49ers return to beat the Lions 34–31, and they will face the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
After trailing the Detroit Lions 34–31 at the half, the San Francisco 49ers stormed back with 27 straight points in the second half to win 34–31 and proceed to the Super Bowl.
In a rematch of the 2020 Super Bowl, San Francisco will take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas on February 11. Since 1995, the 49ers have not won a Vince Lombardi Trophy.
It appeared for two quarters that the Lions would make it to their first Super Bowl. Thanks to an interception by Malcolm Rodriguez and a potent running attack that included scores by Jameson Williams, David Montgomery, and Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit had a nearly flawless first half.
However, San Francisco turned the tide of the game by scoring on its first five second-half possessions. Christian McCaffrey carried for 90 yards and two touchdowns, while Brock Purdy tossed for 267 yards and ran for 48.
A string of misfortunes characterized Detroit’s last two quarters of the season.
Late in the third quarter, San Francisco’s touchdown helped set up the game when rookie running back Gibbs lost a fumble.
With 7:32 remaining in the game, the Lions missed a field goal attempt that would have knotted the score at 27 after failing on two fourth-down attempts. San Francisco increased its advantage to 10 points right after with a touchdown drive.
With only 56 seconds remaining, the Lions’ second-half goal reduced the margin to 34–31, negating any chance for an onside kick. However, George Kittle, a 49ers tight end, recovered the lost ball and San Francisco eliminated time.
Many people have stereotyped Brock Purdy as the archetypal game manager. more of a passenger than a driver. A recipient rather than a giver. More of a loss avoider than a winner retriever. The term “game manager” is essentially derogatory in contemporary quarterback discourse.
However, the 49ers required more on Sunday. It was their season to lose. Their dreams of winning a title were fading.
Purdy transformed into the playmaker and difference maker they needed him to be. He completed 13 of 16 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown in the second half of the game. Not a single intercept. The strongest proof that he wasn’t just a bystander in this remarkable comeback came from his 49 rushing yards. He was operating the vehicle.
Regarding Purdy’s stumbling, head coach Kyle Shanahan remarked, “I thought it was the difference between winning and losing.” “With his legs, he made some spectacular plays. He moved the chains on several first downs, got out of the pocket, and set off some explosives.” He gave it his all today. was difficult for each of us. He continued to grind. In the second half, he was fantastic.
CAPTAIN SANTA CLARA: In the first half of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, Ben Johnson and his Detroit Lions offensive linemen and running backs were having a blast. Johnson, the offensive coordinator who might soon be a head coach somewhere else, used motion to throw the 49ers’ defense off guard before dominating them with running plays. At a pace of seven yards per carry, the Lions rushed for 148 yards in the first half, leading 24–7 at the break.
Dan Campbell, the coach of the Lions, felt deep down that the 49ers would rise. It never occurred to him that his team would falter and end up losing 34–31.
They are a heavyweight team that has experienced it firsthand. You knew they were going to make a play because there were too many excellent guys, Campbell said. “You must be able to respond, and we were unable to do so. And that is really out of character for us. We’ve consistently been able to regain our momentum. We simply weren’t able to overcome the obstacle.
For some reason, the Lions only carried the ball eight times for 34 yards in the second half and gave up 27 straight points. A few costly passes were made, Campbell made some dubious choices on fourth down, and the defense was unable to prevent quarterback Brock Purdy from stretching plays with his legs.However, the offensive of the Lions changed from being lethal to inactive, which is why they lost this game.
Center Frank Ragnow recalled, “We felt like we were in a rhythm and we were really rolling.” It’s annoying. We were unable to maintain it.
