49ers' Key Matchups to Beat Lions in NFC Championship 2024
The San Francisco 49ers came into the playoffs as the team to beat, but the Green Bay Packers reminded them that the margin for error is thin in the postseason.
The Niners went into the fourth quarter facing a 21-14 deficit and needed to score a touchdown with just over a minute remaining in the game to finally take the lead and win the game.
It wasn't the dominant performance that many expected. It was still good enough to advance, though.
Ultimately, that's the goal in the playoffs. You don't advance on style points. It's about survival.
They will look to regroup from the close call and show up against another NFC North foe in the NFC Championship Game. They'll see the Detroit Lions who are coming off a 31-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It's a game that could once again come down to the wire and the results of a few key matchups. Here's a look at the ones the Niners must win to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl.
Brandon Aiyuk vs. Lions Secondary
1 of 3
The biggest weakness the 49ers have to expose on Sunday is the Lions' questionable secondary. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has got the most out of his unit, but it has definitely been exposed at times this season.
Overall, they are 21st in EPA allowed per pass and they especially struggle when they are in man coverage. According to the 33rd Team, they are 12th in man coverage rate, but 31st in EPA allowed per play when playing man.
That's going to be a major problem if they attempt to play man against the 49ers.
Brandon Aiyuk has put together a great season, but he's been especially productive against man coverage. The 25-year-old has the third-highest fantasy points per target vs. man in the league, per Player Profiler.
The Niners offense struggled at times against the Packers defense and Aiyuk's quiet day didn't help. With Deebo Samuel leaving the game due to injury, Aiyuk only caught three of his six targets for 32 yards.
Aiyuk is going to be an important player to track on Sunday. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Samuel is "50-50" to play with the shoulder injury he suffered in the Packers game.
Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle can obviously play big roles too, but Aiyuk has the most potential to take advantage of the Lions shortcomings.
Colton McKivitz vs. Aidan Hutchinson
2 of 3
The 49ers success on Sunday might just come down to a decision they made in free agency last season. Rather than re-sign Mike McGlinchey the 49ers allowed him to walk, trusting that Colton McKivitz was ready to take over at right tackle.
The results have been mixed.
McKivitz is the 47th-ranked tackle out of all the players that PFF has graded at the position. That's not bad, but his nine sacks allowed highlight some of the issues he's had in pass protection.
That's could be a major problem with Aidan Hutchinson lining up on the other side. The Liions will move him around but they will likely home in on a favorable matchup against McKivitz rather than have him try his hand at beating Trent Williams.
The Packers were able to get some pressure on Brock Purdy that complicated things. They only had one sack which was split by Preston Smith and Kenny Clark, but they did register six quarterback hits.
Hutchinson needs to be a major focal point of the gameplan. The defensive end has eight sacks in his last four games, including one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.
Giving Brock Purdy a clean pocket is essential and keeping Hutchinson in check will be key.
49ers Linebackers and Safeties vs. Sam LaPorta
3 of 3
The 49ers defense has to be concerned with Amon-Ra St. Brown. He's gone for over 100 yards in four of his last six games and has at least six catches in six consecutive games.
However, there's an element of that that doesn't really matter. The Lions are going to force-feed him the ball at times and there's not much that can be done about that. The key is whether they will be able to double team him with safety help over the top.
The answer to that question probably relies on how big of a game Sam LaPorta can put together.
LaPorta was among the most productive tight ends in the league this season with 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. If he can keep linebackers and safeties occupied, then the Niners job of containing St. Brown becomes a little more difficult.
The Niners haven't played many of the top tight ends in the league this season and they've only given up a few notable performances. Isaiah Likely had three receptions for 56 yards in their loss to the Ravens. T.J. Hockenson had 11 receptions for 86 yards back in Week 7.
LaPorta will be one of the best they've see at the position and it will be important for the linebackers and safeties to contribute to the defensive effort by keeping him covered.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
