NFL Football BETTING PREVIEW - Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers

NFL Football

2024-12-30 - Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers

A Sports Betting Preview by FirstDown

Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers
United States : NFL Week 17
Monday 30th December 2024 - Scheduled 8:15pm
1:15am (British Time)

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Preview

The top Seed in the NFC and the Division crown in the NFC North might be decided in Week 18, but this game is played on Monday Night Football and that means the Detroit Lions (13-2) will know all of their clinching scenarios.

It was put to Head Coach Dan Campbell that he could decide to rest starters if this game is effectively meaningless- that would be the case if the Minnesota Vikings are able to beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. However, Campbell made it clear to the media that this is a business trip for the Lions and they will be coming out to win as they do every week.

That decision is perhaps easier to make considering how the Lions season ended last year.

They had a big lead over the San Francisco 49ers (6-9) in this Stadium in the NFC Championship Game, but the Lions allowed the home team to recover and end their hopes of making the Super Bowl. This Week 17 game is not nearly as important for the injury hit 49ers who have been eliminated from the post-season, but Detroit will not have forgotten January 2024 and they might bare their teeth.

Detroit can feel like this is a test of their Offensive game-plan and that could be important with the Playoffs now coming up very quickly.

For all of their issues this season, the 49ers Defensive unit have still played very well and so the Lions will have to be at their best to win here. David Montgomery is likely to sit out, but Jahmyr Gibbs has shown his quality at Running Back and the Lions will be looking to get the ball into the hands of their speedy superstar.

Everything begins at the Line of Scrimmage for the Lions and they will feel they can at least keep Jared Goff in third and manageable spots, which is important for the Quarter Back too. He is more than a game manager, but Goff will have respect for this San Francisco Secondary, even if they have been eliminated from the Playoffs.

The 49ers have lost a number of key players on the Offensive side of the ball, but they are facing an injury hit Detroit team and that may at least give them a chance to keep this one competitive.

Trent Williams has been ruled out for the last two weeks and that is going to hurt San Francisco with the Offensive Line not nearly as strong running the ball without the Tackle. This has been an issue for them all season with the team down to a fourth string Running Back after injuries have piled up in the backfield and it has put all of the pressure on Brock Purdy at Quarter Back.

He has been without key Receivers, but there are holes in this injury hit Lions Secondary and Brock Purdy could have a decent outing in San Francisco's last home game of the 2024 season.

However, the consistency has perhaps lacked with Purdy having to play from third and long on occasion and that is something that the Lions will look to exploit. The kicking issues are another concern for the home team and it feels like the motivation is with Detroit to just make amends for that NFC Championship Game defeat.

And if the Green Bay Packers upset Minnesota on Sunday, Detroit will be playing for a Division crown and potentially the Number 1 Seed in the NFC, which can only aid the motivation for a strong performance here on the road.

Prediction

Lay the points with the road favourite in this potentially pivotal game for the Detroit Lions.

The Pick :

San Francisco 49ers 23-30 Detroit Lions

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Detroit Lions - 3.5 Points at -110 with Bovada