The Lions stopped the 49ers only when Jake Moody missed a field goal or Kerby Joseph intercepted Brock Purdy. That was enough for Detroit to escape with a 40-34 win over the 49ers.
The game was meaningless for both teams with the 49ers already eliminated from playoff contention and the Lions set for a showdown against the Vikings on Sunday Night Football to decide the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Still, it was one of the more entertaining games of Week 17 as the Lions moved to 14-2, and the 49ers fell to 6-10.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said his team would play to win despite the circumstances, and they did.
The 49ers had 260 yards in the first half, scoring touchdowns on three drives before Moody missed a 51-yard field goal wide right. They led 21-13 at halftime.
Kerby, though, had two interceptions of Purdy in the second half and Moody missed a 58-yard field goal wide left and an extra point. The 49ers finished with 475 yards.
Purdy injured his right elbow with 1:36 left on a sack by Brian Branch. He tried to throw on the sideline, and it didn’t appear he could well enough to return. Joshua Dobbs replaced him to finish the game and scored on a 7-yard scramble with 43 seconds left.
Purdy, who had a maximum passer rating of 158.3 in the first half, finished 27-of-35 for 377 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Coach Kyle Shanahan said postgame that Purdy will undergo an MRI on his elbow, but they think “it’s some nerve stuff.”
Ricky Pearsall caught eight passes for 141 yards and a touchdown and George Kittle eight for 112.
The Lions had 439 yards and scored on seven of eight possessions not counting a kneel down before the half and two kneel downs to end the game after Moody’s onside kick sailed out of bounds. They didn’t punt, with their only non-scoring possession ending on an incompletion in the end zone on fourth-and-goal.
The Lions went 2-for-3 on fourth down.
Jared Goff was 26-of-34 for 303 yards and three touchdowns. Jameson Williams ran for a touchdown and caught five passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown also had touchdown receptions.
Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 117 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and caught four passes for 46 yards.
Jake Bates kicked field goals of 57 and 42 but had an extra point blocked and missed another extra point.
