The article 49ers defense hopes to prevail in front of the Lions in NFC final game first aired on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Following their divisional round loss to the Green Bay Packers, when running back Aaron Jones gained 108 yards on 18 runs, the 49ers will need to improve their front-end performance while facing the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
San Francisco allowed the third-fewest rushing yards (1,525) in the 2023 NFL regular season.
In contrast, the Lions rank seventh in rushing yards (2,311) and first in the NFL in rushing touchdowns (27) during the regular season.
On Thursday, 49ers general manager John Lynch said on KNBR’s “Murph & Mac” program, “We got to be better against the run.” “The Detroit club is one that firmly believes in the run. The way it kind of went down [against the Packers], our guys are not happy. They are pleased that we managed to prevail. Arrogant defenses, excellent defenses, typically address such issues.
“I know that’s our challenge, I know that Detroit will [have] pride and try to find the same thing.”
Like Lynch, 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks wants to keep Detroit’s run game at bay, recognizing what concerns come against a successful run game.
Wilks told reporters on Thursday, “I think it’s really their run game, which in turn affects their protection, not so much [the Lions’] protection.” As a result, while they are running well, they can use play-action to somewhat slow us down. We must thus do a fantastic job of stopping, taking away the run game, and making these folks into one-dimensional characters. It won’t be an easy task either since [Jared] Goff is a really excellent quarterback.
Detroit’s offensive line, which includes Goff, a native of the Bay Area, Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta, is both talented and adaptable.
The 49ers need to maintain discipline in order to prevent play fakes and misdirection if the Lions’ run game develops traction.
Even if San Francisco’s defensive line is having difficulty earning sacks, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan isn’t too concerned about rattling Goff. A strong offense’s run game should compliment its throwing game.
Shanahan told reporters on Thursday, “I don’t go in there and say, ‘Look at these millions, look at the zero sacks, this isn’t acceptable.'” “I enter and examine how we prevailed and how it happened. In the event of a four-man rush, where players consistently chip in and the back stays in to assist, you have eight players in coverage, one quarterback, two players out on a route, and seven players in protection. most likely won’t receive many sacks, but I also doubt they’ll score many points.
It has a certain equilibrium. Yes, we would prefer more sacks, but I like the way our [defensive] line plays, so that’s how we’re going to play the man.
The Lions won both of their NFL playoff games this January, scoring 55 total points in addition to 58 touchdowns over their 17 regular-season games.
San Francisco needs to defeat Detroit in the trenches in order for the 49ers to advance to Super Bowl LVIII.
