The Detroit Lions could not find the endzone often enough and had to settle for four field goals as they fell to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football, 27-19.
The 49ers entered the fourth quarter with a 17-9 lead and began the fourth quarter on the Detroit 30-yard line, but they were forced to settle for a field goal after three consecutive incompletions. David Akers split the uprights to once again extend the San Francisco lead, 20-9.
The Detroit Lions came out firing following the San Francisco score. Matthew Stafford connected with Calvin Johnson on a 26-yard reception, his seventh reception of the game, then followed with a 12-yard pass to Tony Scheffler and a 11-yard quarterback sneak from to give Detroit a first down on the 23-yard line. But as was the story of the game for the Lions, the drive stalled following a sack and a false start penalty. Jason Hanson converted his fourth field goal of the game, and the Lions cut the deficit to one score, 20-12.
With the game now in reach, the Lions' defense could not step up to the challenge of stopping the 49ers offense. San Francisco mounted a 79 yard drive which lasted 6:12 and ended with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis. The drive was nearly stopped three times when San Francisco faced third downs situations of seven, 11 and 14 yards, but each time Alex Smith found Michael Crabtree to pick up a first down.
Trailing, 27-12, with only 3:11 left to play, the Detroit Lions mounted a 10-play, 80-yard drive ending with a Brandon Pettigrew touchdown reception from Matthew Stafford, cutting the 49ers lead to 27-19.
Down eight points with only about 1:30 left to play, the Lions needed to recover an onside kick to continue their comeback attempt. However, they were unable to do so as San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kyle Williams easily handled the kick and capped off San Francisco's 27-19 victory over the Lions.
Stay with this StoryStream for full coverage on Detroit's showdown with San Francisco. For more on the Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the 49ers, please make sure to visit Niners Nation.