Championship Sunday. It doesn’t get better than this.
After an electric Divisional Weekend, the 2023 NFL season now has just one stop left before Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on February 11.
Whilst the number one seed Baltimore Ravens host Kansas City after the Chiefs stormed Highmark Stadium, in Santa Clara, the San Francisco 49ers host the Detroit Lions at Levi Stadium for the NFC Championship.
Kyle Shanahan’s Niners’ side have been the tip of many to end their 29-year wait for a Super Bowl crown, and can this weekend win a third NFC title since 2012.
However, the Lions, having ended their own playoff victory drought have now strung together two wins in a row.
Regardless of who books their spot at Allegiant Stadium in a fortnight, Jared Goff v Brock Purdy could be a points-laden, modern day classic.
Roaring Lions
For former LA Ram Jared Goff, a return to his native northern California for an NFC Championship clash is the biggest of stages.
Having left the Los Angeles franchise in 2020 for Michigan, Goff was forced to watch on as the Rams won the Super Bowl the season after with Matt Stafford at QB.
Having also been on the losing side in Super Bowl LIII, it feels like Goff is on something of a mission this Sunday.
After the Michigan Wolverines won the national championship, the feel-good factor continues to flood across the Great Lakes State.
Following Dan Campbell guiding his charges to their first NFL playoff win since 1991, the Lions then won back-to-back post-season games.
The Lions offense is on fire right now and the case can be made is more diverse and flexible than the Niners.
In Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit have a WR who made less catches this season to Tyreek Hill and CeeDee Lamb only.
Sam Laporta has been one of the star TEs of the year, whilst on Super Wildcard Weekend versus the Rams, tag partner Josh Reynolds caught for 80yds.
Remarkably, Detroit remain the only operational NFL franchise not to appear in a Super Bowl. The stakes are high against the Niners.
CMC and the O-Line
As San Francisco last weekend began the playoffs with arguably their strongest hopes of ending their Super Bowl championship drought, they survived an examination from a plucky Packers.
With Aaron Jones again rushing 100 yards for a fourth game on the spin, the Niners fought fire with fire in the shape of the blazing Christian McCaffrey.
🗣️ New to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
A game ball from the @49ers win over WAS in Week 17, when they became the first team in NFL history with a running back, two wide receivers and tight end with 1,000 scrimmage yards in the same season.
Full Story: https://t.co/8R5kG4b3sU pic.twitter.com/FY4UwUvT68
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) January 10, 2024
Running 96 yds, CMC put another 2 TDs on his 2023 record sheet, scoring decisively in the final 10 minutes.
However, this weekend with WR Deebo Samuel’s participation in some doubt, the Niners offense could take a hit.
But with no fracture and only a badly bruised bone, one suspects Deebo will go, even for just a half.
If Samuel does miss out, the greater dependence will fall at the feet and hands of Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and just perhaps, Jauan Jennings, for Brock Purdy to find down field.
In Jennings, the Tennessee collegiate made 5 catches for 61 yds last weekend, adding some pivotal plays toward the Niners’ narrow win.
And if we consider than Kittle shared a relatively modest 13 TDs in the regular season, Jennings may be seeing the ball a fair bit.
Play the overs
So, where to play the markets this Sunday? As this very article has pointed to, the points game could be smart. Lets look at the numbers.
In the 11 games the Lions have played since the start of November, the team 30-point mark has been reached seven times.
In nine of said games, Detroit games have gone past 50 points and as high 79 in Week 9 versus the Chargers.
During the same period, San Francisco have notched that points tally just four times, however their total match points has reached or passed 44+ that same seven times.
All signs point – literally – to a gun-slinging shootout in Cali.
As far as the overs/unders go, over 51 points stand at 4/5 with BoyleSports.
However, in both the Niners’ 1994 and 1995 championship games, the 55+ point barrier was broken and we can see a similar story.
52+ points are evens with QuinnBet, with 55+ at 13/10 with 888sport.
Feeling bold? A 60-pt ball game will fetch you a 21/10 price with BetUK. Don’t rule it out.
The NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions takes place at Levi Stadium, Santa Clara, California on Sunday, kick-off 23:40GMT/6:40ET.
