Lions' Studs and Duds: Untimely Errors Derail Super Bowl Hopes

Studs and duds from Lions' loss to 49ers.

The Detroit Lions started fast and appeared to be on the fast track toward appearing in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. 

However, the fate that had been so kind throughout this playoff run ultimately turned sour in a forgettable second half. The offense went stagnant, as drops and an untimely fumble hindered any momentum that had been built early. 

Meanwhile, the defense couldn't put together stops, and the San Francisco 49ers capitalized by scoring 27 unanswered points. As a result, a 24-7 lead turned into a 34-31 defeat. 

Here are the studs and duds from Sunday's game.

STUD: WR Jameson Williams

On the fourth play from scrimmage, Jameson Williams set the tone for Sunday's game. 

Taking a handoff on a reverse play, the second-year wideout got good blocks from Frank Ragnow and Sam LaPorta, before cutting back upfield. He stayed on his feet amidst a tackle attempt by Dre Greenlaw, and ran 42 yards for a touchdown. 

Williams didn't get his first passing target until the fourth quarter, when he hauled in a 22-yard pass from Goff. He would add a touchdown late in the game, hauling in a 3-yard pass from the veteran passer.

You can’t teach that! What a play call pic.twitter.com/Rtk1ew0e6K

— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) January 28, 2024

DUD: S Ceedy Duce

The 49ers put together a single strong touchdown drive in the first half, and Duce had multiple missed tackles against Christian McCaffrey. He had one on the running back's 28-yard reception that preceded his touchdown. 

Additionally, Duce committed an illegal blindside block on Malcolm Rodriguez's interception, which negated a run-back that would've started Detroit's drive inside the opposing red zone. 

STUD: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

St. Brown was superb in the first half, as all five of his receptions went for first downs. In particular, four were third-down conversions. Among others, he had a 19-yard reception on a third-and-18 on Detroit's final drive of the first half. 

He also had conversions of third-and-9 and third-and-10 in the first half alone. His strength after the catch was on full display, as he was able to work his way past the sticks in key situations. 

St. Brown had a quiet second half, but still managed to finish with seven catches for 87 yards on the evening. 

DUD: WR Josh Reynolds

Reynolds had a pair of crucial drops that led to the 49ers' comeback in the third quarter. First, he couldn't haul in a fourth-and-2 pass from Goff with the Lions driving inside 49ers territory. 

Later in the quarter, he bobbled a pass and dropped it on a third-and-9. The Lions were forced to punt, and the 49ers drove down the field to take the lead. After being a key and reliable part of the Lions' offense all season, he recorded just one catch for 25 yards on four targets. 

Campbell's Controversial Decisions, Second Half Collapse Costly

STUD: LB Malcolm Rodriguez

Rodriguez recorded his first career interception Sunday on a pass that was deflected by Josh Paschal at the line of scrimmage. Called into duty with an injury to Derrick Barnes, Rodriguez made the most of his opportunity, with two early tackles and a pick. 

He returned the interception deep into 49ers territory, but much of the run-back was negated by a penalty on Ceedy Duce. 

The Oklahoma State product had to deal with a new role this season, with the emergence of Barnes and Jack Campbell. After playing mostly special teams and some offense this year, he had a big game for the Lions Sunday with six tackles. 

DUD: RB Jahmyr Gibbs

Gibbs started strong, scoring a 15-yard touchdown in the first half to help set the tone. However, he committed a costly mistake when he fumbled in the third quarter, setting San Francisco up for what would be the game-tying touchdown. 

It appeared as though there was a miscommunication on the handoff, as he never had full control of the ball. It was ripped away by Tashaun Gipson and recovered by Arik Armstead. 

STUD: TE Sam LaPorta

LaPorta finished as the leader in both receptions and receiving yards in Sunday's game. He hauled in nine passes for 97 yards, making a number of big plays over the middle against a solid 49ers linebacking corps. 

He had a big catch on the Lions' final scoring drive, helping to set up Williams' eventual scoring grab. 

He also had a solid block that helped free Williams on his scoring run, and he was the lead blocker on Gibbs' 15-yard touchdown run.