The Detroit Lions have accomplished something this season that the franchise hasn’t done in over three decades; advance to the NFC Championship Game. After defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 last weekend, the No. 2 seed Lions will be heading on the road to face off against the No. 1 seed San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers punched their ticket to the NFCCG by defeating the Green Bay Packers in a game closer than many people thought it would be, 24-21. Heading into the matchup against Detroit, San Francisco has been installed as a sizable favorite.
The 49ers are seven-point favorites over the Lions, hinting at San Francisco having a big edge in the game. Don’t tell that to players on Detroit’s roster, however, as they are going to be ready to play regardless of what oddsmakers believe.
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Lions rookie defensive back Brain Branch gave some respect to their opponents this weekend, which is warranted. However, he made sure to remind everyone listening that his squad was a good one as well.
“San Fran is a really good team, but I feel like, shoot, we’re a really good team too,” Branch told the media, via SI.com’s All Lions’ John Maakaron. “If we’re clicking, there’s gonna be a rude awakening.”
Despite their regular season success, the Lions are still seen as the scrappy underdog in the eyes of many people. That is what happens when their victory during Super Wild Card Weekend was their first playoff win in three decades.
Based on the franchise’s lack of success, the Lions have been underestimated each step of the way. But, this current group of players isn’t letting that get in the way of them having success. They are a confident bunch and believe they have what it takes to go on the road and defeat the 49ers.
This could be a high-scoring affair as both offenses are high-powered, finishing top five in the NFL. The 49ers have a clear edge on paper defensively, but the Lions have shown they can make plays when needed the most.
Expect a highly competitive, back-and-forth game between the two most consistent teams in the NFC this season. The Lions and 49ers have been on a collision course for each other all season and it will culminate with a trip to the Super Bowl being on the line.
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