Lions at 49er’s – Week 16

Short and sweet this weekend as I’m writing this on Thursday and heading back up north for Christmas with the family.  I won’t have access to a computer again until Sunday evening or Monday afternoon.

The Detroit Lions travel to California Sunday to take on the San Francisco 49ers.  The 49ers playoff hopes were dashed last weekend against the Eagles.  This game is more for pride and auditions for next season for both teams.

Drew Stanton gets the nod in Detroit for QB Matthew Stafford, who was placed on IR.  Back-up for the game will be perennial whipping boy, Daunte Culpepper, who was yanked after another dismal performance last weekend against the Cardinals.

Alex Smith will be at the helm for San Francisco.  Smith has completed 54.2 percent of his passes for 321 yards, 3 TD’s and 5 picks in the last 2 games.  He could be vulnerable in the passing game if Detroit’s defense can stop Gore and the 49ers ground attack.  Gore comes into this week with consecutive 100-yard games and he needs 59 more yards to pass 1,000 yards rushing for the fourth straight year.

The Lions have a lot of starters out including Stafford and RB Smith.  Maurice Morris filled in admirably last week and I believe the trend will continue against San Fran.  The O-Line needs to step up and keep Stanton from running for his life and off his back.

I don’t expect wonderful things for the Lions this Sunday and that might bode well for the 2010 draft selection.  if the Lions lose out and the Rams win one game, Detroit could end up with the #1 pick for the 2nd year in a row.

I don’t have an injury report yet for this week.  I do know that CB Phillip Buchanon, S
Louis Delmas, LB Larry Foote and DT Grady Jackson did not practice Thursday and that LB Vinny Ciurciu, DT Joe Cohen, WR Dennis Northcutt and C Dominic Raiola were limited in practice on Thursday.

Vegas has the odds at 12 points in favor of San Francisco with the O/U at 41 points which would put the final score at around 27-14.  i believe the score will be closer and the Lions will have a good game.  49ers 24 – Lions 21.

As usual, the best place for game time conversation and play-by-play game thread is over at SBNation’s Detroit Lions blog - Pride of Detroit.