SANTA CLARA — A lot for Monday night time’s sport not that means something.
The standings may not have been affected, however the 49ers and Lions delivered one of many season’s most entertaining video games.
In fact, it ended the way in which so many Niners video games have ended — San Francisco fading within the fourth quarter and shedding.
Listed below are the studs and duds from the competition.
STUDS 💪
Ricky Pearsall – WR
This was the sport the 49ers wanted to see. This was the sport that Pearsall had been constructing in the direction of all season. Towards man-to-man protection, Pearsall feasted, not solely throwing sturdy blocks however catching a troublesome 3-yard landing, a ravishing 14-yard one-handed catch, and two 40-yard deep routes, ending with eight catches for 141 yards (with two carries, in addition). His first 100-yard NFL sport of many, I predict.
Jauan Jennings – WR
That’s the way you set a tone. Jennings didn’t catch a move on the sport’s first drive, however he delivered two large blocks that permit the Lions know that the 49ers weren’t right here for present. His driving of Terrion Arnold into the wall behind the end-zone might need been penalized, however it proved greater than well worth the bother, because the Niners scored a play later with Ricky Pearsall’s first landing catch at Levi’s Stadium.
Nick Bosa – DE
He labored over arguably the very best proper sort out in soccer, Penei Sewell all sport. And for good measure, he put left sort out Taylor Decker on his butt for his ninth sack of the season. Think about what this man may do absolutely wholesome.
George Kittle – TE
What’s new? Kittle stays the very best tight finish in soccer and the 49ers’ MVP of 2024.
DUDS 📉
Brock Purdy – QB
He was practically good.
Till he wasn’t.
Purdy threw three balls to Detroit security Kirby Joseph Monday, with the latter two interceptions counting within the field rating. It’s unforgivable — Purdy made a game-changing mistake that was wiped away by penalty. Then he made the identical mistake twice extra, together with on the very subsequent play. You possibly can’t win like that, even when you accomplish that a lot else in the course of the sport.
Maliek Collins – DT
The Lions attacked him all sport, and there was subsequent to no motive to cease doing it — it saved working. Collins is wrapping up a really disappointing first season for the 49ers. For all of the speak about guaranteeing Brock Purdy has nice gamers round him, Fred Warner and Bosa each deserve higher than the defensive tackles the 49ers rostered this season. The shortage of high quality play at that place made each stars’ jobs far more tough.
Talanoa Hufanga – SS
He was simple pickins for this Lions offense, a step (or 5) behind on practically each play.
Dee Winters – LB
See Hufanga, Talanoa. Add in a slew of missed tackles and undisciplined performs. He was working round with no plan for your entire sport.
Isaac Yiadim – CB
See Winters, Dee, and Hufanga, Talanoa, however you possibly can minimize him some slack as a result of expectations had been low.
Deebo Samuel – WR
Let me know when he can break free from man-to-man protection. I’ll wait. Joseph, the Lions security, ended the sport with extra catches.
Nick Sorensen – DC
Who calls a zone protection look on a fourth-and-goal play? The Lions carved up this protection, and it wasn’t simply the Niners’ diminished expertise that led to that — Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson labored over Sorensen tactically, too.
Jacob Cowing – WR
Should you’re questioning why we haven’t seen the rookie, his pointless choose play to negate a goal-to-go state of affairs to finish the primary half is why. It’s an enormous penalty that took at the least three factors off the board (Jake Moody is ideal from inside 40 yards this season).
Jake Moody – Okay
This was probably his final dwelling sport as a Niner. Moody’s two misses had been his seventh and eighth to solely 10 makes since his return from damage. He was additionally horrendous on kickoffs. However hey, at the least he missed his first further level Monday and completely botched an onside kick, too. The Niners have an extended checklist of offseason wants, however including a viable kicker is excessive on the checklist. This experiment is over.
Initially Revealed: December 30, 2024 at 8:26 PM PST
