Throwback Thursday: When the Lions and 49ers Last Mattered

This weekend the San Francisco 49ers will visit the Detroit Lions. The teams have a combined 9-1 record. At this time last year they were 1-9. It's been such a long time since the 49ers and Lions have played a meaningful game. In honor of this titanic clash I'd like to throw it back to the last time. December 22, 1957.

In 1957 the Lions and 49ers tied for the Western Conference championship with 8-4 records. On December 22, 1957 they would meet in a playoff game. The winner would face the Cleveland Browns for the NFL Championship. Played at the 49ers' Kezar Stadium this playoff game was one of two very different halves. Through the solid play of quarterback Y.A. Tittle and his three touchdown passes the 49ers held a 24-7 half time lead. Their biggest mistake of the game was made at halftime. They celebrated. During the intermission, the Lions players could overhear the celebrating 49ers in the neighboring locker room. Not only did the 49ers celebrate a bit early, the team started printing tickets for the championship game against the Browns. There were still thirty minutes of fired up Detroit Lions waiting for them. The second half didn't start the Lions way when Hugh McElhenny took off on the first San Francisco possession for a spectacular 71-yard run to the Detroit seven-yard line. In probably the key development of the game, the Lions held the 49ers to a field goal. The 49ers did nothing the rest of the game. The Lions defense repeatedly took the ball back from the 49ers and the offense took over. Behind the solid play of runningback Tom Tracy, the Lions started to score. They took the lead, 28-27, less than a minute into the fourth quarter. A late field goal made the final score 31-27. Despite what the 49ers tickets said the Lions would be playing the Browns for the NFL Championship.

Detroit would go on to destroy Cleveland by a 59-14 score. This was their third championship of the decade. Considering how weak Detroit has been for so long, its striking how dominant they were throughout the '50s. Winning titles in 1952, '53 and '57. My father used to tell me that if the 49ers had waited another thirty minutes to celebrate, they likely would have won their first title 24 years earlier.