The Lions’ best asset was their ability to mimic coach Dan Campbell on the field. aggressive, unapologetic, intensely concentrated, and amazingly cohesive.
That everything crumbled in the second half of the NFC Championship game.
This week, the Lions’ collapse and the manner in which they gave up 27 unanswered points will be examined; in Detroit, it will be a topic of discussion for years to come. We saw in real time how unpredictable football can be, how a single play can completely change the course of events and send a team to victory when it looked unachievable before.
The Niners were ignited by Brandon Aiyuk’s 51-yard reception that sent him hurtling off Kindle Vildor, but the game’s pivotal play, in my opinion, occurred two plays earlier.
Josh Reynolds failed to secure a fourth-down pass with 7:03 remaining in the third quarter, and the Lions leading 14 points. It was an opportunity that he really, really should have taken. With the way the offense was moving the ball overall, Jared Goff made a reception when under pressure that would have probably resulted in a score for the Lions.
Players let passes slip. It takes place. Reynolds’ response following the drop, though, was what made me pause. The video cut to the sideline, where Reynolds could be seen chuckling about how his hand position was incorrect in relation to the rest of the receiving group, instead of fists being pounded, frustration, fury, or fire.
Ted Lasso once told us to “be a goldfish,” which makes some sense when it comes to brushing off a poor play. However, there are times when it pays to retain a certain level of fervor and frustration, particularly when you’re up against the 49ers and need to win to advance to the Super Bowl.
The Lions just stopped playing with the seriousness that the game required, and this was evident in the first half as well.
https://twitter.com/TSV__1/status/1751769230545162590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1751769230545162590%7Ctwgr%5E4cbd6244f0d627d7406bc16e19c6fbad63d1ba90%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sbnation.com%2Fnfl%2F2024%2F1%2F29%2F24053981%2Flions-49ers-nfc-championship-choke-superbowl-chiefs-ravens
Aiyuk’s valiant efforts allowed the 49ers to score later on. After a blunder by the Lions, San Francisco scored once more. One more drive, one more quick pass to Reynolds — one more drop. The score was 24–24 this time. Though it’s hard to say if things would have turned out differently if Reynolds had taken the first drop more seriously, after that he lacked the necessary gravity. It was already too late as the panic button was being smashed. The offense was out of sync, the defense was exhausted, and the result seemed certain.
We should take a close look at the 49ers’ desperate need for another game-winning play.
The fourth emergency call…
Without addressing Dan Campbell’s choice to go for it on fourth down during the second crucial moment near the end of the game, we cannot talk about the collapse. The first, when Reynolds fumbled the ball with Detroit leading by 14, has already been covered. The second occurred with 7:32 remaining in the contest.
At that point, the squad had to decide whether to go with the date they packed and rely on its top players, or take a 48-yard field goal with a kicker they hadn’t used much since December. In any case, the analytics indicate that this was a toss-up choice, with the slightest probability of winning.
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) January 29, 2024
Regardless of the numbers, here’s why I detest that choice: If we were to consider this instant in isolation, then by all means, go for it. The receiving corps at the time were not delivering, which is the problem. A number of receivers missed passes, Gibbs coughed up enough of the ball to make a fourth-and-three run impossible, and the 49ers were lining up around Amon-Ra St. Brown because they knew he was the Lions’ only trustworthy target right now.
A team needs a mechanism to take a step back, inhale deeply, and reset at that point. Three points were all that was required to send the game into overtime after the dust settled. Points are the only method to accomplish this.
What’s left are numerous problems that ultimately stem from one main problem: The Lions lost their identity and ceased to play the serious, big-boy style of football that characterized the first half of the game. The 49ers made them pay for playing at crucial positions as though they had the NFC Championship locked up.
Victor: Brock Purdy
Over the next two weeks, there will be an unbearable amount of conversation about Brock Purdy, but in the end, he deserves his roses.
Our inclination is to act in extremes. Regarding the Niners quarterback, he should be classified as the best quarterback in the NFL or as complete garbage. Like most things, the truth is that he’s in the middle. It’s acceptable for Purdy to be the greatest quarterback the 49ers have had since Colin Kaepernick while simultaneously not being on the same level as Patrick Mahomes.
His performance in the NFC Championship is a continuation of his season-long efforts. Purdy carries out the Kyle Shanahan game plan, and he can find ways to produce huge plays when things become tough. At the end of the game, Purdy showed evidence of this when he realized there were openings in the center of the field for him to run through, even though the Lions were trying to overwhelm him with pressure.
When it wasn’t in the cards for a large portion of the season, it takes a great deal of courage to improvise that manner, and when it meant most, he won the game.
There is no doubt that Brock Purdy deserves to start at quarterback in the Super Bowl.
Winner: The Chiefs, disproving everyone else.
When Travis Kelce and company ran out the “everyone doubted us” mantra following their Super Bowl LVII victory, I was furious. It was incredibly overdone, and it happened after most of the media accepted the Chiefs had taken a slight offensive step back but still thought they were a terrific team.
They’ve more than earned the privilege to strut this year.
Brett Veach, the general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs, and the entire front office staff merit much more recognition than they have received thus far. This group came to the realization that its dominant offensive style wasn’t sustainable, and it changed its strategy to become a defensive one, knowing deep down that Patrick Mahomes and Ryan Kelce were capable of scoring points.
This season, there were many instances when it didn’t work, but when it counted most, the Chiefs produced their finest football. This club is naturally adept at winning in the postseason, and Andy Reid is a master at maintaining his team’s concentration on the job at hand. The Chiefs never felt that their only objective in the playoffs was to return to the Super Bowl. It’s an uncommon quality that’s frequently only possessed by teams like the Patriots and Bill Belichick.
The Chiefs’ victory over the Ravens in the AFC Championship served as a symbol of their progress throughout the past season. In the past, it made sense to conclude that the Chiefs would lose if we predicted that they would score 17 points and be outgained on offense. The Chiefs were expert and bending, but never breaking — and of course it helps when L’Jarius Snead makes the play of his career to punch the ball away from Zay Flowers at the goal line. At no point have we been conditioned to believe this club can win in these circumstances.
Lamar Jackson’s supporting cast, who at last gave him a boost this year, was crucial to Baltimore’s chances. The Chiefs eliminated that chance. All of this is their due.
Lamar Jackson is the loser.
One more year, one more chance lost. To be clear, Lamar Jackson is not a typical loser; rather, he is the unhappy winner due to the Ravens’ actions versus the Chiefs.
The team surrounding Jackson declined at the worst possible time, which made it difficult for him to reach the Super Bowl once more. Jackson had to return to playing hero ball because Zay Flowers was the only member in his supporting cast who volunteered to play.
He was, let’s face it, the best offensive player for the Ravens. He is always the same. Even though Jackson was far from flawless, until this team finds more dependable players who can step up when the team needs them to, they will never, ever be able to overcome this setback.
It’s unfortunate that Baltimore has yet another offseason filled with uncertainties and lost chances.
