Chase Stuart
Footballguy
Sure, the Lions have only played 4 games so far. But this matchup looks likely to happen in about three months. Consider:
-- San Francisco is about 99% likely to win the NFCW. Arizona and St. Louis are horrible. Seattle isn't good, and is 2 games back of SF and already lost to them once. SF is much better than Seattle, and already has both legs up on them.
-- Detroit is not as good as GB, but they're certainly in line for the #1 wild card spot. The NFC West isn't sending a wildcard and Tampa Bay looks like a joke. Maybe Atlanta gets their act together, but they're already 2-3. The NFC East is as consistent as the Dow Jones. So, Detroit is pretty much locked into that #5 seed. Detroit might even get to rest its players for a week.
-- Sure, it's possible that the NFC East winner is crappy. But NO and GB aren't, so those two will get your byes. I think at least one NFC East team ends up with a better record than the 49ers, and if that team is Dallas, they don't even need the better record.
All that means week 1 of the playoffs, we've got San Francisco hosting Detroit. The last time the Lions were champions, their first playoff game came in San Francisco, where Detroit staged the greatest comeback in post-season history (non-Bills/Oilers division). Of course, this was in 1957. For a more recent perspective, well, we've got San Francisco going intro Detroit this weekend. I suspect that game is a playoff preview.
I think that would be a fantastic matchup, too.
-- San Francisco is about 99% likely to win the NFCW. Arizona and St. Louis are horrible. Seattle isn't good, and is 2 games back of SF and already lost to them once. SF is much better than Seattle, and already has both legs up on them.
-- Detroit is not as good as GB, but they're certainly in line for the #1 wild card spot. The NFC West isn't sending a wildcard and Tampa Bay looks like a joke. Maybe Atlanta gets their act together, but they're already 2-3. The NFC East is as consistent as the Dow Jones. So, Detroit is pretty much locked into that #5 seed. Detroit might even get to rest its players for a week.
-- Sure, it's possible that the NFC East winner is crappy. But NO and GB aren't, so those two will get your byes. I think at least one NFC East team ends up with a better record than the 49ers, and if that team is Dallas, they don't even need the better record.
All that means week 1 of the playoffs, we've got San Francisco hosting Detroit. The last time the Lions were champions, their first playoff game came in San Francisco, where Detroit staged the greatest comeback in post-season history (non-Bills/Oilers division). Of course, this was in 1957. For a more recent perspective, well, we've got San Francisco going intro Detroit this weekend. I suspect that game is a playoff preview.
I think that would be a fantastic matchup, too.
Have you looked at our schedule?
I see their floor at 10 wins with 12 or 13 not out of the question.
