The Lions survived a first-half surge by the 49ers, securing an 8-0 road record.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — If there was any question about this. Detroit Lines Whether head coach Dan Campbell will play or rest his starters before the playoffs, he immediately responded by going full throttle with his top guys Monday night.

In a rematch of the 2023 NFC Championship Game, the Lions got revenge, winning 40-34 After San Francisco 49ers Detroit was denied a Super Bowl appearance for the first time last season.

Detroit had not won a road game in San Francisco since 1975, losing 14 straight — including the postseason — but rallied from a 21-13 first-half deficit to end the road drought against the 49ers. Controlled.

The Lions finished the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record on the road – the longest road winning streak in franchise history.

QB Malfunction: Lions quarterback Jared Goff Primetime was able to thrive in stressful moments on stage. All three of Goff’s touchdowns were on third or fourth down. He now has 17 touchdowns and zero interceptions this season on third down and fourth. He also finished the game with 303 passing yards against the 49ers, completing 26 of 34 passes.

Promising trend: WR Jameson Williams Scored a receiving touchdown for the third consecutive game. Against the 49ers, he scored a 3-yard rushing touchdown as well as a 41-yard receiving touchdown in the first half. In the 49ers last season’s NFC championship run, Williams also had multiple touchdowns. He is now 33 yards away from his first career 1,000-yard receiving season.

Disturbing trends: Detroit’s defense. San Francisco quarterback Brooke Purdy He picked apart the Lions defense with his accuracy and clear playmaking, especially during the first half. The 49ers scored touchdowns on their first three possessions, with Purdy also completing two 40-yard passes in the game. Against stiffer competition, e.g Minnesota Vikings This week, it could be an important issue. — Eric Woodyard

Next game: Vs Minnesota Vikings (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday)

In a rematch of the NFC Championship Game that was supposed to be a battle of the NFC titans, the 49ers and Lions headed in decidedly different directions in Monday’s matchup.

As the 49ers finish Kiss Nick As Thursday put it succinctly, “They’re doing great, and we had an off year.”

Heading into Monday’s kickoff, neither the 49ers nor the Lions really had much to play for as San Francisco was eliminated from postseason contention last week and Detroit’s season finale against Minnesota is the same as the NFC. Matters for the top seed.

That didn’t stop the Niners, who were running behind their fourth-string running back and left tackle and were missing key starters across the roster, from the Lions in an entertaining offensive shootout if not too many injuries. By pushing evenly.

There are no such things as moral victories in the NFL, but Monday’s loss provided ample evidence that the Niners still have plenty of fight left and their faith in coach Kyle Shanahan has not wavered. Those are things that could be helpful as they head into an offseason that carries a lot of uncertainty and can bring a lot of change.

In more practical terms, Monday’s loss bodes well for the 6-10 Niners because it secures their last-place schedule in 2025 and preserves their chances of retaining the No. 11 pick in the next NFL Draft.

Those are small consolations in a lost season the 49ers didn’t see coming, but if nothing else, they can take extra comfort in the fact that a nightmare 2024 is almost over.

Describe the game in two words: All crime. It’s not surprising that high-octane lines moved the ball up and down the field, but the 49ers’ offense hasn’t done much of that this season. The Niners and Lions combined to score touchdowns on their first five possessions and neither side committed an incomplete pass until 4:59 remained in the second quarter. By the end of the night, they had combined for 74 points and 914 yards.

A most surprising performance: 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall Has been mostly quiet since a big Week 10 performance in Tampa Bay, posting six catches for 58 yards in the ensuing six games. But Parisall was prominently in the mix Monday night, finishing with 8 receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown. He is the first 49ers rookie since. Debo Samuel Sr. 100 receiving yards and a score in a game in 2019.

QB Malfunction: Purdy, at least statistically, was perfect for the better part of the first three quarters Monday night against the Lions. With a “perfect” passer rating of 158.3 with 4:19 left in the third quarter, Purdy overthrew Pearsall in the waiting arm of the Lions’ safety. Kirby Joseph For the first business of the game. That inspired a breakout performance for Purdy, who went 27-35 for 377 yards (career high) with three touchdowns and a rushing score. In the final two minutes of the game, Purdy exited with an apparent elbow injury. He said postgame that he will have an MRI on Tuesday.

Disturbing trends: 49ers kicker Jack Moody‘s struggles — of which there have been many — have been largely confined to the road this season. He didn’t miss a field goal or extra point attempt at Levi’s Stadium. By Monday night. He missed two field goals from over 50 yards (51 and 58). Moody was drafted in the third round because he was supposed to be able to replace those kicks. He also missed an extra point at the end of the fourth quarter. Since Week 10, he is 10-of-18 on field goal attempts, a 55.6 percent conversion rate. Add kicker to the list of positions the 49ers will need to take a long look at in the offseason. — Nick Wagner

The next game:at Arizona Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)