The Detroit Lions promised they have been going to present it their all in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers, even when there was nothing on the road. They lived as much as their phrase with one other gritty win on “Monday Evening Soccer.” Detroit will now end the 2024 common season undefeated on the street. However an enormous house matchup with the Minnesota Vikings lingers for the NFC’s high seed subsequent week.
As for the 49ers recreation, the Lions offense was buzzing all evening, racking up over four hundred and forty yards of offense and posting 40 factors for the sixth time this season. The protection seemed depressing within the first half, however two Kerby Joseph interceptions within the second half helped propel the Lions to a two-score lead late, and they might maintain that the remainder of the sport.
In the long run, the Lions walked away with a 40-34 win, shifting them to 14-2 on the season.
First quarter
The Lions gained the toss and deferred, placing religion of their protection to kick off the sport. After a superb kickoff return, the 49ers began at their very own 39-yard line. Using Deebo Samuel as a rusher, San Francisco labored into Lions territory with relative ease. Then Brock Purdy hit George Kittle on a play-action move for 18 yards into the pink zone. Detroit had a possibility to get off the sphere, as San Francisco then confronted a fourth-and-1 from the Lions’ 5-yard line, however Purdy ran a QB sneak for a primary down. Two performs later, the 49ers scored on a 3-yard landing move to Ricky Pearsall.
Jared Goff and the Lions would try to reply, beginning on their very own 35-yard line. Jahmyr Gibbs picked up an early third-and-2 on the bottom and pushed Detroit to midfield. Then Gibbs picked up 21 extra yards on a stretch play. After a failed trick play to Jameson Williams, Goff checked it right down to Craig Reynolds, who took the ball all the best way right down to the 49ers 9-yard line on a 26-yard pickup.
Detroit then confronted a third-and-goal from the 3-yard line, and a nifty run to Williams put the Lions on the board, however the further level was blocked. 7-6 49ers.
The 49ers transformed an enormous third-and-4 with a bobbling catch from Pearsall for 14 yards and into Lions territory.
Then one other play-action move to Kittle sucked in the entire Lions linebackers, creating house for the 49ers tight finish to earn 20 yards into the pink zone.
Second quarter
One more play-action move earned the 49ers their subsequent rating on the primary play of the second quarter. A play-action bootleg allowed fullback Kyle Juszczyk to interrupt open and rating on a 9-yard landing move. 14-6 49ers.
Detroit was in a position to transfer into 49ers territory because of Goff discovering LaPorta for a third-down conversion. A pair of Gibbs runs then went for 22 yards. A holding penalty and Goff sack appeared to stall the drive, however on a third-and-12, the Lions ran yet one more hook-and-ladder to perfection. St. Brown lateraled it to Williams, who took it up the sideline for a 41-yard landing. 14-13 49ers.
The Lions had one other early alternative to get off the sphere rapidly, however on third-and-7, Purdy discovered Pearsall for 40 yards after Terrion Arnold was picked on the play by Brian Department.
Then Purdy scrambled up the center for a 9-yard landing and a 21-13 49ers lead.
A pair of passes to Gibbs moved Detroit to midfield and arrange a third-and-3. Then Goff hit St. Brown for a 4-yard achieve to maneuver the sticks, and hit him once more for a 14-yard achieve into the pink zone because the clock moved to the two-minute warning. On the subsequent set of downs, the Lions confronted a fourth-and-3 from the 49ers’ 8-yard line. In fact, Detroit opted to go for it, however Goff couldn’t join with LaPorta, and the 49ers took over with 1:13 left.
Regardless of being backed up in their very own zone, the 49ers would threaten toadd to their lead earlier than the tip of the half. That’s as a result of Purdy hit Isaac Guerendo on a 40-yard bomb to kickstart the drive.
Nonetheless, an offensive move interference penalty and a missed 51-yard subject objective stored the rating at 21-13 49ers at halftime.
Third quarter
The Lions received the ball to begin the second half, and rapidly moved into 49ers territory because of a 12-yard strike to Jameson Williams on a third-and-5 play. Then on one other third-and-5, Goff lobbed a ravishing ball to Allen Robinson for 21 yards right down to the 49ers 10-yard line. Then Goff hit LaPorta for a 6-yard landing.
Goff then hit Tim Patrick for a two-point conversion and an early, second half 21-21 tie.
However the Lions protection couldn’t seemingly get any stops. Regardless of beginning inside their very own 20-yard line, the 49ers solely wanted 4 performs to get contained in the Lions’ 5-yard line. A 39-yard move to a wide-open Pearsall and a 22-yard move to Kittle did a lot of the soiled work.
San Francisco punched it in with a shovel move to Deebo Samuel. 28-21 49ers.
The Lions tried to reply rapidly, and a 28-yard move to LaPorta received Detroit in enterprise. However on third-and-3, Goff took a sack that just about knocked the Lions out of subject place. Nonetheless, Jake Bates nailed a 57-yard subject objective to make it 28-24 49ers with over 4 minutes remaining within the quarter.
Detroit’s protection lastly got here up with a play, granted it got here with some assist. Purdy overthrew a ball, and it landed proper within the lap of Lions security Kerby Joseph.
Detroit’s offense took over and dinked and dunked their approach into the pink zone. However Detroit then confronted a third-and-goal from the 4-yard line and couldn’t punch it in. The Lions lined as much as go for it once more within the pink zone, and this time, they transformed to St. Brown for a 31-28 Lions lead with 19 seconds remaining within the third quarter.
Fourth quarter
The Lions would lastly get a defensive cease. Purdy related with Kittle on a fully excellent move for 18 yards down into Lions territory, however then he threw three straight incompletions. Amik Robertson picked up a key third-down move breakup, which led to a 58-yard subject objective try from Moody, who missed it once more.
The Lions took over on their very own 48-yard line with a possibility to go up two scores for the primary time all recreation. Sadly, Detroit as an alternative went three-and-out. However as an alternative of punting, the Lions opted to go for it from the 49ers 45-yard line on fourth-and-3. Goff discovered a large open LaPorta for 19 yards.
Nonetheless, the drive stalled rapidly thereafter, and Detroit needed to settled for a 42-yard subject objective try and Bates was true with 10:29 left. 34-28 Lions.
Detroit’s protection received off to a promising begin with a sack from Myles Adams and a delay of recreation penalty. Nonetheless, the 49ers pulled themselves out of the opening and transformed on a third-and-5 to maintain the drive alive with one other move to Pearsall. Then a brief move to Jauan Jennings received one other 15 yards tacked onto it following a late shove from Brian Department.
However Department’s safety-mate bailed him out, as a result of on the subsequent play, Joseph jumped a route to select off Purdy for the second time.
Detroit had 7:34 left and the ball to carry their lead or add to it. The Lions went to the bottom recreation to try to grind out the remainder of the sport. Then a play-action move to Williams earned a primary down and moved Detroit to the 49ers’ 38-yard line. Then on a third-and-2, Gibbs put the sport away with a 30-yard landing run — Bates missed the additional level. 40-28 Lions.
The 49ers furiously tried to mount a comeback with lower than three minutes remaining. Brock Purdy could be knocked out of the sport late, however Joshua Dobbs led the 49ers to a late landing run to make it 40-34 Lions with 43 seconds left.
San Francisco’s solely likelihood could be an onside kick, however the kick went out of bounds and the Lions kneeled out the remainder of the clock.
