Back in the NFC championship game for the first time in more than three decades, the Detroit Lions have high hopes for Sunday. Yet, it’s got to be said that the team standing in between them and a trip to the Super Bowl is a juggernaut of the conference. In their third consecutive championship game appearance, the San Francisco 49ers know all too well what’s at stake.
49ers vs Lions: A bit of history
This Sunday, the Detroit Lions will head to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California to face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game. It will mark the first time in what has turned out to be a historic Lions playoff run that the team will be playing away from Ford Field in Detroit. The significance of that fact is that the Lions haven’t won a playoff road game in the Super Bowl era. Yet, it might be worth noting that the last time the Lions did win a postseason game on the road, it was against the said same 49ers way back in 1957. Interestingly, that game was played for the opportunity to go to the championship round, something the Lions eventually achieved before going on to beat the Cleveland Browns to become champions.
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) January 21, 2024It's been 66 years since the @Lions won a playoff game on the road.
This win came against the 49ers in San Francisco to advance to the 1957 NFL Championship Game.
That was the last time the Lions were NFL Champions.
OK, but what’s the series record between the 49ers & Lions?
Given how long it has been since the Lions made it this far - just over three decades - one can imagine that quite a bit has changed since then, including the record between the two teams which it has to be said is heavily dominated by the Niners. In total, the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions have met on 68 occasions including two postseason games. Where the Lions are concerned, they’ve managed to win 28 of those games, while the 49ers have come out on top 39 times. There was also one tied game between them.
#49ers Vs #Lions NFC Championship is about to be a movie 🍿 pic.twitter.com/6ClBAVgPLB
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) January 23, 2024
What can we expect from the 49ers vs Lions?
For starters, we should take a look at the recent past before we get into the present. In the last 12 meetings between the teams, the Lions have only managed to win once and that was back in 1996. While that doesn’t automatically mean that the trend will continue, it can’t exactly be ignored either. While much of the focus is understandably on the Lions making it to the conference championship game for the first time since 1992, this is the 49ers’ third consecutive appearance at this stage i.e., they are the proverbial heavyweights of the division. As much as quarterback Jared Goff has impressed for Detroit this season, he and his men will be facing a team that is more than good enough to get to him and that’s before we mention the Niners’ own man in the middle, Brock Purdy. The man they call ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ has been in sensational form this season. Don’t forget to join us for Sunday’s game because it promises to be epic.
