Branch: If Lions Click, 49ers Will Face 'Rude Awakening'

Lions are not going to back down against NFC's No. 1 seed.

The Detroit Lions are among the four best teams in the National Football League. 

Heading into their biggest game in decades, Detroit's young roster is not going to back down from facing the NFC's top seed. 

While the San Francisco 49ers have elite talent at nearly every position, Detroit believes if they play their game, they just might be the team that represents the NFC in the Super Bowl. 

"San Fran is a really good team but I feel like, shoot, we're a really good team too," Brian Branch told reporters. "If we're clicking there's gonna be a rude awakening."

For several of the young players on the roster, the struggles of the organization are a thing of the past. 

"It means a lot. Shoot, for it to be my first year, I guess I'm spoiled in a way. But I feel like I'm blessed," said Branch. "We put in a lot of hard work in the offseason, we went through a lot of ups and downs, but we stayed with each other and just kept it pushing." 

Despite being on a doorstep of playing for a Lombardi Trophy, Detroit's talented defensive back still believes he did not perform all that well against the Buccaneers.  

"I've got a lot to work on, to be honest. Today wasn't my best game or a good game or a good game in my head," Branch explained. "But, it's a team game, the guys around me played extremely good and, shoot, I just feel like we've got to keep stacking these games." 

Brian Branch “San Fran is a really good team but I feel like, shoot, we’re a really good team too. If we’re clicking there’s going to be a rude awakening”

— Jeff Riger (@riger1984) January 22, 2024

The 22-year-old even caught the attention of Buccaneers starting quarterback Baker Mayfield. 

“No, I mean first game we didn’t play against Branch. I think he’s a hell of a player, I’ll be honest. For a young guy, he’s a smart guy, obviously very talented, but yeah they’re a physical team," Mayfield explained. "They run and chase after the ball, they do a good job playing together, and giving you some looks and bailing out and doing different things. 

"It just comes down to execution and minimizing mistakes in these playoff games because everybody is going to have – everybody is going to be doing things they’re good at, but it comes down to minimizing mistakes and I didn’t do that today.”