Even in his 80s, Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells cuts to the chase.
HOW TO WATCH LIONS vs. 49ERS in NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
When Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell — a former Giants and Cowboys tight end who played under Parcells in Dallas — texted his former coach after a divisional playoff victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Parcells’ answered succinctly with advice for playing against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium.
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“Said, ‘Congratulations. Shoes.’” Campbell said.
“Did you watch the game the other night, San Francisco-Green Bay? All the slips, the falls, the everything. And that’s Coach Parcells. Classic. And he’s right. He’ll always give you some substance.”
There is only a 2% chance of rain on Sunday, however.
The divisional playoff game, played in a downpour, was marred by poor footing. Niners cornerback Charvarius Ward slipped and fell on a 38-yard pass to Romeo Doubs in the first quarter, and safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. went down while trying to catch up with receiver Bo Melton on a 19-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Niners linebacker Dre Greenlaw made the game-clinching interception, but was among the players slipping and sliding all over the Levi’s Stadium field. The 49ers gave up a 73-yard kickoff return and a blocked field-goal attempt with the footing at least partially to blame.
NFC NOTES: The 49ers have won 11 of the past 12 meetings in the series. … San Francisco beat Detroit in coach Dan Campbell’s debut in 2021 when the Lions nearly erased a 24-point deficit in the final two minutes. … This is the third all-time playoff meeting between the teams. San Francisco won a 1983 wild-card game 24-23 when Eddie Murray missed a potential game-winning field goal and Gary Danielson threw five INTs for Detroit. … The Lions overcame a 20-point deficit in the 1957 divisional round to win 31-27.
STATS AND STUFF: The Lions have won two playoff games in a postseason for the first time since winning the 1957 NFL championship. … Detroit beat Tampa Bay in the wild-card round, ending an NFL-record, nine-game postseason streak. … The Lions, the NFC’s No. 3 seed, won their division for the first time in three decades. … Detroit has a franchise-record 14 wins in a season, including their two playoff victories. … The Lions have lost a record 11 straight road playoff games since beating the 49ers in 1957. … Detroit is one of four franchises never to reach the Super Bowl. … Jared Goff, who helped the Los Angeles Rams win the NFC title five years ago, has a chance to join Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner and Craig Morton as the five QBs to lead two teams to a Super Bowl. … If Jahmyr Gibbs runs for a TD, he will join Tony Dorsett, Jamal Lewis and Sony Michel as the four rookies to score on the ground in three postseason games. … TE Sam LaPorta is two catches and 32 yards receiving away from joining Ja’Marr Chase as the two rookies in league history with 100-plus catches along with at least 1,000 yards receiving and 10 TD receptions, including playoff games. … Detroit’s 25 TDs from rookies in the regular season and playoffs are the most for a team since the merger. … DE Aidan Hutchinson has at least one sack in four straight games. … The 49ers are in the NFC title game for the third straight year and fourth time in five seasons. … San Francisco lost the past two years and is trying to avoid becoming the fifth team ever to lose at this stage in three straight seasons. … The Niners’ 19 appearances in the conference title game are the most for any team since the merger in 1970. … San Francisco has won six straight home playoff games. … The Niners’ 37 playoff wins are tied with Green Bay and New England for the most ever. … San Francisco RB Christian McCaffrey had 128 yards from scrimmage last week with two TD runs. He tied a franchise record by scoring at least one TD in four straight playoff games. … McCaffrey can join Marcus Allen and Terrell Davis as the only players to gain at least 50 yards and score a TD in each of their first six playoff games. … LB Dre Greenlaw had two INTs last week, becoming the first San Francisco player to do that in a playoff game since Eric Davis in the 1994 NFC title game against Dallas. … Purdy has thrown 102 passes in the playoffs without an INT.
The AP contributed to this report.