The San Francisco 49ers secured their return to the Super Bowl with a remarkable 34-31 victory over the Detroit Lions. Trailing 24-7 at halftime, Brock Purdy and his team orchestrated an incredible comeback, marking the third-largest comeback in a conference championship game. The 17-point deficit overcome by San Francisco also stands as the largest halftime comeback in the history of conference championship games.
Despite the Lions’ dominant performance in the first half, the momentum shifted drastically in the final two quarters. The 49ers started the second half by advancing 50 yards on nine plays, with Jake Moody successfully converting a 43-yard field goal, narrowing the deficit to 14 points.
The Lions’ subsequent offensive drive took them from their own 25-yard line to the 49ers’ 28-yard line. Faced with a fourth-and-2 in field goal range, Dan Campbell chose to go for it, but Jared Goff’s pass to Josh Reynolds fell incomplete, providing a significant momentum boost for the 49ers.
Purdy to Aiyuk and we’ve got a one-score game!
📺: #DETvsSF on FOX
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On the following possession, Brock Purdy targeted star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to sustain the drive. A fortuitous turn of events saw an overthrow turn into a substantial gain of 51 yards, as the ball bounced off Kindle Vildor’s facemask and into Aiyuk’s hands.
Although the play had the potential for an interception, Aiyuk capitalized on the defensive miscue. Three plays later, Aiyuk capped off the drive with a touchdown, bringing the deficit to just seven points with a little over five minutes left in the third quarter.
In a swift turn of events, the game became intensely competitive, and just as quickly, the 49ers regained possession. Following Aiyuk’s touchdown, the Lions’ first play from scrimmage resulted in a fumble by Gibbs, allowing San Francisco to recover at Detroit’s 24-yard line.
Four plays later, Christian McCaffrey secured his second rushing touchdown, leveling the score at 24 apiece.
Facing the challenge of regaining momentum, the Lions’ offense faltered, going three-and-out. Reynolds appeared to secure a potential third-down conversion but dropped the pass.
Adding to the setback, the Lions couldn’t down a precisely placed punt at the 1-yard line, resulting in a touchback. Seizing the opportunity, the 49ers embarked on a 65-yard, 11-play drive, culminating in Moody’s 33-yard field goal, granting them their first lead of the game.
Trailing by three points early in the fourth quarter, the Lions’ offense took the field once again. Despite Jameson Williams’ impressive 22-yard grab, nearly intercepted off a bobble, he dropped a potential touchdown deep down the right sideline on a first-and-10.
Three plays later, facing a fourth-and-3 from the 49ers’ 30-yard line, Coach Dan Campbell opted to go for it rather than attempt a field goal to potentially tie the game.
Unfortunately, Jared Goff failed to connect with Amon-Ra St. Brown. The ensuing seven-play, 70-yard drive by the 49ers, capped by an Elijah Mitchell touchdown, extended San Francisco’s lead to 10 points.
By this juncture, the Lions had witnessed a staggering turnaround, being outscored 27-0 in the second half. With just three minutes left on the clock, Detroit faced the urgency to mount a swift offensive effort. Although Goff orchestrated a 75-yard touchdown drive to narrow the deficit to three points, it was not without flaws.
On a critical first-and-goal opportunity with 1:16 remaining, Anthony Firkser narrowly missed scoring, stepping out at the 1-yard line instead. Subsequently, on third-and-goal, the Lions opted for a run with David Montgomery, who was met with stout resistance for a loss of 2 yards.
This compelled Detroit to utilize its first timeout with just one minute left. Despite Goff’s successful connection with Williams for a 3-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal, the ensuing onside kick attempt proved unsuccessful.
Taking possession at the Lions’ 44-yard line, and with Detroit left with only two timeouts, the 49ers effectively sealed the victory. Reflecting on the second half, the Lions’ defense, which had limited San Francisco to just seven points in the first half, faltered significantly.
Analyzing the 49ers’ second-half drives, excluding the final kneeldowns, revealed a series of questionable play calls, turnovers, dropped passes, and defensive lapses, contributing to Detroit’s struggle against a relentless 27-7 surge.
Despite the Lions’ commendable overall season and their impressive journey to the NFC Championship, the bitter conclusion of the 2023 campaign will linger throughout the offseason.