The San Francisco 49ers return to the NFC Championship Game for the third consecutive season and the fourth time in the last five seasons as they host the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. This matchup marks the third postseason meeting between the two teams and the first since the 1983 season when the Niners defeated the Lions, 24-23, in the NFC Divisional Round. San Francisco looks to take a 2-1 lead in the postseason series against Detroit.
Previous game
The 49ers are coming off a 24-21 victory against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Round. RB Christian McCaffrey led the way with 128 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns, marking the first multi-touchdown game of his postseason career. QB Brock Purdy completed 23 of his 39 passing attempts for 252 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to TE George Kittle, who finished with a team-high 81 yards on four catches.
Defensively, the 49ers held the Packers to 194 passing yards and intercepted Packers QB Jordan Love twice. LB Dre Greenlaw led the unit with eight tackles and two interceptions on the evening, making him the first NFL LB to register two interceptions in a postseason game since 2002.
The 49ers Communications staff provided the above breakdown.
Below is everything you need to know to follow the upcoming game.
When does the game start?
Sunday, January 28 at 3:30 p.m. PT
Where is the game being played?
Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California
Who are the head coaches?
49ers: Kyle Shanahan
Lions: Dan Campbell
What channel is the game on?
Network: FOX
Play-By-Play: Kevin Burkhardt
Color Analyst: Greg Olsen
Sideline Reporter: Erin Andrews
Sideline Reporter: Tom Rinaldi
What areas will receive the broadcast?
The game will be broadcast nationally.
Where can I stream the game?
You can stream the game on FoxSports.com, NFL+, the Fox Sports app, or the NFL mobile app.
Where can I listen to the radio broadcast?
49ers Radio
Bay Area fans can listen on KGO 810 AM and The Bone 107.7 FM, where Greg Papa and Tim Ryan will call the game.
Jesús Zárate and Carlos Yustis will call the game in Spanish. That broadcast can be heard at 49ers.com/news/Espanol.
Lions Radio
Detroit area fans can listen on The Ticket 97.1 FM, where Dan Miller and Lomas Brown will call the game.
National Radio
Fans can listen to the game via Westwood One Sports, where Kevin Harlan and Kurt Warner will call the game.
SiriusXM
DET: 82 or 225
SF: 158 or 227
National: 88
Game discussion
Fans can discuss the game within our Niner Talk forum.
How has this series played out historically?
Matchups: 68
Postseason Matchups: 2
Series Record: 49ers lead series 39-28-1
Postseason Series Record: Series is tied 1-1
49ers Home Record vs. Lions: 49ers lead series 24-10-1
49ers Postseason Home Record vs. Lions: Series is tied 1-1
49ers Away Record vs. Lions: Lions lead series 15-18
49ers Postseason Away Record vs. Lions: None
First Meeting: 11/26/50, Packers win 25-21, at GB
First Postseason Meeting: 12/22/57, Lions win 31-27, at SF (NFC-D)
Last Meeting: 9/12/21, 49ers win 41-33, at Det.
Last Postseason Meeting: 12/31/83, 49ers win 24-23, at SF (NFC-D)
Current Streak: Won 2
Current Postseason Streak: Won 1
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 9 (12/23/96 - 9/16/12)
Longest Postseason 49ers Win Streak: 1 (12/31/83)
Longest Lions Win Streak: 6 (9/23/62 - 12/13/64)
Longest Postseason Lions Win Streak: 1 (12/22/57)
Most 49ers Points: 55, (12/19/93), 49ers win 55-17, at Det. (p)
Most Postseason 49ers Points: 27, (12/22/57), Lions win 31-27, at SF (NFC-D)
Most Lions Points: 48, (11/14/54), Lions win 48-7 at Det.
Most Postseason Lions Points: 31, (12/22/57), Lions win 31-27, at SF (NFC-D)
49ers Shutouts: 2 (Last 10/1/61): 49ers win 49-0, at Det.
Postseason 49ers Shutouts: None
Lions Shutouts: 1 (11/6/60): Lions win 24-0, at SF
Postseason Lions Shutouts: None
49ers Notes
- 49ERS have made NFC-C for 3rd-straight year & 4th time in past 5 seasons. Have 19 Champ. game appearances, most in NFL since 1970. Ranked 3rd in scoring offense (28.9 ppg) & scoring defense (17.5). Became 4th team ever with 4,000-yard passer & 4 players each with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in same season.
- QB BROCK PURDY became 5th QB ever to win a playoff game in each of his 1st 2 seasons. Led NFL in rating (113.0), ranked 3rd in TD passes (31) & 5th in pass yards (4,280) in reg. season. Became 5th player ever with 8 games of 120+ rating in a season.
- RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY had 7 catches, 128 scrimmage yards (98 rush, 30 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in NFC-Div. vs. GB. Can become 3rd player ever (HOFers Marcus Allen & Terrell Davis) with 50+ scrimmage yards & TD in each of his 1st 6 career playoff games. Led NFL in scrimmage yards (2,023) & rush yards (1,459) & tied-1st in scrimmage TDs (21) in reg. season.
- WR BRANDON AIYUK had 75 receptions for career-high 1,342 rec. yards (7th-most in NFL this season) & 7 rec. TDs in reg. season.
- WR DEEBO SAMUEL had 60 catches, 1,117 scrimmage yards (892 rec., 225 rush) & 12 TDs (7 rec., 5 rush) in reg. season. Had 9 catches for 189 yards & rec. TD in last meeting.
- WR JAUAN JENNINGS had 5 catches for 61 yards last week.
- TE GEORGE KITTLE had 81 rec. yards & 2nd-career playoff rec. TD last week. Had 65 catches for 1,020 rec. yards (most among TEs in 2023) & 6 rec. TDs in reg. season. 49ers became 1st team ever with RB, 2 WRs & TE each with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in same season.
- DL NICK BOSA had 10.5 sacks & 16 TFL in reg. season. Has 8 sacks & 9 TFL in 10 career playoff games. Had 3 TFL & sack in last meeting.
- DL JAVON HARGRAVE had 7 sacks & 8 TFL in reg. season.
- DL ARIK ARMSTEAD has 7 sacks in 10 career playoff games.
- LB FRED WARNER led team with 132 tackles & had career highs in PD (11) & INTs (4) in reg. season. Aims for his 4th in row in playoffs with TFL & 11th in row in playoffs with 5+ tackles.
- LB DRE GREENLAW had 8 tackles & 2 INTs in NFC-Div. vs. GB. Had INT-TD in last meeting. Had 120 tackles in reg. season.
- CB CHARVARIUS WARD led NFL with career-high 23 PD & had career-high 5 INTs in reg. season. Has 13 PD in 15 career playoff games.