The Detroit Lions celebrated a 40:34 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the last NFL game of 2024 at the end of Week 17 and provided real offensive fireworks.
Lions @ 49ers: At a glance
- Although there was almost nothing at stake for both teams in this game, both of them put on real offensive fireworks the day before New Year’s Eve.
- Kerby Joseph ultimately made the difference for the Lions because he caught two interceptions against Brock Purdy.
- Stars on both sides provided historic statistical milestones during this game.
Lions @ 49ers: The game report
From the start, both sides fought an open exchange of blows with very little defense and mostly creative offense. The first five drives of the game all resulted in touchdowns. The 49ers were ahead 21-13 at halftime after Brock Purdy threw touchdown passes to Ricky Pearsall and Kyle Juszczyk and then went on a 9-yard scramble run touchdown of his own.
The Lions, in turn, found the end zone for the first time with a 3-yard rushing touchdown after a motion by wide receiver Jameson Williams with a sweep. The highlight of the first half, however, was Williams’ second touchdown of the game. Jared Goff threw a pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who hooked the ball to Williams and ran for 41 yards. However, after five touchdowns in a row, the first half ended with a turnover on downs in the red zone for the Lions, while kicker Jake Moody missed a 51-yard field goal attempt.
After the break, the scoring continued – the Lions initially equalized with a ten-play drive. Goff found Sam LaPorta for a 6-yard touchdown pass, then Tim Patrick caught the ball in the end zone for a 2-point conversion. However, the home side responded immediately in just over two minutes. After a few chunk plays by Pearsall and George Kittle, Deebo Samuel gave the Niners the lead again after a jet-motion pop pass.
Afterwards, both defenses came into their own a little better. On the Niners’ side, Nick Bosa stopped another long drive with his second sack, leaving the Lions with a 57-yard field goal from Jake Bates. A little later they had the ball back, because Purdy threw Pearsall over the middle without pressure and only found safety Kerby Joseph, who caught his eighth interception of the season. Shortly afterwards, Goff finally found St. Brown, who turned the game around with a short touchdown catch.
Gibbs ensures a preliminary decision
As a result, Moody missed a field goal attempt from 58 yards, Bates did better from 42 yards and the following Niners drive came to an abrupt end on the edge of the red zone with another interception from Purdy to Joseph, his ninth Pick of the season caught. The Lions also took advantage of this mistake and Jahmyr Gibbs ran for a 30-yard touchdown to tie the game with less than three minutes to play.
To make matters worse, Purdy apparently injured his wrist shortly before the end during a sack by Brian Branch and was replaced by Joshua Dobbs within the last two minutes. He even ran for another touchdown with 43 seconds on the clock, but after the following onside kick the game was over.
This result no longer has a major impact on either team. It was already clear to the Lions that they would have a “final” for the NFC North against the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday. For the Niners, the game only had statistical value anyway.
Detroit Lions (14-2) @ San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
Result: 40:34 (6:7, 7:14, 18:7, 9:6) BOXSCORE
Lions @ 49ers: Key stats
- George Kittle broke the 1,000 receiving yard mark in a season for the fourth time in his career in this game. He is only the fifth tight end to achieve this at least four times. The others are Travis Kelce (7 times), Tony Gonzalez, Rob Gronkowski and Jason Witten (4 each).
- Jameson Williams’ rushing touchdown was the Lions’ 25th rushing touchdown of the season. They are now the second team in NFL history to score at least 35 passing and 25 rushing touchdowns in a season. Previously, only the St. Louis Rams of the 2000 season had achieved this.
- Purdy’s intentionally dropped pass in the second quarter was his first incompletion of the game. Previously he was 9/9 for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns.
- The Lions are now the first team in NFL history to have two running backs and two wide receivers with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards each (St. Brown, Williams, David Montgomery, Gibbs).
- The Lions have now played five games this year in which they scored at least 40 points and did not commit a turnover. That’s a new NFL single-season record!
The star of the game: Kerby Joseph (Safety, Lions)
In a game that resembled a shooting festival and in which no defense did much, it was Joseph who made the two most important – and actually only – stops for a Lions defense that was weakened by replacements. He ultimately made the difference in a long open game.
The flop of the game: Brock Purdy (quarterback, 49ers)
At times, Purdy even had a perfect passer rating and looked like he could keep up with the Lions offense in open exchanges. But then he made two serious mistakes – the interceptions – almost out of the blue. Unfortunately for the 49ers, that also made the difference in this game dominated by offense.
The highlight of the game
In a game full of spectacular offensive plays, this was probably the best designed play. The hook-and-ladder touchdown from Goff to St. Brown to Williams came at exactly the right time, duped the entire defense and couldn’t have been played better in college.