2008 · Week 3

Final

Lions

Detroit

QB Jon Kitna

13·31

49ers

San Francisco

QB J.T. O'Sullivan

Candlestick Park · outdoors · grass · 67°F · wind 12mph

Closing spread

SF -5

Total

47

Model margin

+3.2est.

SF perspective

Push chance

2.0%est.

Win probability

  • 49ers
  • Lions

How each play moved the game.

49ers winsLions wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Lionsedge map49ers
  • -0.162EPA / play-0.056
  • 36.3%Success rate43.6%
  • -0.203EPA / dropback-0.002
  • -0.092EPA / rush-0.150
  • 8.2%Explosive rate8.4%
  • -3.61CPOE+1.59
  • 28.7%Third-down rate37.4%
  • 72.0%Red-zone TD rate53.3%
  • 1.21Points / drive1.64
  • 2.9%Turnover rate3.5%

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

SF lead 10–2 since 1999

Meetings average 48.8 points. SF are 4-7-1 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2024 · W17DET @ SF4034DET
2023 · playoffsDET @ SF3134SF
2021 · W1SF @ DET4133SF
2018 · W2DET @ SF2730SF
2015 · W16SF @ DET1732DET
2012 · W2DET @ SF1927SF
2011 · W6SF @ DET2519SF
2009 · W16DET @ SF620SF

Box score

Individual performances

Lions

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Jon Kitna15/3014611
Dan Orlovsky0/1001

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Rudi Johnson14835.90
Jon Kitna3196.30
Kevin Smith3144.70

49ers

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
J.T. O'Sullivan16/2318920

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Frank Gore271304.81
J.T. O'Sullivan8324.00
Arnaz Battle11818.00
DeShaun Foster210.50

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +53.9%6.8%7.5%3.1%4.8%3.1%2.7%

Positive margins favour 49ers; negative favour Lions.

Half-point at risk

1.96%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

57.6%

Expected total

44.9est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+4.02
  • Home-field advantage+2.49
  • Quarterback adjustment-3.32
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+3.19