Game day: Everything you need to know about Lions vs. 49ers, including 3 things worth watching
● What: Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
● When: Dec. 30, 8:15 p.m.
● Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
● How to watch: ESPN (Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Lisa Salters
● How to listen: 97.1-FM The Ticket in Metro Detroit or any number of network affiliates around the state.
● Line: Lions -3.5
● Injury report: Only running back David Montgomery (knee) has been ruled out for the contest. Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who has been working his way back from a neck injury, is questionable.
● Officiating assignment: Shawn Hochuli’s crew. Promoted to referee in 2018, this will be the ninth Lions game he’s worked in that capacity. Most recently, he officiated the team’s Week 12 victory over Indianapolis.
Hochuli’s crew is averaging 17.86 flags thrown per game, the second most in the NFL this season. They’ve thrown 20 or more flags in three of the past four weeks, including 29 in a game between the Bengals and Steelers earlier this month.
● Last meeting: The teams met in last year’s NFC Championship. The Lions jumped out to a 24-7 lead, but coughed it up in the third quarter and ended up losing the contest, 34-31.
Coverage from the week
● Film review: What did the tape reveal about Christian Mahogany's first start?
● Film review: Returning Ifeatu Melifonwu offers immediate reminder of potent versatility
● On deck: While Lions have managed to survive injuries, the 49ers have been undone by them
● Bridgewater returns, team still high on Hooker, and Lions looking forward, not back with 49ers
● DFN Mailbag: Late-season roster moves, ideal playoff paths, Bridgewater's coaching future and more
Three things worth watching
● The 49ers offensive line is a mess.
The team finally shut down star left tackle Trent Williams, placing him on injured reserve this week. And Williams’ backup, Jaylon Moore (Western Michigan), also landed on IR with a quad injury he suffered last Sunday. Left guard Aaron Banks? You guessed it, ruled out with a knee injury. Those three join starting guard Jon Feliciano, who has been on the shelf all season.
Reserve interior lineman Spencer Burford. Surely the 2023 starter could help. Nope, he’s out, too. And the manure-dipped cherry on top is right tackle Colton McKivitz suffered a knee injury in practice that sidelined him Friday and Saturday. He's listed as questionable.
There’s a real opportunity for Detroit's defensive line to feast. It starts with slowing down a San Francisco run game that’s getting back rookie Isaac Guerendo. He's averaged an impressive 5.2 yards per carry in his debut season.
If the Lions can check that box, it would be nice to see the pass rush translate some of the pressure it has generated in recent weeks into sacks. They got to Bears rookie Caleb Williams five times on Thanksgiving, but have dropped opposing quarterbacks just four times in their past five games outside the holiday anomaly.
● The Lions coaching staff has told us they’re looking forward, not backward. When asked if Monday offered a chance to get closure after blowing a big halftime lead against the 49ers in last season’s NFC Championship, coach Dan Campbell said:
“I think we’re really more mature, I guess, would probably be the best way to say that. I’ve mentioned every year, you kind of learn something about winning and losing, and when you take an L like we did last year, you learn from that.”
OK, sure, but I’m skeptical. I saw what this team did to Dallas earlier in the year, righting what they felt was a wrong via a relentless show of force, going as far as to dial up a hook-and-ladder for offensive tackle Penei Sewell when the game was well in hand.
You can’t convince me they won’t be looking to put a little hot sauce on the call sheet this week, even if the game has zero impact on the standings for the Lions in their pursuit of the NFC’s top seed.
I'm calling for a direct snap on a punt to linebacker Ezekiel Turner — who was cut by the 49ers this offseason — and he'll throw it to gunner Kindle Vildor. You know why.
● Give me all of a potential Brian Branch vs. George Kittle matchup.
It’s not likely to be an exclusive matchup, obviously, but with the dynamic Detroit defender moving to the slot last week as part of a secondary shuffle, he figures to draw a healthy dose of the 49ers’ All-Pro tight end.
Branch has the coverage skills to hang with the Kittle man-to-man. Plus, the defender is impactful in the run game because of good instincts and a quick first step that gets him into the backfield. On the flip side, Kittle is a load to bring down in the open field, and he gets into your chest as a blocker, good luck.
All that said, if you’re a sucker for best-on-best battles like me, this is one to circle.
Ezekiel to Vildor 😂😂😂
Really looking forward to this game tonight. A lot of fans are already looking ahead to next week, but I'm going to soak this one in. The post-season begins tonight. Playing their A game tonight will spring board them into their playoffs run.