49ers Advance to Super Bowl After Completing Miraculous Comeback Win Against the Lions
What a roller coaster of a game.
The San Francisco 49ers advance to the Super Bowl after completing a miraculous comeback win over the Detroit Lions.
The first-half of the game was a forgettable one for the 49ers. They didn't look like the No. 1 seed that was dominant for most of the year, especially with the defense. The 49ers' run defense was atrocious. Detroit was getting anything they wanted on the ground. It didn't matter if it was David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, or randomly Jameson Williams. The 49ers could do absolutely nothing to slow down the running game of the Lions. And the few times they did, they allowed inexcusable third down and long conversions.
Four of those third down conversions were to receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. He was automatic for them when the Lions needed a conversion. The Lions' offense was simple: run it and go to St. Brown on third down. They had massive success with it and the 49ers could do nothing. The offense of the 49ers isn't excused either. Brock Purdy was looking like a game manager in the first-half and Christian McCaffrey couldn't get anything going. As a team, the 49ers were pitiful in the first-half as they stared down a 24-7 deficit at halftime. It looked like a loss was inevitable.
And then, they flipped the switch in the second-half.
The 49ers looked like the elite No. 1 seeded team that they've shown all year long. It starts with the run defense. They finally were able to tighten up and slow down the electric running game of the Lions. Montgomery and Gibbs no longer were making a major impact. It was like the 49ers' defense woke up as even St. Brown was being erased by them. The offense, on the other hand, was still a little sluggish. They came out of the half scoring a field goal when they desperately needed a touchdown.
That is when the 49ers received a gift from Lions' head coach Dan Campbell. After their opening second-half drive, the Lions went for it on 4th-and-2 at the 49ers' own 28-yard line. A field goal was the logical decision, but Campbell is an overaggressive coach in these situations. The Lions would fail to convert, and that is what gave the 49ers a spark. That was the turning point of the game that would inject life into them. The 49ers would go on to score 17 points in the third-quarter to tie the game going into the fourth.
Once they brought the score back to equal, the 49ers wouldn't look back. They took total control of the game. Their offense was fluid and smooth again. Purdy made a handful of plays, McCaffrey was finding room to run, and Brandon Aiyuk had an indescribable catch that also fueled the momentum in the third-quarter. And as horrible as the defense was in the first-half, they almost pitched a shutout in the second. It wasn't until the final minute of the game when they had a 10-point lead that they allowed a score. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks certainly made up for the first-half with some phenomenal halftime adjustments.
In back-to-back weeks, the 49ers completed two amazing comebacks. This one they just completed is officially the largest comeback in NFC championship history. Now, the 49ers find themselves back in the Super Bowl four years later to rematch the Kansas City Chiefs.
