On December 30, 2024, football fans got to witness a game they won’t forget anytime soon. The Detroit Lions vs 49ers match player stats tell the story of a high-scoring battle filled with big plays, no punts, and a finish that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
This wasn’t just a regular game. It was a Monday Night Football showdown with playoff dreams on the line. The Detroit Lions were fighting to stay on top of the NFC, and the San Francisco 49ers were trying to save their season. In this article, we’ll look at every part of the game—from the quarterbacks and running backs, to key turnovers, missed kicks, and how it all ended. Let’s break it down!
Quick Game Summary at a Glance
This game was played at Levi’s Stadium in front of over 71,000 fans. The final score was Lions 40, 49ers 34, and the action never slowed down.
Here are a few crazy things that happened:
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Not a single punt from either team all game. That’s super rare.
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The Lions improved their record to 14-2.
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The 49ers fell to 6-10 and were officially out of the playoffs.
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Kerby Joseph of the Lions had 2 huge interceptions that led to 14 points.
This win also set up a big final game for the Lions in Week 18 against Minnesota, where the NFC North title and top seed are on the line.
Detroit Lions vs 49ers Match Player Stats: Quarterback Showdown
Let’s talk about the quarterbacks first because they were both incredible.
Jared Goff (Lions) played one of his best games of the season.
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He completed 26 of 34 passes (almost 77%).
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He threw for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns.
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He didn’t throw a single interception.
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His passer rating was a very strong 132.4.
Goff made smart throws, spread the ball around, and stayed calm all night. He threw touchdowns to three different players, which shows just how balanced the Lions’ offense was.
Brock Purdy (49ers) also had a big night… until it fell apart.
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He completed 27 of 35 passes for 377 yards.
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He threw 3 touchdowns, ran for 1 more, but also had 2 interceptions.
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His rating was still high at 116.0, but those turnovers really hurt.
Sadly for 49ers fans, Purdy got injured with 1:36 left in the game after being sacked. That gave backup Joshua Dobbs a chance. Dobbs was solid—he threw for 35 yards and even ran in a 7-yard touchdown—but it came too late to change the game.
Big Numbers: Rushing Stats from Both Teams
Now let’s look at the running game.
The Lions’ rushing attack was strong and steady, led by Jahmyr Gibbs.
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Gibbs ran the ball 18 times for 117 yards and scored a touchdown.
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He also caught 4 passes for 46 yards, showing his value in both run and pass plays.
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His 30-yard touchdown run late in the game gave the Lions a 12-point lead and basically ended the 49ers’ hopes.
Another fun fact? According to Next Gen Stats, Gibbs gained 85 yards before first contact—that means the offensive line gave him lots of room to run!
Craig Reynolds added 31 yards on 7 carries and caught 2 passes for 35 more yards. Jameson Williams, who’s usually a receiver, even ran the ball twice—one of them was a short touchdown run!
On the 49ers side, the ground game was quiet.
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Their total rushing yards: just 75.
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Leading rusher was Isaac Guerendo with 34 yards.
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Even Brock Purdy had to scramble and scored once with his legs.
Because they were behind most of the game, the 49ers stopped running and threw the ball more. That made them easier to defend.
Detroit Lions vs 49ers Match Player Stats: Receiving Leaders
Here’s where the action gets really fun—the receivers.
Detroit Lions’ top receivers:
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Amon-Ra St. Brown: 8 catches, 60 yards, 1 key touchdown
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Jameson Williams: 5 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD (plus a clever lateral play!)
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Sam LaPorta: 6 catches, 64 yards, 1 TD
St. Brown caught a go-ahead touchdown on 4th-and-goal that gave the Lions their first lead. Williams had one of the most exciting plays—a hook-and-ladder trick play where St. Brown caught the ball and flipped it to Williams for a 42-yard touchdown. That moment will be on highlight reels all year!
For the 49ers, they had a few standouts too:
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Ricky Pearsall: 8 catches, 141 yards, and 1 touchdown (career-high)
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George Kittle: 8 catches, 112 yards, and reached 1,000 yards for the season
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Jauan Jennings: 7 catches, 67 yards, but fumbled once
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Deebo Samuel: 1 catch, 5 yards, 1 touchdown
Kittle became the first tight end in 49ers history to hit 1,000 yards four times. Pearsall stepped up big and gave the Lions defense a real challenge.
Game-Changers: Key Defensive Plays and Stats
Defense might not have ruled the game, but there were still huge defensive plays that shaped the outcome.
For Detroit:
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Kerby Joseph had 2 interceptions, both in the second half.
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Brian Branch had a sack and big pressures.
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Jack Campbell led the team with 9 tackles.
Joseph’s picks both came when the 49ers were driving. Instead of scoring, they turned the ball over—and the Lions turned both into touchdowns. That’s a 14-point swing, which is massive in a close game.
For San Francisco:
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Nick Bosa was a force: 2 sacks, 4 QB hits, 4 tackles for loss.
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Fred Warner and Deommodore Lenoir made key tackles.
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But the defense couldn’t force any turnovers.
In the end, the Lions won the defensive battle, not by stopping the 49ers from gaining yards—but by making the right plays at the right time.
Turnovers That Changed Everything
In football, turnovers can turn a game around fast. That’s exactly what happened in the Detroit Lions vs 49ers match.
The Lions played smart and didn’t give the ball away. Zero turnovers. They took care of every snap, every pass, and every handoff.
The 49ers, though, weren’t as lucky. Brock Purdy threw two interceptions—both caught by Kerby Joseph. One came in the red zone, and the other came when they were near field goal range. Detroit took both of those chances and scored touchdowns. That’s 14 easy points off turnovers.
If those turnovers didn’t happen, this game could have ended very differently.
Special Teams: Missed Kicks and Hidden Points
Sometimes, special teams don’t get much attention—but in this game, they made a big difference.
Jake Moody, the 49ers’ kicker, had a rough night. He missed:
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A 51-yard field goal just before halftime
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A 58-yard field goal in the fourth quarter
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And even one extra point
That’s 7 points left on the field. Those missed kicks hurt the 49ers badly, especially in a close game like this.
On the other side, Jake Bates of the Lions was solid. He made a 57-yard field goal and a 42-yarder. He missed two extra points too, but one of them was blocked.
Also worth noting—Deebo Samuel had 128 kickoff return yards. He gave the 49ers great field position several times. But even that wasn’t enough.
All the Stats That Matter (Team Comparisons)
Let’s now compare both teams side by side to see how they performed overall.
Detroit Lions:
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Total yards: 439
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Rushing yards: 152
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Passing yards: 287
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Time of possession: 34:52
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Third down conversions: 9 of 14
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Turnovers: 0
San Francisco 49ers:
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Total yards: 475
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Rushing yards: 75
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Passing yards: 400
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Time of possession: 25:08
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Third down conversions: 5 of 8
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Turnovers: 2
Looking at the numbers, you might think the 49ers should’ve won. They had more yards and moved the ball well. But the turnovers and missed kicks made the real difference.
Scoring Timeline: How the Game Unfolded
Here’s how the score changed throughout the game:
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1st Quarter: 49ers led 7-6 after both teams scored early
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2nd Quarter: Back and forth action—both teams traded touchdowns. 49ers were up 21-13 at halftime
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3rd Quarter: Lions came back strong, scored two TDs and a field goal to take the lead 31-28
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4th Quarter: Lions added a field goal and a long TD run by Gibbs. 49ers scored once more, but it was too late
This back-and-forth game had nine touchdowns and some wild moments. Fans watching at home or in the stadium got their money’s worth.
Detroit Lions vs 49ers Match Player Stats: Who Stood Out Most
Let’s highlight the star players from this matchup.
Lions MVPs:
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Jared Goff: 303 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, no turnovers
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Jahmyr Gibbs: 163 total yards, 2 scores (1 rush, 1 catch)
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Kerby Joseph: 2 big interceptions
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Amon-Ra St. Brown: Go-ahead TD and 8 catches
49ers MVPs:
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Brock Purdy: 377 yards and 4 total touchdowns, despite 2 picks
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Ricky Pearsall: 141 receiving yards
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George Kittle: 112 yards and his 4th 1,000-yard season
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Nick Bosa: 2 sacks, strong defensive presence
These players gave it their all. The stats show how close the game was, and how small mistakes can swing a win or a loss.
What This Game Means for the Playoffs
This wasn’t just a fun game—it had big meaning in the NFC playoff picture.
The Detroit Lions, now 14-2, are in a great spot. Their next game against the Minnesota Vikings will decide the NFC North champion and maybe even the top seed in the whole NFC.
The 49ers, sadly, are now 6-10 and officially out of playoff chances. Even though they showed flashes of greatness, the turnovers and injuries made the road too hard this year.
So this game helped the Lions climb higher—and sent the 49ers packing early.
Bottom-Line
The Detroit Lions vs 49ers match player stats tell the story of a wild night where everything mattered—big passes, fast runs, game-changing picks, and missed kicks.
The Lions proved they’re one of the best teams in the league. They stayed focused, took care of the ball, and made plays when it mattered. Their defense stepped up in the second half, and the offense found ways to score from everywhere on the field.
The 49ers had the talent but couldn’t stop the mistakes. Their offense was powerful, but the turnovers and missed kicks cost them the game. It’s a tough loss for a proud team.
In the end, this game was a reminder of why we love football. One moment can flip everything. And when the playoffs are so close, every snap becomes a story.
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