The Major Keys to a Detroit Lions Victory in the NFC Championship
Detroit, MI (PSF) - The Detroit Lions are going into their first NFC Championship game since 1991 this weekend. They are playing with the least amount of pressure out of all the remaining four teams still in the Super Bowl race. These key factors are things they need to focus on if they want a chance of beating the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday.
Photo: Kyle Dvorchak - NBC Sports
Make the Run Game the Focal Point of the Offensive Gameplan
In the Divisional Round, Green Bay’s running back Aaron Jones rushed for 108 yards on 18 carries, averaging six yards per carry. The Lions are one of the best run offenses in the league, with a dual backfield spotlighted by running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. The Lions constantly will have one primary back for a drive, then swapping out backs for the next drive. Keeping a constant tempo change by interchanging Gibbs and Montgomery constantly can keep this 49ers defense from getting a read on the offense and can make them improperly substitute personnel.
Running the ball takes more time off the clock which is another major thing you need to do when facing the 49ers, which leads into the focus the Lions need to have for this game.
Photo: Michael Owens - Getty Images
Keep the 49ers’ Offense Off the Field
Setting the tone for the game early on by showing the Niners that their goal is for long and time-consuming drives will negate two major factors in this game for the Lions. They will be keeping the 49ers offense off the field, but at the same time they are keeping the Lions defense off the field, which gives them fewer opportunities to make major mistakes, especially with the poor pass defense they have. The Lions defense can make stops when the time comes, and one of the worst parts of the 49ers game this year has been their production dropping drastically when they are trailing in games.
The pass defense of the Lions has been exposed week after week for the latter half of the regular season and into the playoffs. Giving the 49ers who have some of the best receiving threats in the league less opportunities to use that talent will go a long way in securing a victory for the Lions. Limiting the amount of snaps cornerback Cam Sutton is on the field will make any Lions fan jump for joy this weekend.
Photo: Josh Dubow - CBS Sports
Put Pressure on Brock Purdy
The Baltimore Ravens game taught us that when under pressure, Quarterback Brock Purdy struggles and is more prone to making errant throws that end in interceptions. The Lions have been running a lot of safety blitzes recently to great success, especially in the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. Dictating the timing and speed that Purdy is able to get passes off will negatively affect the potency of the 49ers passing game.
The Lions are a top ten rushing defense from the year and can easily shut down the 49ers rushing offense, forcing them to primarily use the passing game to try and win. Especially if Deebo Samuel does not play, limiting the impact of Christian McCaffrey will weigh heavy on the effectiveness of the 49ers offense and limit their play calling tremendously.
Overall, the Lions as previously stated have zero pressure going into this game. No matter the outcome, fans and analysts alike will view this season as a massive steppingstone in the Campbell and Holmes era in Detroit. The 49ers on the other hand are a team that many in the media and fans mind are a Super Bowl or bust team this year. If they lose this game, this will be yet again another year when the 49ers fail to reach the Super Bowl in the Kyle Shanahan era.
