Lions Are Live Dogs Against 49ers

Lions vs. 49ers 6:30 ET

It was one of the worst betting weekends I've had in quite some time. I didn't get a single thing right as I bet on all four games last weekend. I thought the Bills would cover, the Texans would cover, the 49ers would make light work of the Packers, and the Lions were either going to lose or at least have a close game against the Buccaneers. The exact opposite happened in every one of those games. It is hard to have a perfect record in betting, but it can be equally difficult to be wrong about everything too. I'm looking to balance the ship and get this game right as the Lions take on the 49ers with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Not many had the Lions getting this far. I wouldn't say that no one picked them to be here, but winning two playoff games might be a little ahead of schedule for this team, right? Whatever the case may be, they've gotten to the NFC Championship. Now they need to go on the road for the first time as they take on the 49ers, the favorite to make the Super Bowl. In the first two playoff games, they escaped with a victory rather than were dominant. Against the Rams they bent, but didn't break and won by one point as they survived. The defense came alive more in the second half, holding their opponent to just six points. The offense also disappeared though and they only scored three points in the second half. Against the Buccaneers it was a bit different. The defense was a little more reliable and consistent in this game, but the offense was the true star of the show. Jared Goff was great in the second half and the team was able to get touchdown after touchdown in the second half. They did it without relying on any one person too much. Four players had at least three receptions, the carries were split between Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery (Gibbs was more successful). The big thing is that they had a plan, they stuck to it, and it worked out for them. A balanced offense and an aggressive defense can cause a problem for any team.

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 31: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers hands the ball off to Christian McCaffrey #23 during the first half of the game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on December 31, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

The 49ers didn't look very good in their playoff opener, did they? No disrespect towards the Packers, they were playing great football, but I was pretty unimpressed with the way the 49ers played in this one. Still, they pulled it out in the 4th quarter, outscoring Green Bay 10-0. I will give San Francisco credit, they were able to spread the ball around, and continued to get Christian McCaffrey involved in the game, even when you know he was going to be the focal point of the Packers defensive plan. The bigger question in this game is if Deebo Samuel will play. He had two receptions on two targets for 24 yards in this game and left early. He hasn't practiced this week but did take part in sprints. His shoulder is the issue though, so a sprint really isn't a big deal. In this game, they are going to need to see if Brock Purdy can really lead the team. The Lions defense is very good against the run. McCaffrey is dynamic, and they won't just abandon him (they can throw it to him as well). However, Purdy needs to find ways to get completions and make the Lions respect the passing game so that he can give McCaffrey even a bit more space.

I like the 49ers to win this game, but I'm not as confident that they will cover. I like the way the Lions are playing and they have a lot of confidence in their team. At this point, they are also playing with house money. I am going to take the points (7.5) with the Lions as I think they have a reasonable chance of making the Super Bowl, but at the very least should be able to keep it close against the 49ers.

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