NFL: San Francisco 49ers vs Detroit Lions NFC Championship betting details and preview

This year’s NFC Championship game features two teams that desperately want to reach the Super Bowl. The San Francisco 49ers have lost in the NFC Championship for the past two seasons and would hate to feel that pain for a third year in a row. The Detroit Lions franchise has never been to a Super Bowl, and the fans in Detroit are starving for a Super Bowl appearance.

Game details

The San Francisco 49ers will play against the Detroit Lions on January 28 in San Francisco with a trip to Super Bowl LVIII on the line. The 49ers are favoured by a decent margin heading into this game on NFL betting sites. The 49ers have -340 odds to win the game on Bodog. The Lions are early underdogs. The Lions have +270 odds to reach their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

The point spread is seven points. The 49ers are at -7. The Lions are at +7. The over/under betting market is over/under 51 points at -110. The 49ers scored 24 points against the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round last week. The Lions are averaging 27.5 points in the playoffs this year, they scored 24 against the Los Angeles Rams and 31 on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These were also two of the highest scoring teams during the regular season.

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— NFL (@NFL) January 22, 2024

The Lions one game away from history

The Detroit Lions defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 in the first round of the playoffs. Then they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 in the second round. But defeating the 49ers in the NFC Championship should be their toughest task of the season by far. The Lions might have to play this game without two of their starting offensive linemen. Guard Jonah Jackson is expected to miss the game due to a minor meniscus tear, according to reports. Center Frank Ragnow is questionable because he sprained his knee and ankle during the Buccaneers game, according to reports.

The Lions look like a team that has the capability to upset the 49ers. Last week the 49ers allowed the Packers to rush for 136 yards. The Lions were fifth in rushing yards per game during the regular season at 135.9 yards per game. They should have a shot in this game if they can run the ball and protect quarterback Jared Goff when he is in the pocket. A big concern is whether or not the offensive line will hold up with the injuries. The 49ers sacked Baker Mayfield four times last week. Goff is not a mobile quarterback. He will be in for a long night if the 49ers put pressure on him and he is sacked four or more times.

The Lions defence is allowing only 23 ppg so far this postseason, but this team is carried by their offence. If they can not run the ball and Goff is under pressure throughout the game, it is tough to imagine how they will win this game. They will need 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to replicate the four interception game he had against the Baltimore Ravens in week 16.

Championship Sunday is set! #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/rq4SaUnt7a

— NFL (@NFL) January 22, 2024

The 49ers are back in the NFC Championship for the third straight season

After losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 31-7 in the NFC Championship game — even though injuries to their quarterbacks played a huge role — last season and losing to the Rams 20-17 in the NFC Championship the year prior, the 49ers are back. The 49ers narrowly defeated the Packers 24-21 in the Divisional Round to earn their spot. This has been one of the best teams in the league all season on both sides of the ball, but they might be without one of their best players on Sunday in star wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Samuel is questionable for the game due to a left shoulder injury. Without Samuel, the 49ers offence did not look the same against the Packers.

Although Brock Purdy had a great season and was one of the MVP betting favourites during the second half of the season, an argument can be made that he has cost his team multiple games this season. If Samuel does not play, Purdy could have another one of those games. But unlike Goff, Purdy also has one of the best defences in the league behind him. The 49ers defence held a Packers team that had just scored 48 points on the Dallas Cowboys in the first round to 21 points last week. To make things worse for the Lions, they are also going up against the best running back in the league this year in Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers will be tough to beat if Purdy does not turn the football over.