2024 NFC Championship Game: Detroit Lions (14-5) @ San Francisco 49ers (13-5)

[MichiganCardinal]

This Ford Field watch party is going to be packed. They've already sold out of lower bowl tickets.

[Hongbit]

For anyone that is going or thinking about going.    Understand that Niner fans are right there with Philly and the old Oakland Raiders for nastiest fans in the league.

You could get lucky and park or sit next to the small contingent of the wine and cheese crowd but it will likely not be a fun, welcoming, parking lot and in stadium scene where fans wish you good luck and may the best team win.  It’s the kind of place that you go in groups to the bathroom.  

[MichiganCardinal]

20 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

For anyone that is going or thinking about going.    Understand that Niner fans are right there with Philly and the old Oakland Raiders for nastiest fans in the league.

You could get lucky and park or sit next to the small contingent of the wine and cheese crowd but it will likely not be a fun, welcoming, parking lot and in stadium scene where fans wish you good luck and may the best team win.  It’s the kind of place that you go in groups to the bathroom.  

Some of the dumbest too. I was reading one of their message boards, and (a lot of) that sample was completely out of touch with reality. This is an actual quote insulting Cowherd's comments hyping the Lions:

Quote

 

Purdy>Goff

McCaffery>Gibbs/Montgomery

Kittle>LaPorta

Williams>Sewell

Deebo/Aiyuk>St.Brown/Reynolds

Warner>Campbell

Ward>Branch

 

Cowherd is delusional

 

For one, these comps are stupid to begin with, because games are played offense against defense, not Pro Bowl skill competitions between position groups... Even so, I think it's more fairly stated as:

Goff > Purdy

CMC > Gibbs/Montgomery (but difficult in many ways because you're comping one player against two)

LaPorta > Kittle

Sewell >> Williams

St. Brown > Deebo

Aiyuk > Reynolds

Warner > Anzalone (why are they comping a LB1 with a rookie LB3?)

Branch=Lenoir (why are they comping an outside CB1 with a rookie nickel/free safety?)

 

These are two pretty evenly matched teams. I expect an extremely close game.

In fairness, this was a response later down the line:

Quote

Dude- a few of those guys are studs. Let's not be homers. We had all year for that. This is the championship game. It's going to be a good battle.

 

Edited January 22, 2024 by MichiganCardinal

[MichiganCardinal]

I expect we see Houston finally activated this week. And I wouldn't be surprised if he's put 1x1 with Trent Williams and told to make his presence known.

[Motown Bombers]

Wasn't a 49ers game where Kelly Stafford threw a pretzel at a fan?

[gehringer_2]

27 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Wasn't a 49ers game where Kelly Stafford threw a pretzel at a fan?

That could be a different definition of a pretzel with mustard on it....

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, lordstanley said:

Campbell press conference streaming now.

 

Thanks for this. Campbell is just so straight forward with people....he's a down-to-earth...tell-it-like-it-is kinda guy. And giving credit to others while taking none for himself. That's pretty refreshing these days. 

[Sports_Freak]

32 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Wasn't a 49ers game where Kelly Stafford threw a pretzel at a fan?

That's assault, isn't it? Kind of a salty gal there....😁😄

[lordstanley]

57 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

For anyone that is going or thinking about going.    Understand that Niner fans are right there with Philly and the old Oakland Raiders for nastiest fans in the league.

You could get lucky and park or sit next to the small contingent of the wine and cheese crowd but it will likely not be a fun, welcoming, parking lot and in stadium scene where fans wish you good luck and may the best team win.  It’s the kind of place that you go in groups to the bathroom.  

Thanks for the insight. That's exactly what my business partner said, although his experience was more with the old stadium. Thought maybe it would be different at Levi's but apparently not. I don't drink alcohol before or at games and I'm pretty reserved on the road (except for Wings @ Canucks games). Will bring a jacket to wear as necessary and play it by ear. 

[MichiganCardinal]

12 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

Thanks for the insight. That's exactly what my business partner said, although his experience was more with the old stadium. Thought maybe it would be different at Levi's but apparently not. I don't drink alcohol before or at games and I'm pretty reserved on the road (except for Wings @ Canucks games). Will bring a jacket to wear as necessary and play it by ear. 

I feel like the general rule for away games is the same it as at your local bar. Don't look for trouble and you won't find trouble. I doubt you'll have any issues. I'd also be surprised if you don't have at least something of a contingent of Lions fans to have each other's backs up there.

[MichiganCardinal]

I hope Goff realizes that the 49ers have one timeout left when we are taking knees in this game.

[Motown Bombers]

55 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I expect we see Houston finally activated this week. And I wouldn't be surprised if he's put 1x1 with Trent Williams and told to make his presence known.

I kind of thought Tampa was the team to play Houston. It seems the 49ers would be the team you would want your best run defending lineman to play. 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[romad1]

12 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I hope Goff realizes that the 49ers have one timeout left when we are taking knees in this game.

Yes, I definitely hope that too.

[oblong]

9 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

This is why I think these games and this run is the biggest sporting thing ever for the city and state. It already tops anything in other sports.  You guys are all living it and experiencing something that might not be topped. Even if they win it all in another year. Sometimes the ride up is more fun.  
 

kind of like if the Tigers won in 2012 or 2013 it still may not have been more exciting for me than 2006.  

Maybe I am over reacting since it’s been 10 years since we’ve had anything to cheer 
 

 

[MichiganCardinal]

6 minutes ago, romad1 said:

Yes, I definitely hope that too.

I noticed it live, but when a timeout wasn't called, I figured the graphic on the board was wrong. I was sure that was the case until I went and watched a replay. It's insane that Bowles didn't call a timeout.

[NYLion]

9 hours ago, Motown Bombers said:

Including the playoffs, the Lions are 22-7 in their last 29 games. 

4-19-1 to start the Campbell era directly into 22-7 and an NFC Championship berth at minimum. It's hard to recall such a sudden turnaround in sports history although there were a lot of close losses in that 4-19 stretch so it felt like the Lions were close to turning around.

[lordstanley]

22 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I hope Goff realizes that the 49ers have one timeout left when we are taking knees in this game.

I've long thought it would be better form to always let the clock run down when taking knees, just in case. The chances of a fumbled snap or offensive holding are very low, but why risk it. You've essentially won the game, just be patient, and snap as late as you can in case disaster happens. It's only delaying your celebration by a minute or less. 

[Hongbit]

13 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I noticed it live, but when a timeout wasn't called, I figured the graphic on the board was wrong. I was sure that was the case until I went and watched a replay. It's insane that Bowles didn't call a timeout.

He shouldn’t have conceded the game when he did.  That was a mistake.  When he did make the decision to concede, the right thing to do is to follow through.  

[Motown Bombers]

 

[romad1]

46 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I noticed it live, but when a timeout wasn't called, I figured the graphic on the board was wrong. I was sure that was the case until I went and watched a replay. It's insane that Bowles didn't call a timeout.

I congratulated him on being a gentleman.  Might have also been a mistake on his part and MCDC didn't want to call him out on it. 

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

America's team!!

[lordstanley]

42 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

He shouldn’t have conceded the game when he did.  That was a mistake.  When he did make the decision to concede, the right thing to do is to follow through.  

Yeah, should have gone like this:

- Lions take over with 1:33 to go at Tampa 28

- 1st knee on 1st down to Tampa 29, Tampa time out #3 with 1:31 to go

- Lions take 2nd knee on 2nd down to Tampa 30 and then let the play clock run out, take the delay of game (rather than calling a timeout with 1 second on play clock)

- Lions take 3rd knee from Tampa 36 with around 48 seconds to go and then let the play clock run out, take the delay of game (rather than calling timeout with 1 second on play clock). Sets up 4th down from Tampa 42 with 6 seconds or less to go

- Only real risk would be a "trouble with the snap" a la Michigan vs Michigan St. or a blocked punt and 50+ yard runback.

- Punt it through the end zone. That will use up at least 4 seconds, leaving 2 seconds from the 20 yard line, no time for Tampa to first pick up some yards with a sideline throw. Have to go right into a one-play Stanford/rugby play.

 

Edited January 23, 2024 by lordstanley

[Sports_Freak]

11 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

Washington was last in an NFC Championship game against us. Dry spell...

[Sports_Freak]

2 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

Yeah, should have gone like this:

- Lions take over with 1:33 to go at Tampa 28

- 1st knee on 1st down to Tampa 29, Tampa time out #3 with 1:31 to go

- Lions take 2nd knee on 2nd down to Tampa 30 and then let the play clock run out, take the delay of game (rather than calling a timeout with 1 second on play clock)

- Lions take 3rd knee from Tampa 36 with around 48 seconds to go and then let the play clock run out, take the delay of game (rather than calling timeout with 1 second on play clock). Sets up 4th down from Tampa 42 with 8 seconds to go

- Only real risk would be a "trouble with the snap" a la Michigan vs Michigan St. or a blocked punt and 50+ yard runback.

- Punt it through the end zone. That will use up at least 4 seconds, leaving 4 seconds from the 20 yard line, no time for Tampa to first pick up some yards with a sideline throw. Have to go right into a one-play Stanford/rugby play.

 

And then during a hail Mary pass, referees call a pass interference penalty on Detroit at their 15 yard line. One untimed play. We've seen that movie before. Bowles should have used his remaining timeout. It's a frigging playoff game, there is no tomorrow. If that were my team, I would be mad. Can you imaging TP? He would throw his phone....😆