The Detroit Lions (13-2) head to San Francisco (6-9) for their final road game of the season on Monday Night Football. Fresh off a 34-17 victory over the Chicago Bears, the Lions will return home to face Minnesota after this matchup.
Monday’s game is a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship, and Detroit, unbeaten in seven road games this season, can secure the No. 1 seed with a win and a Minnesota loss in Week 17.
The 49ers have dealt with significant injuries this year, with 16 players on IR, including Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jordan Mason. Despite narrowly losing five games by one score, San Francisco has fallen from NFC West champions to last place and has been eliminated from playoff contention.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Trent Williams (ankle), Aaron Banks (MCL), and Jaylon Moore (quad strain) are out for the season, with Williams placed on IR. Meanwhile, starting running back Isaac Guerendo is recovering from foot and hamstring injuries but is improving.
Despite these setbacks, the 49ers maintain a top 10 offense and defense. In four of their six wins, they’ve held opponents to 20 points or less, including a 38-13 win over Chicago in Week 14. Their offense averages 31.5 points in victories, with five games scoring over 30 points.
In their last meeting, San Francisco eliminated Detroit in the 2023 NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium. After leading 24-7 at halftime, the Lions allowed 27 unanswered points before Jared Goff’s late touchdown. However, the 49ers recovered the onside kick, sealing a 34-31 win.
