The Detroit Lions look to make their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. The San Francisco 49ers have a chance to make their second Super Bowl appearance in the last 5 years. Let’s preview the NFC Championship and give out a Detroit Lions vs San Francisco 49ers prediction.
Detroit Lions Betting Preview
The Detroit Lions have won 3 straight games and are coming off wins over the Rams and Buccaneers. Jared Goff is completing 74.3 percent of his passes for 564 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds have combined for 294 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns, while Jahmyr Gibbs has 8 receptions. The Detroit Lions ground game is averaging 193 yards per contest, and Gibbs leads the way with 99 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensively, Detroit is allowing 23 points and 416.5 yards per game. Brian Branch leads the Detroit Lions with 16 tackles, Aidan Hutchinson has 3 sacks and C.J. Gardner-Johnson has 1 interception.
Detroit Lions Team Facts
- The Lions have won seven of their last eight Sunday games against teams that held a winning record.
- The Lions have covered the spread in each of their last nine road games following a home win.
- The Lions have scored the first touchdown in 12 of their last 13 games following a home win.
- The Lions have won the first quarter in three of their last four games as underdogs in California.
- The favorites have won the first half in 19 of the Lions’ last 21 games.
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San Francisco 49ers Betting Preview
The San Francisco 49ers have split their last 4 games and are coming off a win over the Packers in the divisional round. Brock Purdy is completing 59 percent of his passes for 252 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions. George Kittle and Jauan Jennings have combined for 142 receiving yards and 1 touchdown, while Brandon Aiyuk has 3 receptions. The San Francisco 49ers ground game is averaging 111 yards per contest, and Christian McCaffrey leads the way with 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensively, San Francisco is allowing 21 points and 330 yards per game. Dre Greenlaw leads the San Francisco 49ers with 8 tackles, Charvarius Ward has 1 pass deflection and Javon Kinlaw has 1 tackle for loss.
San Francisco 49ers Team Facts
- The 49ers have won 17 of their last 18 home games against NFC opponents.
- The road team has covered the spread in each of the 49ers’ last 11 games.
- The 49ers have scored the first touchdown in each of their last seven home games against NFC opponents.
- The 49ers have won the first quarter in each of their last nine games at Levi’s Stadium following a home win.
- The 49ers have won the first half in each of their last eight games against NFC opponents.
Matchup/League Facts
- The 49ers ranked T1st in the NFL in interceptions during the reg. season (22).
- The 49ers ranked 1st in the NFL in red zone percentage during the reg. season (67.2%).
- The Lions ranked 32nd in the NFL in Q3 opponent points per game during the reg. season (6.5).
- The Lions ranked 2nd in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game during the reg. season (88.8).
Detroit Lions vs San Francisco 49ers prediction
The Detroit Lions haven’t been the same team outside of their cozy dome, but the weather is expected to be great in San Francisco, with temperatures in the 60s. The Lions defense has come along these last couple of weeks and the offense remains explosive with Goff looking more and more comfortable in the pocket. The San Francisco 49ers have been arguably the most balanced and best team in the league this season, but they’ve been shaky over the last month, and they almost lost to the Packers last week. I’m concerned about Purdy having to make plays in critical situations, and there’s a chance Deebo Samuel doesn’t play due to a shoulder injury. Also, Dan Campbell has a 68 percent covering percentage as the Lions head coach. The Lions have surprised usually season long, and it wouldn’t be crazy to see them defy the odds yet again. This grit the Lions play with make them an intriguing underdog. Give me the points.