Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes as the Detroit Lions overpowered the San Francisco 49ers 40-34 in a high-scoring thriller on Monday Night Football.
After the 49ers impressed in the first half, surging into a 21-13 lead at the break, the Lions moved in front late in the third quarter via an Amon-Ra St Brown touchdown and would not relinquish it as they gained revenge for last year’s NFC Championship loss to San Francisco.
The banged up 49ers (6-10) were already ruled out of a playoffs return, while the Lions (14-2) now head into a final-week showdown for the No 1 seed in the NFC – a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the postseason – against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night.
Quarterback Jared Goff celebrates the Detroit Lions’ go-ahead touchdown with wide receiver Amon-Ra St Brown
Stats leaders
Detroit Lions:
- Passing: Jared Goff, 26/34, 303 yards, 3 TDs
- Rushing: Jahmyr Gibbs, 18 carries, 117 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving: Jameson Williams, 5 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD
San Francisco 49ers:
- Passing: Brock Purdy, 27/35, 377 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
- Rushing: Isaac Guerendo, 9 carries, 34 yards
- Receiving: Ricky Pearsall, 8 catches, 141 yards, 1 TD
Scoring Summary
Jahymr Gibbs, who’d rush for 117 yards, put the game away with a 30-yard touchdown run with less than three minutes left after 49ers QB Brock Purdy’s second interception on the night.
Both offenses dominated for much of the night, with the two teams scoring touchdowns on the first five possessions of the contest – Purdy and Goff combining to complete the first 17 passes of the game, including a perfectly executed hook-and-ladder play that led to a 42-yard TD for the Lions.
Goff threw a short pass to St Brown, who immediately pitched the ball to Jameson Williams, who streaked down the sideline for the final 41 yards and his second score of the first half.
The only stops of the half came when Renardo Green broke up a pass in the end zone from Goff to Sam LaPorta and when Jake Moody missed a 51-yard field goal in the closing seconds for San Francisco.
Purdy threw a five-yard TD pass to Deebo Samuel on San Francisco’s opening drive of the second half before Detroit’s defense finally managed a stop with the first of Kerby Joseph’s two interceptions of Purdy.
Goff turned that into the go-ahead score to St Brown on fourth-and-goal to give the Lions their first lead inside the final minute of the third quarter.
Moody would miss with another field goal from 58 yards that could have tied the game early in the fourth, while he also failed with an extra point attempt after a late Joshua Dobbs consolation score for San Francisco.