The road slate continues against the Detroit Lions on 1956-10-21 at Briggs Stadium. The 49ers' offensive line continues to anchor the calendar's identity heading into Week 4.
The roster's lead back rotation and receiver room project the kind of game-script the staff has been working through. The Detroit Lions arrive tracking their own divisional standing.[1]
The week of preparation has built toward the matchup against the Detroit Lions is the kind of road game where the offensive line has the matchup the coaching staff has been pointing toward all week. The Sunday's biggest unknown is the front rotation against the Detroit Lions' offensive line. The week of preparation produced the kind of game-plan continuity the staff has been building toward.
Around the league Week 4 continues to shape the playoff race. The conference's projected leaders carry through the calendar with the kind of pace the wire copy has been writing into. The road matchup with the Detroit Lions is the calendar's sense-check on the 49ers' divisional posture. The Sunday-night and Monday-night games close the week with their own playoff implications.
Through 3 games the 49ers are tracking the kind of pace that, in calendar 1956, defines the divisional posture. The lead back's rushing workload is the staff's projected call. The receiver room's distribution is the offense's signature. The Detroit Lions are tracking their own standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the offensive line's pass-protection rate.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 2-1 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-1 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 1-2 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-2 | L2 |
| Washington Redskins | 0-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 3-0 | W3 |
| Chicago Bears | 2-1 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1-2 | W1 |
| Baltimore Colts | 1-2 | L2 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 1-2 | L2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-2 | L1 |
Video missing for this game. If you find one, please report it.
49ers 7, Detroit Lions 349ers 10, Detroit Lions 1049ers 17, Detroit Lions 1749ers 17, Detroit Lions 2049ers 17, Detroit Lions 20[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 710171717 |
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 310172020 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Lions | Bobby Layne 27 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| 49ers | John Henry Johnson 2 yard rush ( Gordie Soltau kick) | 7-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Lions | Don McIlhenny 3 yard rush ( Bobby Layne kick) | 7-10 |
| 49ers | Gordie Soltau 20 yard field goal | 10-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | John Henry Johnson 1 yard rush ( Gordie Soltau kick) | 17-10 |
| Lions | Bobby Layne 2 yard rush ( Bobby Layne kick) | 17-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Lions | Bobby Layne 17 yard field goal | 17-20 |
San Francisco's offense came up short 17-20 on the road the Detroit Lions on 1956-10-21. Y.A. Tittle went 6 of 13 for 60 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Hugh McElhenny ran for 119 on 14 carries. Billy Wilson caught 4 for 44. On the other side Bobby Layne went 15 of 27 for 155 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Don McIlhenny ran for 104 on 13 carries with 1 touchdown.[1]
San Francisco lost 17-20 against the Detroit Lions on 1956-10-21. Y.A. Tittle went 6 of 13 for 60 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Hugh McElhenny ran for 119 on 14 carries. Billy Wilson caught 4 for 44.
The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of game-script the staff has been working through across the calendar's first weeks. The offensive line's pocket time produced the dropbacks the playbook calls. The defensive unit's pressure produced the kind of takeaway the unit has been generating. The Sunday's outcome sets the next week's posture across the divisional standings.
The Detroit Lions produced the kind of game-script the wire copy projected. The next-week matchup is the calendar's next sense-check on the 49ers' divisional pacing.
49ers 17, Detroit Lions 20. Margin: minus 3. Box score reads: Y.A. Tittle went 6 of 13 for 60 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Hugh McElhenny ran for 119 on 14 carries. Billy Wilson caught 4 for 44. Joe Arenas caught 2 for 19. On the Detroit Lions' side: Bobby Layne went 15 of 27 for 155 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Don McIlhenny ran for 104 on 13 carries with 1 touchdown.
A 17-20 road loss at the Detroit Lions. The 49ers' calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
Y.A. Tittle went 6 of 13 for 60 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Hugh McElhenny ran for 119 on 14 carries. Billy Wilson caught 4 for 44. The Sunday's offensive output produced the kind of full-sixty pace the playbook has been working through. On the defensive side Bobby Layne went 15 of 27 for 155 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interceptions for the Detroit Lions, and Don McIlhenny ran for 104 on 13 carries with 1 touchdown.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1956, decided the closing two quarters. The defensive front's pressure on the third-down dropbacks produced the kind of pass-rush volume the unit has been generating across the year. The receiver room's route distribution produced the kind of timing-route conversions the playbook calls.
By the numbers
Y.A. Tittle went 6 of 13 for 60 yards with 0 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. The lead-back rotation: Hugh McElhenny ran for 119 on 14 carries, plus Joe Perry ran for 37 on 6 carries. Receiver room: Billy Wilson caught 4 for 44, and Joe Arenas caught 2 for 19.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Y.A. Tittle | 6/13 | 60 | 0 | 1 | |
| Earl Morrall | 2/6 | 28 | 0 | 1 | |
| DET | |||||
| Bobby Layne | 15/27 | 155 | 0 | 1 | |
| Don McIlhenny | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Hugh McElhenny | 14 | 119 | 0 | 61 |
| Joe Perry | 6 | 37 | 0 | 33 |
| John Henry Johnson | 8 | 34 | 2 | 11 |
| Y.A. Tittle | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| DET | ||||
| Don McIlhenny | 13 | 104 | 1 | 30 |
| Howard Cassady | 15 | 70 | 0 | 12 |
| Bobby Layne | 6 | 30 | 1 | 7 |
| Tom Tracy | 9 | 26 | 0 | 9 |
| Gene Gedman | 3 | 14 | 0 | 6 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Billy Wilson | 4 | 44 | 0 | 16 |
| Joe Arenas | 2 | 19 | 0 | 15 |
| Hugh McElhenny | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Gordie Soltau | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| DET | ||||
| Dorne Dibble | 4 | 66 | 0 | 24 |
| Dave Middleton | 4 | 47 | 0 | 16 |
| Don McIlhenny | 1 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Jug Girard | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Howard Cassady | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Tom Tracy | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Gene Gedman | 2 | -5 | 0 | -2 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1956 W4 - 49ers at Detroit Lions - Game Thread