The Detroit Lions have suffered for years, but they experienced new pain Sunday in the NFC Championship Game as they led 24-7 at halftime.
Their conquerors, the San Francisco 49ers, will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl after the defending champions beat the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game earlier Sunday.
The Lions, hoping to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in history, are 14-0 against a 49ers team known for struggling to tie games.Entering the third quarter, the lead expanded to 17 points Brandon Aiyuk’s amazing catch Sparking a 49ers comeback that will haunt Lions fans’ dreams for years to come.
“We played terrible in the first half, but we were still within 17 points. There were a lot of points to make up,” Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said. “D shut them out in the second half and this guy was right next to me [quarterback Brock Purdy] Let it happen. “
San Francisco came back from trailing by 17 or more points for the fourth time in the conference championship game thanks to some big plays from Purdy and critical mistakes by the Lions, including two failed fourth downs in field goal range. Detroit failed to reach its first Super Bowl in franchise history.
After being asked if he could lead a comeback, Purdy has done so twice in as many weeks. Last week, he hit the game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter to beat Green Bay and then pulled off an even bigger comeback against the Lions.
Christian McCaffrey ran for two touchdowns and seldom-used backup Elijah Mitchell ran for a three-yard score to make it 3-0 with 3:02 left. 34-24, helping the Niners overcome conference title game woes after losing the past two seasons.
Two years ago, the Niners blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams and then were forced to play without their regular quarterback after Purdy injured his elbow. Played most of last year’s championship game against Philadelphia. Kickoff starter and fourth-stringer Josh Johnson left the game early in the third quarter with a concussion.
But San Francisco has successfully made it back to this stage in its long journey and is now ready to bring the franchise a record-tying sixth Super Bowl title and first since the 1994 season.
A magical season for the Lions ended in heartbreak. Detroit remains the only team to have competed in every season of the Super Bowl era without making it to the final game. Detroit has won just one game in the past 56 seasons, but this appears to be the year to end its playoff drought.
But despite leading 24-7 at halftime, the Lions couldn’t get the job done.
San Francisco hit a field goal early in the second half, but the game turned around within four minutes.
Detroit head coach Dan Campbell elected to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the San Francisco 28, but Josh Reynolds was unable to catch Jared Goff’s pass, resulting in a turnover.
The Lions then appeared to have a potential interception when Purdy’s long pass hit Kindel Wildor’s facemask, but the ball popped out and was caught by Aiyuk for a stunning 51-yard gain. Purdy found Aiyuk for a six-yard score three plays later.
“Before the game, a ladybug landed on my shoe. You all know what that means,” Aiyuk said. “That’s all I can say. Beyond that, I don’t know.”
Jameer Gibbs then fumbled the ball during the scrimmage and gave McCaffrey a one-yard run to make it 24-24.
Things got worse for the Lions from that point, as Reynolds threw another pass on third down, leading to a chance for Detroit to punt at the one-yard line, but failed.
Purdy then led the Niners to their first lead of the game on a 33-yard field goal by Jake Moody.
Campbell missed game-tying field goals on fourth-and-3 during a 30-point drive midway through the fourth quarter. Goff threw an incomplete pass and the Niners scored a touchdown.
Goff threw a touchdown pass to Jameson Williams with 56 seconds left, but the 49ers recovered the kick to seal the victory. Goff went 25-of-41 for 273 yards and a touchdown.
