49ers get the edge over Lions in most categories

Posted By on September 15, 2018

Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia listens to a reporters question after an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Detroit, Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. The Jets won 48-17. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

The 49ers could beat the Lions before the game even starts.

The Lions no-showed their season opener at home against the New York Jets. Lost 48-17. Embarrassed themselves on Monday Night Football. Matthew Stafford threw four picks. Sunday, he could be gun-shy, afraid to throw over the middle. Afraid to throw period.

Some of the Lions players reportedly already have turned on head coach Matt Patricia, who has coached only one game. Now, they have to fly across the country and play on a short week. They had one fewer day to prepare than the 49ers.

By the time the Lions get over their blowout loss from last week, they could be losing big again.

Advantage: 49ers.

These are the critical matchups that will determine who wins.

1. Kyle Shanahan versus Matt Patricia: The rematch.

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This article has 53 Comments

  1. To think if they had drafted Lattimore and the comparison was not Richard Sherman but him….
    This defense would look totally different.
    They have done great in later rounds, but have whiffed the top picks in both drafts.
    Drafting Thomas was a horrible miscue.
    You draft Lattimore you change the entire dynamic of the defense. Thomas does nothing.
    Further this year, if you trade up and get Roquan Smith after getting Lattimore last year-just think about what this defense would be now with those 2 instead of Sherman and Thomas. Or keep Brown and trade up for Nelson. Either would have made a 180 of difference. You can’t whiff your first round picks and plans around them. Hopefully draft 3 isn’t the same…..

  2. Well …
    The Niners .. were ..instilled as 5 ½ point favorites
    in this game .. a few days ago … and that’s a bit more than a
    measly .. “home field advantage” … right ?

    so-o-o … there’s that… I guess

    1. That is not a good sign. Detroit is not a very good team. If the game is close at home, real questions about Kyle, Lynch and this team will grow,

      1. Sure, one team is on short week, but not short like a Thursday night game would be. The bigger factor for me is that one team is nearly 100% healthy, the other is absolutely decimated with injuries.

        Tough game to handicap. I originally had the 49ers penciled in as a 8-9 point favorite today, with the possibility of blowing out the Lions. However, after factoring in all of the injuries to key personnel, I’d put the line closer to a pick-em.

        And the 49ers are one more OL injury away from chaos, knock on wood. I am really becoming concerned about Jimmy’s health at this point. The situation on the OL is getting close to dire, if Person and Garnett don’t get healthy in a hurry!

        1. Grant, no way should this be an easy win for the 49ers, with this many key injuries. If these teams were relatively healthy, I would agree. In fact, I had this game penciled in as an easy win for the Niners, with the real possibility of a blowout, as recently as a month ago.

          I have this game closer to a pick’em now, due to the injury factor.

          Off topic but, watching around the league, it appears we’ve seen a roaring return of Alex “dink and dunk” Smith.

          And what is up with Drew Brees and company?

  3. If the Niners stop beating themselves, they will win.
    .
    If KS can make the proper adjustments, they can win.
    .
    If JG has time to throw, he can carve them up. Hope he scores TDs, instead of settling for field goals.
    .
    If the Niner defense can shut down the run game, they can make Detroit one dimensional, which will make it easier to win.
    .
    Niners 24-23.

    2. Detroit will be up for this game as their season is on the line. Last week we should have won. The entire team was a disappointment. Lots of questions now about how good a FA evaluator Lynch is. Kyle has his drawbacks as well. Jimmy G needs to show something today. No, our WR’s are in no way impressive. We do need help. Not Josh but someone. We won’t compete for the playoffs this year for the playoffs. But in another year maybe we draft better and come up with better FA’s.

      1. You have to remember that this was a 2 win team 2 years ago. Rome was not built in a day.
        .
        Minnesota was a tough first opponent. They were in the NFCC Game last season, and have SB ambitions.
        .
        Glad the Niners were competitive, but agree that they had a chance to win.
        .
        Lynch has tried very hard to obtain decent FAs, but just remember, they became FAs because their team did not lock them into a long term contract, so were thought expendable. I will not fault JL for McKinnon’s injury.
        .
        Both Josh and Dez are locker room distractions. Niners, if they are building for the future, do not need them.

  4. Classic Grant you think it should be over before the 4th qtr?? Why so you can bag on them and say how poorly they played if it isn’t but they get the win anyway. This is going to be a close game historically teams play much harder when they get blown out the week before it wouldn’t shock me if game came down to final minutes I think niners win 27-24.

  5. Early in the season but this is a defining game! This is a game the 49ers are favored to win and must win. Good teams win the games they are supposed to win. No excuses. As Grant notes the Shannahan- Partricia match up will be fascinating. It will telling to see not only how the Lions defend Shannahan’s outside zone blocking but also how his defense chooses to try and limit Garoppolo. If the game is close it will provide some great intel to other teams the 49ers play this year.

  6. I said 2 weeks ago I thought Detroit was the worse team in the NFL. I still believe that. But since it is only the second game of the season and Detroit’s players and coaches have been hearing every pundit crucify their performance against the Jets last Sunday, I have to believe that Detroit will come out and lay their body’s down vs the Niners. And if SF takes them lightly, fail to execute, continue their struggles in the Red Zone they could get upset. That’s why it is imperative that SF take a very cold blooded approach and attempt to crush them..

    1. Detroit was 9-7 last season, and now has a SB winning defensive guru coaching them. I agree, the Lions will be fired up to atone for their loss, and the Niners will not be able to steal their signals.
      .
      Personally, I think the Colts are weaker than the Lions, but then again, maybe we should wait until the Browns win a game before declaring they are not the cellar dwellers.

  7. Nice article Grant…..being balanced for once. But I don’t think it will be such an easy win for the 9ers.

    It will be a much closer game and I won’t be surprised if a Field goal decides the game.

    1. I think their mane goal will be to come out roaring, and claw their way to victory. The Lions do have pride.

  11. The problem with Patricia is he’s trying to coach the team like Belichick. Tough guy, no nonsense disciplinarian, Bill’s tremendous, continued success has allowed him to get away with it. He is a rare breed and a Hall of Famer. Rookie head coach? I don’t think so, especially if you trip coming out of the gate in your debut at home like the Lions did last week. Unfortunately for him, they will continue the ineptness this week. He won’t last long in Detroit trying to copy BB’s style. I agree that the Lions will show some fight at the beginning today out of pure pride, but ultimately, they will wilt and succumb. The team rebellion will continue after today’s loss. Matt’s gonna have to change if he plans on being around much longer. SF 34 DET 17

  12. Josh Gordon wants to join either 49ers or cowboys. nothing against Gordon but the guy just came back for been suspended three years for violating substance abuse policy. what do guys thing? Go niners!!!

  13. Mane, roaring, claw, pride. Word play galore. Extra coffee today Paul or an early trip to the shed? Enjoy the game! :)

  14. Leopards don’t change their spots Willeniner. I wouldn’t sign him. They have one of those already to deal with.JMHO

  17. Leopards don’t change their spots Willie. They already have one of those (Foster). Don’t sign.

  18. If the offensive line holds up, and the defensive line gets fired up playing off each other (like the “Smith and Smith” days( it would be a relatively safe Niners win. But with line questions everything is out the window.

    Completely agree that Sherman was not tested last week. In fact they didn’t have to test him at all because the other DBs were out of position or outplayed on a some critical downs. Here’s hoping the assignment/allignment issues are resolved and Witherspoon has another good game (not saying last week’s was good, but have seen him play really good football last year).

    Go Niners!

  19. Josh Gordon showed up at the Det facility Fri high as a kite, hence there willingness to suddenly part with him. No hammy strain, just politics. We need to pass on this guy. Wr not a position of need anyways, unless he can play rg.

  21. We already have a Gordon. He’ll be back in a week. Leopards don’t change their spots. Let’s hope this one does. I’m pulling for the kid, but signing Gordon? Not good. Pass.

    I said at the time, many times, that Patrick Mahomes was the best of his draft class, especially in regards to being NFL ready. Most disagreed on this sight. He’s proving me right. He was far and away the best QB I watched during his last college season when considering arm strength, accuracy and ability to move around. He’s the real deal.

    1. You’re starting to sound like Seb (Paul).
      .
      Please please don’t dive into that deep rathole.
      .
      Usually I find your takes quite educational and interesting.

      1. Nah, a lil bragging is OK when it’s fact based. I remember both Juan and Coffee promoting Mahomes when he came out of college.
        Seb, on the other hand………., well,…..you know.

        2. I said that Andy Reid was not content with a game manager, so they moved up and grabbed a Texas Tech gunslinger.
          .
          It is interesting to note that Buffalo traded back from number 10 overall to let KC grab him. Hindsight comes back to haunt the Bills. Again.
          .
          Pittsburgh is imploding, and Bell has tons of leverage. They should just Pay Da Man.
          .
          Juan is correct, and I remember his takes on the situation. Everyone likes a pat on the back, me included. I am happy to give kudos to Juan, because he does have football knowledge.

        3. “Nah, a lil bragging is OK when it’s fact based.”

          Yup. When you’re right, you’re right. Good call CfC.

    1. so-o-o….CFC…

      Who ya taking when the Niners go down to KC …

      THEIR … “gunslinger” …. or … ours ..?

      I will stick with ours …

      (Probably cuz I’m a bigger homer than you… I guess … huh ?)

  24. You guys are all hilarious! Ya make my day! I have them losing in KC 24-16 only because we never win in that house of horrors, not even in the glory years. Remember the drubbing the Steve Young led team took down there? I believe without looking it was 44-3 . We can evaluate JG vs PM after today’s game but the bar is set pretty high for JG.
    It would be nice to see them go down to KC and win, especially since I had them upsetting Minn in my season 10-6 prognostication, so I’m already a game behind. I have to make it up somewhere so why not there?

  25. What’s with New Orleans? Isn’t that the team Grant had playing in the SB vs Jacksonville? I have them this week in my suicide pool. They’re killing me!!

  26. Thanks Christine! I’m not normally a horn tooter but I remember the scoffing I endured when I opined about Mahomes! Advise welcomed however! I will adhere!

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