NFL: Lions Can Continue Dream Start Against 49ers

The Lions are for real in 2011 and their roar will be heard loudly when the 49ers pay a visit on Sunday. Al Dannity looks ahead to this clash of surprise packages.

Oh hi Jahvid
You know when you go looking for something and you can’t find it? Then after a couple of weeks you give up only for it to show up in a hole in the Bears’ run defense. That’s what happened to Detroit. The Lions could not find Jahvid Best for weeks and then boom, 163 yards on 12 carries including an 88 yard touchdown. Best saved his breakout performance of the season for primetime, not that his team mates had quiet days. Matthew Stafford went 19 of 26 for 219 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception while Calvin Johnson had 5 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown.

The offensive explosion enjoyed by the Lions in the early weeks of the season has fuelled hope in the Motor City. Defensively, they still need to work on stopping the run but they have the weapons needed to improve substantially in that regard.

Alex Smith is quarterback of a 4-1 team
That deserved its own sub-head. After struggling for years in the NFL through a combination of his limitations as a quarterback and a merry-go-round of offensive coordinators, Alex Smith is in unchartered territory. Being top of the NFC West doesn’t mean much these days but any 4-1 start deserves some respect. Smith has been aided largely by Vernon Davis’ improvement after a quiet start.

This Sunday however the 49ers will need to lean on their running game to deliver results. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter are developing into a nice tandem. They combined for 190 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries in the Week 5 rout of the Bucs. A similar performance may be necessary to come out on top in Ford Field.

The verdict
I have a feeling this won’t be the last time we see the Lions and 49ers meet this year. A wildcard playoff match-up in January back in San Francisco could excite NFL betting fans. Jim Harbaugh will likely try to attack Detroit in much the same ways as the 49ers beat Tampa Bay last week. Look for San Francisco to lean on the run and use Alex Smith to punish any over-committal to run defense. The Lions are a much smarter outfit than the Bucs. I like Detroit to stay honest on defense and use its mix of offensive stars to outduel the 49ers. This should prove an offensive feast but one where the Lions will come out on top.