The 49ers outscored the Lions by 24 points in the second half in another comeback victory,
The San Francisco 49ers pulled off a 34-27 comeback victory to defeat the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game, outscoring their opponent 27-3 in the second half to win.
In the game, the 49ers started slow once again, falling into a 24-7 pit at halftime, but found a way to make stops defensively, while scoring on all five second-half possessions to come out on top at the end.
The win sets up a rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Baltimore Ravens in a 17-10 slugfest, in the Super Bowl.
Following the game, 49ers analyst Rohan Chakravarthi shared his instant reaction to the team’s 34-27 win over the Detroit Lions, pointing out the major takeaways for the team moving forward.
Offense
Brock Purdy showcased why he is the 49ers franchise quarterback with his comeback performance on Sunday.
Yes, he didn’t have the best first half, throwing one interception and missing on a few throws, but his “gamer” mentality in the second half brought San Francisco back in the game.
Despite facing consistent pressure, Purdy was able to extend plays, either finding receivers or using his legs, and put on a show with 27 second-half points.
With the last two performances, he and Kyle Shanahan have blown away the close-game criticisms, showcasing they can win from behind in key games.
Speaking of Shanahan, the 49ers head coach outcoached Dan Campbell in this one, sticking with the run in the second half, which led to a 60-yard half for Christian McCaffrey. San Francisco was able to remain balanced, allowing them to effectively move the ball down the field for five scores in the second half.
Defense
The defense struggled once again early on, giving up 280 first-half yards in arguably their worst defensive performance since 2020 in a single half.
That led to an early 24-7 victory, with Detroit moving the ball in the air and on the ground consistently, as offensive coordinator Ben Johnson outcoached defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
Wilks played a ton of softer coverages, especially on third downs, which allowed Detroit to maneuver and consistently convert to extend drives.
But, in the second half, the 49ers were able to get two major fourth-down stops on questionable decisions from Dan Campbell, shutting down those drives.
Elsewhere, they got a fumble and forced a three-and-out to blanket the Lions until their last offensive drive. Steve Wilks made the necessary adjustments once again and the defense stepped up with their bend-don’t-break mentality.
Now, it’s on to Las Vegas for a rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs. Can the 49ers get their revenge?