NFC Championship Game preview: 49ers, Lions face off for spot in Super Bowl

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The top-seeded San Francisco 49ers will host the No. 3-seeded Detroit Lions Sunday to determine who will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. 

On the home team’s sideline, the 49ers own the second-longest streak ever, making a conference championship game in each of their last seven playoff runs. 

The Lions' two playoff wins are more than they’ve had in the last 65 years combined. Their one playoff win during that stretch came in 1991, when they reached the NFC title game. 

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy throws against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of a game Dec. 17, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

Let’s take a look at the key points of this matchup to see who may have the edge Sunday.

One of the big questions entering Sunday is whether versatile 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel will play. 

Samuel injured his left shoulder in last week’s win over the Green Bay Packers and couldn’t play for most of the game. 

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As a result, the 49ers’ offense didn’t run as smoothly as head coach Kyle Shanahan would’ve hoped, and the two games Samuel missed during the regular season resulted in similar struggles. 

He did, however, start practicing on a limited basis Thursday and started to trend in the right direction. Samuel’s presence in this offense, whether he has the ball in his hands or not, is a big advantage for the 49ers and the rest of their talented weapons. 

If you think the Lions are the only team that needs to worry about the