The San Francisco 49ers 2023 Regular Season

This Sunday the 49ers will play in their third consecutive NFC Championship Game in the hope to make the Super Bowl for the second time in the Kyle Shanahan era.

After rising from a third-string QB last season, Purdy was given the starting QB status in his second year with the team.

The 2022 "Mr Irrelevant" broke a 23-year franchise record with most passing yards (4,280), which placed him 5th in regular season, and led the NFL in QB rating with an average of 113.0 and had 31 TD passes.

The 49ers became the first team in NFL history to have a tight end, two wide receivers and a running back to each post 1,000 or more scrimmage yards in a single season.

  • George Kittle, TE (1,022 yards)
  • Brandon Aiyuk, WR (1,317 yards)
  • Deebo Samuel, WR (1,085 yards)
  • Christian McCaffrey, RB (2,023 yards)
Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes for a 39-yard touchdown during the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes for a 39-yard touchdown during the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

The San Francisco 49ers 2023 Play-Offs

The NFC West's No.1 Seed received a bye which meant the focus was on who would be playing them, which was the winner of the Green Bay Packers vs Dallas Cowboys. After the Packers blew out the Cowboys 48-32, they made the trip to the Levi's.

In a very even game between the 49ers and the Packers, the 49ers prevailed thanks to the final quarter brilliance from Purdy who went 6/7 on the final drive. Two INT from Greenlaw helped flip the game on its head to allow the Northern Californian team to run the clock down in the final moments.

Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers runs after making a catch during the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers runs after making a catch during the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

The Detroit Lions 2023 Regular Season

The Detroit Lions have made it this far, and with this being their first NFC Championship Game since 1991, 32 years on, they have a chance to book their place in the biggest game of them all, the Super Bowl for the first time.

With this being Dan Campbell's third season in charge, their 12-5 regular season ties their franchise record dating back to 1993.

The formidable force of the team lies with their QB Jared Goff, who had a regular season to remember. Over regular season, he ranked second in passing yards with 4,575 and fourth in touchdown passes with 30 to his name.

Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of the NFC Divisional Round Playoffs between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Sunday, January 21, 2024. (Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of the NFC Divisional Round Playoffs between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Sunday, January 21, 2024. (Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

That being said, with Goff's input indispensable to the team, offensive weapons including wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs were firing at all cylinders

With Montgomery reaching a career-high 13 rushing TD, and Gibbs ranked first among rookies in rushing TD's with 10, they became the first teammate duo in NFL history to both have 1,000+ in scrimmage yards and 10+ rushing TD's in the same season.

St. Brown finished tied for second in the NFL with a new career-high 119 catches and 10 receiving TD in the regular season.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) looks to pass during the first half of the NFC Divisional Round Playoffs between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Sunday, January 21, 2024. (Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) looks to pass during the first half of the NFC Divisional Round Playoffs between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Sunday, January 21, 2024. (Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The Detroit Lions 2023 Play-Offs

After the Detroit Lions comfortably took top spot of the NFC North, the play-off victories against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round have got them to one game away from the Super Bowl.

Despite having a 14-3 lead after the first quarter against the Rams, they were just about able to progress through when they got over the line 24-23. When up against the Buccaneers, with the game neck and neck, the Lions stepped up to the plate in the last quarter to win with over a TD margin. 

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs with the ball after catching a pass during a play during an NFL NFC Divisional playoff football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions on January 21, 2024 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs with the ball after catching a pass during a play during an NFL NFC Divisional playoff football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions on January 21, 2024 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

How to watch Lions vs. 49ers:

When: Sunday, January 28th

Where: San Francisco, Calif. (Levi’s Stadium)

Time: 6:30 p.m. EST (11:30pm GMT)

TV Channel: FOX (Sky Sports)