Free Press sports writers share their predictions for the Detroit Lions ' NFC championship game Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers (6:30 p.m. ET, Fox) from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers are 7-point favorites.
The 49ers have been the best team in the NFC this season, and I do think they have a better roster than the Lions, with more top-end talent and better playmakers on both sides of the ball. But I've seen enough Disney movies to know most sports-related Cinderella stories are based on real life, and this Lions season has that kind of feel to it .
The Lions are a good team and they're playing with a boatload of confidence. Goff hasn't turned the ball over this postseason, Aidan Hutchinson has been on a monthlong heater and there will be a ton of Lions fans in attendance Sunday . This game is going down to the wire, and whoever has the ball last is going to Las Vegas for Super Bowl 58. I trust Campbell in late-game situations and I think the Lions are headed to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. The pick: Lions 28, 49ers 27
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It's tempting to pick the Lions, who are on the ride of a lifetime. Especially since the Niners nearly lost their playoff opener to the seventh-seeded Packers . But last week's narrow win featured some strange variables, like poor weather that won't be present this week, and led to Brock Purdy struggling to throw. They also had to adjust to losing receiver Deebo Samuel early in the game, and the wildest anomaly was Aaron Jones running for 100 yards for the first time in the past 50 games against the Niners defense. I would chalk up at least some of that performance to rust from a three-week layoff after the Niners rested starters in Week 18. The Lions' defense has gotten steadier play and the offense continues to hum, but they won't sneak up on a Niners team that's playing in its fourth straight NFC title game and nearly got embarrassed at home last week. The pick: 49ers 28, Lions 24
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Back in training camp, I predicted the Lions would get to the NFC championship and lose. But this Lions offense is better than I anticipated and the defense has improved. The 49ers have a tremendous team; and on paper, San Francisco should win this game. But I've watched San Francisco at times this season and thought: man, they are beatable. If Jared Goff can stay away from turning the ball over, which he has done so far in the playoffs, and if the Lions can create some, this game will swing to the Lions. So I'm going against my original pick. This is the Lions year. Get ready Vegas, here comes a rush of Lions fans. The pick: Lions 31, 49ers 28
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Everything I think about the NFL playoffs tells me San Francisco will win this game. Except for this: there are stories, and sometimes stories involve teams that get rolling, or find the hand of the heavens, or both. And each of their last two wins, the Lions benefited from the fate of the Football Gods. They made their own place, yes, and played well enough to win both. But a play or two the other way and their season would be over. The games have been that close. And while the 49ers have home-field advantage, more experience, and a slightly better overall roster, the Lions are writing a story, and are finding a way to make a play, so why would we believe they can't do it one more time? Teams create their own momentum this way this time of year. Dan Campbell has every player in his locker room believing they can do this. They know they are good. They know that while this may feel improbable to so many who have loved this team for so long, this isn't a Cinderella story on the field. They have real talent. And the talent will give them the chance to keep telling the story. The pick: Lions 27, 49ers 24
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: NFC championship game predictions for Detroit Lions vs. 49ers
