The penultimate week of the 2024 NFL regular season concludes with a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship Game.
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the Detroit Lions in a battle between teams that went in opposite directions this season.
The 49ers, fresh off an NFC Title and Super Bowl appearance, have been arguably the biggest disappointment of the 2024 season. The 49ers were eliminated from postseason contention last week, and, at 6-9, are playing for draft position.
The Lions, on the other hand, have had their best season in franchise history. Detroit enters MNF at 13-2, but doesn’t have much to play for on Monday night.
With the Minnesota Vikings’ win on Sunday, the Lions and Vikings will play next Sunday for the NFC North crown. The winner gets the title, while the loser is the top Wild Card team.
Still, the Lions are unlikely to rest players on Monday night as they look to keep momentum going into SNF. So, which team will win on Monday night? The staff at Newsweek Sports has their predictions.
Noah Camras: Neither of these teams have anything to play for on Monday night aside from pride. The 49ers are fighting for draft position, while the Lions will have to win in Week 18 to secure the NFC North no matter the outcome on Monday night. Still, both teams will look to win the rematch of last year’s NFC Title Game, and the better squad will win on Monday night in convincing fashion.
Prediction: Lions 31, 49ers 17
Ricardo Sandoval: The Lions are a pretty 7-0 on the road and have a shot to stay at the top of the NFC for at least another week with a win. As for the 49ers, they are just playing for pride at this point, but they are still loaded with talent regardless of their injuries. While that is the case, the Lions may be too much for the 49ers, even though Detroit is suffering from multiple injuries of their own. Still, expect the Lions to come out on top as they battle for the No. 1 seed in the NFC next week on Sunday Night Football.
Prediction: Lions 23, 49ers 17
Matt Levine: It has been a very tough year for the 49ers, but capping it off by taking down the Lions would ease some tension. While it may benefit San Francisco to lose this game, they won’t go down without a fight. Detroit looks like the best team in football, but even they are vulnerable to a bad performance every now and again. The 49ers will battle, but in the end, Detroit will prevail with another big win.
Prediction: Lions 30, 49ers 20
How to Watch 49ers vs Lions Monday Night Football Week 17
Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football in Week 17 kicks off at 5:15 p.m. PT/8:15 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC.
The post Lions vs 49ers Expert Predictions for Monday Night Football Week 17 appeared first on Newsweek.
