Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif. – 8:15 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, NFL+
Eleven months after their last, dramatic postseason meeting in the NFC Championship Game, the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers will face off again in the final Monday Night Football matchup of the 2024 regular season. The Lions, who have clinched their second straight playoff berth, will visit the 49ers, who have lost their chance to return to the postseason following a frustrating 2024 campaign.
The circumstances surrounding this game are different from the previous one. The Lions are now chasing the No. 1 seed in the conference, while the 49ers are playing for pride and the chance to play spoiler.
There are several storylines and historical precedents to keep an eye on during this game. In the last four instances of rematches between NFC Championship game opponents, the loser of the first game has won the second game every time, with three of those wins belonging to the 49ers.
Here are four things to watch for in the final Monday night game of the 2024 season:
1. Will defensive injuries finally take a toll on the Lions? The Lions have been playing with a high number of defensive players on injured reserve (14), which has affected their performance in recent weeks. They have allowed 32.0 points per game and 413.0 total yards per game over the past three weeks.
2. O-line injuries could break the 49ers. The 49ers have been plagued by injuries all season, and the offense line is the latest area to be affected by this trend. Star left tackle Trent Williams is out with an ankle injury, along with several other key linemen. This could hinder the 49ers’ ability to protect quarterback Brock Purdy and clear lanes for ball-carriers.
3. Niners offense needs big game from key players. Purdy and the 49ers’ offense will need to play at their best to keep up with the high-scoring Lions. This will require key players like running back Isaac Guerendo and wide receiver Deebo Samuel to step up. Guerendo is expected to be the lead back, despite battling foot and hamstring injuries, while Samuel needs to continue his improvement after a strong game last week.
4. Lions’ newly-solo RB up for the task. With running back David Montgomery out for the season, the Lions’ rush game now rests on the shoulders of Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs has shone in his solo role, averaging 24.0 touches for 137.8 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns in his four games without Montgomery. He faces a favorable matchup against the 49ers’ struggling rush defense, which has allowed 142 and 166 rush yards to opponents in the past two weeks.