San Francisco (AFP) – Jared Goff threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns and Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 117 yards and a touchdown on Monday as the Detroit Lions outlasted San Francisco 40-34. The Lions improved to 14-2 and matched Minnesota atop the NFC North division, setting the stage for a showdown between the two clubs next week in Detroit to decide the top seed for the NFC playoffs.
Next week’s Lions-Vikings winner will capture a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs while the loser will be a wildcard fifth seed and spend the playoffs on the road. No teams in NFL history will have played a season finale with so many combined triumphs. The Lions have the NFL’s top-scoring offensive unit, but their defensive side has been riddled by injuries and struggled again to stop the 49ers.
Related news
Goff and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, who threw for a career-high 377 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, combined to complete their first 15 passes as offenses dominated and Detroit rallied as the second half began. Goff flipped a 6-yard touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta and a 2-point conversion pass to Tim Patrick after 5:02 of the third quarter to lift the Lions level at 21-21.
The Niners (6-10) responded as Purdy threw a 5-yard touchdown toss to Deebo Samuel, but Detroit’s Jake Bates kicked a 57-yard field goal to tighten the margin. After Kerby Joseph intercepted a Purdy pass, the Lions grabbed their first lead of the game as Goff threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Detroit led 31-28. Bates added a 42-yard field goal to boost the Lions’ lead, and Joseph made another pickoff, his ninth of the season, to kill a 49ers drive.
The turnover set the stage for a 30-yard touchdown run by Jahmyr Gibbs, and despite a missed conversion kick, Detroit owned a 40-28 edge with 2:58 remaining. Joshua Dodds scored on a 7-yard run for the Niners with 43 seconds remaining to create the final margin.
– 49ers grab early edge – The Niners, who were eliminated from playoff contention last week, grabbed the lead after Purdy’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Pearsall off the opening drive. Jameson Williams answered for Detroit on a 3-yard touchdown run around left end, but San Francisco’s Jordan Elliott blocked the conversion kick to keep the 49ers ahead 7-6.
Purdy found Kyle Juszczyk on a 9-yard touchdown toss early in the second quarter as San Francisco took a 14-6 edge. The Lions responded with a 41-yard touchdown play as Goff completed a short pass to St. Brown, who pitched the ball to Williams and watched him run the final 40 yards into the end zone as Detroit pulled within 14-13. San Francisco stretched the lead again as Purdy scored on a 9-yard touchdown run, and the 49ers grabbed a 21-13 half-time advantage.
© 2024 AFP
