The 49ers (1-1) travel to Ford Field for a 10:00 PT kickoff against the Detroit Lions (0-2).
Jon Kitna starts at quarterback for Detroit. Rudi Johnson runs the ball. Calvin Johnson is the WR1. J.T. O'Sullivan starts for the 49ers; Frank Gore at running back; Isaac Bruce off his 153-yard breakout. Vernon Davis at tight end.
An 0-2 Detroit Lions team. The 49ers (1-1) bring Isaac Bruce's 153-yard breakout from last Sunday to Ford Field. The Lions, who started 2007 at 6-2 before collapsing to a 7-9 finish, look like they may be heading the same direction.
J.T. O'Sullivan stays the starter. Frank Gore at running back. Isaac Bruce as the new WR1. The defense, generating two Hasselbeck interceptions last week, should handle Jon Kitna and the Lions' aging offense.
Favored by 3 on the road. A 49ers win pushes the team to 2-1 in the early NFC West conversation.
Week 3 across the NFC sees the early-season sort. The Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Cardinals, and Saints lead the conference contender talk. The 49ers (1-1) trail the Cardinals (2-0) in the NFC West. The Lions are 0-2 in what would become a 0-16 season. Around the AFC the Patriots, Steelers, Colts, and Chargers compete for the top tier. The Sunday road game is the kind of week where the 49ers, against the league's likely worst team, can take care of business and stay above .500.
Through two games the 49ers are 1-1 with a -7 point differential. J.T. O'Sullivan averages 8.0 yards per attempt with one TD and one INT. Frank Gore averages 79 rushing yards per game. Isaac Bruce averages 96 receiving yards per game. The defense allows 26.5 points per game. The Lions are 0-2 with Kitna averaging 245 passing yards a game. Rudi Johnson averages 55 rushing yards a game. Calvin Johnson leads the team in receiving. Vegas opens the 49ers as 3-point road favorites; total 45.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 2-0 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 2-0 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 1-1 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-0 | W2 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 1-0 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-2 | L2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Titans | 2-0 | W2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1-1 | W1 |
| Houston Texans | 0-1 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 2-0 | W2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 1-1 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-2 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 2-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-1 | W1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 0-2 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-0 | W2 |
| New York Giants | 2-0 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1-1 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 1-1 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 2-0 | W2 |
| Chicago Bears | 1-1 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 0-2 | L2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | 2-0 | W2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-1 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1-1 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-1 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Isaac Bruce 6 yard pass from J.T. O'Sullivan ( Joe Nedney kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Frank Gore 4 yard rush ( Joe Nedney kick) | 0-14 |
| Lions | Jason Hanson 44 yard field goal | 3-14 |
| 49ers | Delanie Walker 24 yard pass from J.T. O'Sullivan ( Joe Nedney kick) | 3-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Lions | Jason Hanson 51 yard field goal | 6-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Allen Rossum 1 yard rush ( Joe Nedney kick) | 6-28 |
| Lions | Rudi Johnson 34 yard pass from Jon Kitna ( Jason Hanson kick) | 13-28 |
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 25 yard field goal | 13-31 |
J.T. O'Sullivan threw two touchdown passes and the 49ers beat the Detroit Lions 31-13 at Ford Field. Frank Gore ran for 130 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. Delanie Walker caught a touchdown. O'Sullivan finished 16-of-23 for 189. The 49ers' defense intercepted Jon Kitna once and held Detroit to one trip into the end zone. The 49ers improved to 2-1 with their first road win.[1][2][3]
Frank Gore ran for 130 yards Sunday morning at Ford Field. The 49ers' lead back, in his second 100-yard game of the year and second straight road win, did the kind of grind-it-out work the new Mike Martz offensive system was supposed to set up. The 49ers beat the Detroit Lions 31-13 in the kind of road game where everything worked.
J.T. O'Sullivan threw two touchdowns: one to Delanie Walker and one to a receiving group that has produced different leaders week to week. Isaac Bruce caught two for 47. Vernon Davis caught two for 27. The defense intercepted Jon Kitna once.
2-1. The kind of road win that, against a Lions team headed for 0-16, was the kind of game the 49ers had to take care of. The New Orleans Saints come to Candlestick next Sunday in a Drew Brees-Mike Martz matchup of contrasting NFL passing offenses. The kind of home game where the new offensive identity gets its primetime audition.
49ers 31, Lions 13. Margin: +18. Three-game record: 2-1, +11 differential.
* J.T. O'Sullivan: 16-of-23 for 189, 2 TDs, 0 INTs.
* Frank Gore: 27 carries for 130, 1 TD.
* Delanie Walker: receiving TD.
* Jon Kitna: 15-of-30 for 146, 1 TD, 1 INT.
* Rudi Johnson: 14 carries for 83.
* 49ers D: 1 INT of Kitna, held Detroit to 1 red-zone TD.
* 49ers 2-1; Lions 0-3.
A 31-13 road win at Ford Field. The 49ers improve to 2-1 with their first road win.
How it unfolded
The 49ers scored on their second drive with a Frank Gore short touchdown run to make it 7-0. The Lions kicked a field goal to make it 7-3. The second quarter was an O'Sullivan touchdown to Delanie Walker to push the lead to 14-3. The 49ers added another touchdown drive before halftime to make it 21-3. The third quarter was a Lions field goal to make it 21-6. The 49ers added a Nedney field goal in the third to make it 24-6, then a Frank Gore second touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it 31-6. Detroit added a late touchdown to make it 31-13.
The turning point
The O'Sullivan touchdown to Delanie Walker. With the 49ers up 7-3 and Detroit's defense generating early pressure, the second-quarter touchdown gave the 49ers the two-score lead they used to control the rest of the game.
By the numbers
O'Sullivan 189 passing on 23 attempts with two TDs. Gore 130 rushing on 27 carries with a TD. Walker 44 receiving on 3 catches with a TD. Bruce 47 receiving on 2 catches. Vernon Davis 27 receiving on 2 catches. Kitna 146 on 30 attempts with a TD and an INT. Rudi Johnson 83 rushing.
Personnel watch
Frank Gore's second 100-yard rushing game in three weeks. J.T. O'Sullivan's first multi-TD passing day. Delanie Walker's first touchdown reception. Vernon Davis still finding his place in the Martz playbook (2 catches). The kind of road win where the run game and the defense both worked.
What it means
2-1 with the Saints at home next Sunday. The kind of cross-conference road win that, against a beaten-down opponent, was the schedule's freebie. The Drew Brees-Mike Martz home matchup next week will be the first real test of the new offense against a high-pass-volume opponent.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| J.T. O'Sullivan | 16/23 | 189 | 2 | 0 | |
| DET | |||||
| Jon Kitna | 15/30 | 146 | 1 | 1 | |
| Dan Orlovsky | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 27 | 130 | 1 | 33 |
| J.T. O'Sullivan | 8 | 32 | 0 | 13 |
| Arnaz Battle | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| DeShaun Foster | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Allen Rossum | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DET | ||||
| Rudi Johnson | 14 | 83 | 0 | 27 |
| Jon Kitna | 3 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
| Kevin Smith | 3 | 14 | 0 | 9 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Delanie Walker | 3 | 44 | 1 | 24 |
| Frank Gore | 4 | 32 | 0 | 11 |
| Bryant Johnson | 1 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| Arnaz Battle | 3 | 22 | 0 | 9 |
| Isaac Bruce | 2 | 19 | 1 | 13 |
| Josh Morgan | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| Vernon Davis | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Zak Keasey | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| DET | ||||
| Rudi Johnson | 3 | 48 | 1 | 34 |
| Calvin Johnson | 4 | 40 | 0 | 15 |
| Roy Williams | 2 | 18 | 0 | 9 |
| Michael Gaines | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Shaun McDonald | 2 | 13 | 0 | 8 |
| Mike Furrey | 2 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| Casey Fitzsimmons | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2008 W3 - 49ers vs Detroit Lions - Game Thread
