The Detroit Lions are expected to play their starters on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers, despite the game being a dud. The result is essentially meaningless.
We’re going out to play and win this game, out on the West Coast,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said last week.
The Lions, no matter what happens tonight against the Niners to conclude the NFL’s Week 17, must not lose Sunday in Week 18 against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field or else they would fall to the NFC’s No. 5 seed with a date at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Atlanta Falcons or Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round in two weeks.
The one benefit to a Lions (13-2) win against San Francisco (6-9): In the rare scenario where the Lions and Vikings go to overtime in Week 18, a tie would be just as good as a win for the Lions, since they would win the tiebreak with both teams at 14-2-1, having won the first head-to-head matchup at Minnesota.
Now, back to Monday’s Lions vs. 49ers game. Here are Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett’s two matchups to watch that will go a long way to deciding the outcome. —Marlowe Alter
Lions RT Penei Sewell vs 49ers DE Nick Bosa
Sewell made his NFL debut against Bosa and the 49ers on Sept. 12, 2021. He played left tackle (in place of an injured Taylor Decker) and allowed one sack and two other quarterback hits (all by Bosa), but played well enough that Bosa told reporters after the game, He’s going to be good.
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell (58) celebrates 34-17 win over Chicago Bears as he exits the field at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024.
Bosa was right. Sewell has turned into one of the best tackles in football and he’ll draw the primary assignment blocking San Francisco’s top pass rusher on Monday. Sewell told the Free Press that Bosa is one of the best” defensive ends in football, and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson reflected this week on how far Sewell has come since his debut.
From rookie year till now, all he’s done is polish up his game in terms of technique, in terms of fundamentals and honestly, I think it’s the leadership portion that stands out more to me than any,” Johnson said. “He really is the tone-setter for us on offense. You know what we’re going to get each and every week. He’s going to drive guys off the ball. He’s looking to take souls out there.
49ers TE George Kittle vs Lions LB Jack Campbell
The 49ers are playing without their best running back, best wide receiver and best offensive lineman, but they still feature a tight end in Kittle who Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn called “the best tight end in the game.
Jan 28, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) reacts after a play against the Detroit Lions during the second half of the NFC Championship football game at Levi’s Stadium.
He is a weapon and when you watch him on tape he looks even faster than he’s been in his years,” Glenn said. Man, he’s going up and getting the ball, he’s blocking. They’re getting the ball to him at the point of attack.
Kittle has 68 catches for 967 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He’s the NFL’s most well-rounded tight end, even if he’s not the best. Campbell, meanwhile, is the leader of the Lions defense with 116 tackles and 1½ sacks. He hasn’t been great in pass defense this year — he has allowed a 120 passer rating against, according to Pro Football Reference — and while he won’t cover Kittle all the time, he’s the only Lions linebacker who won’t leave the field.
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