Prediction: 49ers blow out Lions

The 49ers will blow out the Lions on national television Sunday night, 33-13.

Take this prediction with a grain of salt. I was way off last week, predicting the 49ers would lose by 11 to the Packers. Whoops.

Here’s why I think the Niners will beat the Lions by 20:

  1. Detroit’s offense will be one-dimensional. They’ll pass almost every offensive snap.
  2. Detroit’s offensive line is completely overmatched by the Niners’ defensive line.
  3. Stafford is not as good as Aaron Rodgers, who can buy time behind the line of scrimmage, calmly go through all his reads and fire passes into tight windows. Stafford is mechanical and skittish in the pocket. Once the pressure’s on him, he’s toast.
  4. The Lions defense will load the box with eight players to stop the 49ers’ running game, but they won’t stop it. Greg Roman will figure out more clever ways to beat defenses with the run when they know a run is coming. Expect to see draws, screens and fly sweeps.
  5. With the box loaded up, Alex Smith will complete four or five long passes – shot plays – to Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and Vernon Davis. The Lions secondary is not good enough to slow down those players.
  6. The Niners will demoralize the Lions in the first half, maybe the first quarter. The Niners defense will sack Stafford. The Niners offense will establish the run game and complete a couple long passes, and the Lions will realize the Niners can get whatever they want, and we’ll see the Lions players and coaches sulk on the field.

That’s how I see it happening. What’s your prediction?

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