Lions Pass Game
This is the big mismatch of the game. The 49ers come into the game with an awful 23rd rank pass defense against a 7th rank Lions pass offense that has big play ability. The emergence of RB Jahvid Best against Chicago last week should keep the 49ers defense honest. This should allow Calvin Johnson, Titus Young, and Nate Burleson to roam around downfield with Pettigrew underneath. Look for Matthew Stafford to spread the ball around and put up major numbers.
49ers Run Game
Frank Gore is one of my favorite running backs currently in the NFL. He runs north to
south and is a big bruising back who always falls forward. The 49ers have a rushing attack
that ranks 12th overall averaging 117 yards per game. Although this sounds rather average, they 
have managed to move the football very well. Gaining 3 to 5 yards a carry is very important to keeping 3rd downs manageable for the semi-mediocre Alex Smith. Up to this point, the 49ers have yet to see any defensive line that’s comparable to Detroit’s 8-headed monster. DT Nick Fairley is finally back, and I was very impressed at how he controlled the line of scrimmage for the few plays he was in. If the Lions can create negative yardage plays that put the 49ers in uncomfortable passing positions, the Lions will be able to take over the game.
49ers Redzone Efficiency
Every time an opponent gets in to the redzone, it seems as though the Lions Defense always holds them to a field goal. The field shrinks, and the front 4 go all out with nothing to lose. They shut down everything that moves. Take, for example, that 4th and 1 play against Chicago that went absolutely nowhere. This week, the 49ers come in with one of the best touchdown redzone efficiencies in the country. Something has to give.
Turnovers?
This Sunday is a match-up between 2 coaches who stress the fundamentals of football. Each team has created many more turnovers than they have given up. In terms of turnover ratio, the 49ers are +10 and the Lions are +7. Because of their success in taking care of the football, I believe there will be very few turnovers as well as the great field position that turnovers bring. It will be interesting to see how these 2 offenses will handle the task of marching down the entire length of the field for the whole game.
My Prediction
Despite all the hype of the 5-0 Lions playing the 4-1 49ers, I think this game will be rather straightforward. San Francisco will look to establish the run, while Detroit will utilize their great passing attack. I think that Detroit’s defensive line will be able to create enough stops and plays in the backfield to disrupt the 49ers offense and put Alex Smith in bad situations. I also think that the big play ability of Calvin Johnson and Jahvid Best will be too much for San Francisco to handle. I expect the Lions to go 6-0 and remain undefeated. 31-17.