Jared Goff threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns and Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 117 yards and a touchdown on Monday as the Detroit Lions outlasted San Francisco 40-34.The Lions improved to 14-2 and matched Minnesota atop the NFC North division, setting the stage for a showdown between the two clubs next week in Detroit to decide the top seed for the NFC playoffs.Next week’s Lions-Vikings winner will capture a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs while the loser will be a wildcard fifth seed and spend the playoffs on the road.No teams in NFL history will have played a season finale with so many combined triumphs.The Lions have the NFL’s top-scoring offensive unit, but their defensive side has been riddled by injuries and struggled again to stop the 49ers.Goff and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, who threw for a career-high 377 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, combined to complete their first 15 passes as offenses dominated and Detroit rallied as the second half began.Goff flipped a 6-yard touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta and a 2-point conversion pass to Tim Patrick after 5:02 of the third quarter to lift the Lions level at 21-21.The Niners (6-10) responded as Purdy threw a 5-yard touchdown toss to Deebo Samuel, but Detroit’s Jake Bates kicked a 57-yard field goal to tighten the margin.After Kerby Joseph intercepted a Purdy pass, the Lions grabbed their first lead of the game as Goff threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Detroit led 31-28.Bates added a 42-yard field goal to boost the Lions’ lead and Joseph made another pickoff, his ninth of the season, to kill a 49ers drive.The turnover set the stage for a 30-yard touchdown run by Jahmyr Gibbs and despite a missed conversion kick, Detroit owned a 40-28 edge with 2:58 remaining.Joshua Dodds scored on a 7-yard run for the Niners with 43 seconds remaining to create the final margin.- 49ers grab early edge -The Niners, who were eliminated from playoff contention last week, grabbed the lead after Purdy’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Pearsall off the opening drive.Jameson Williams answered for Detroit on a 3-yard touchdown run around left end, but San Francisco’s Jordan Elliott blocked the conversion kick to keep the 49ers ahead 7-6.Purdy found Kyle Juszczyk on a 9-yard touchdown toss early in the second quarter as San Francisco took a 14-6 edge.The Lions responded with a 41-yard touchdown play as Goff completed a short pass to St. Brown, who pitched the ball to Williams and watched him run the final 40 yards into the end zone as Detroit pulled within 14-13.San Francisco stretched the lead again as Purdy scored on a 9-yard touchdown run and the 49ers grabbed a 21-13 half-time advantage.
Tue, 31 Dec 2024 04:34:39 GMT
