on-strength matchup is excellent.

When facing two explosive edge pass rushers like the 49ers’ Nick Bosa and Chase Young, most offensive coordinators would be concerned. However, Lions left tackle Taylor Decker and right tackle Penei Sewell have handled every significant test that has been placed in front of them this season, so why should tonight be any different?

The clash between Bosa and Sewell will be very fascinating. Sewell played his first-ever NFL game against Bosa and company; the Lions lost, but Sewell didn’t give up a touchdown. After two seasons, Sewell has emerged as one of the NFL’s top tackles, and the significance of this game couldn’t be any bigger.

4. SUCCESSFUL DEFENCE

Over the past month or so, the Lions’ defence has given up yards, especially in the passing game, but they haven’t allowed 100 yards rushing in six consecutive, they’ve played well in the red zone, and they’ve been shrewd in getting takeaways. That’s a pretty effective defensive formula when combined with a potent offensive.

They haven’t faced a more comprehensive offence than this one since Week 7 against Baltimore, which resulted in a 38-6 loss for the Lions. With a shoulder issue, Samuel is doubtful to participate, but he was practising at the end of the week, so it’s expected that he’ll try.

Will the Lions be able to force field goals in the red zone, stop the run, and force some turnovers going forward? They stand a solid chance of winning tonight’s NFC Championship if they accomplish that.

5. Mr. Irrelevant vs. Number One Pick

Despite having somewhat different routes to the NFL, Goff and Purdy will face a battle on Sunday for the chance to advance to the Super Bowl.

The more seasoned signal caller, Goff, has already won an NFC Championship game. After leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship the previous season, Purdy had surgery in the summer due to an elbow injury he sustained during the game.

The first overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft was Goff. He has a 5-3 career postseason record and is a three-time Pro Bowler. During the regular season, he passed for 4,575 yards, 30 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 97.9 rating. Throughout the playoffs, he has led Detroit to victories in both the Wild Card and Divisional rounds by passing for 564 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

Purdy (No. 262) was the final selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. Throughout his short NFL career, he is 3-1 in the playoffs. This season, he threw for 4,280 yards with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, earning him a spot in his first Pro Bowl.
There is quality surrounding both quarterbacks at the skill positions. Who can distribute the football?