The following is the first installment of From the Stands. I'm not just sharing my memories but inviting you to be part of this journey, making this a collective recollection of our shared love for the 49ers. See the bottom of this article for instructions on how you can participate.
The loudest I've heard Levi's was at last year's NFC title game. No, the greatest roar of the crowd did not immediately follow the BA Ricochet. That came 90 seconds of play, and a bathroom break later when bedlam broke loose.
Oddsmakers had San Francisco a 7.5-point favorite. Expectations were running high among the Faithful. So, it was a shock when Detroit scored on four of its first five possessions and led comfortably 24-7 at intermission.
The rock group Journey finished their halftime set with the optimistic anthem "Don't Stop Believin." But at 17 points down and just two quarters of football remaining, a 49er win seemed like a tall, if not impossible, task.
San Francisco opened the second half with a field goal. The Lions responded by moving the ball deep into the 49ers' territory, but San Francisco took over on downs when Jared Goff missed Jameson Williams on a fourth-and-two-pass play.
Wideout Deebo Samuel opened the 49ers' ensuing drive with a 17-yard catch and run. Then Brock Purdy took a deep shot at Brandon Aiyuk. The ball sailed over Aiyuk's outstretched arms but ricochetted off the face mask of Lions defender Kindle Vildor. In a remarkable display of concentration, Brandon dove and caught the deflection, good for a 51-yard pickup. Two plays later, Purdy found Aiyuk again, this time open in the endzone for a 6-yard touchdown pass. The Niners were an extra point away from cutting the Lion's lead to seven.
In my ten years as a season ticket holder, I never left my seat to go to the restroom during the game. However, I drank a lot of water before and during the Detroit game, and nature was calling.
Jake Moody trotted onto the field for the extra-point attempt, and I hurried up the stairs and ran to the restroom. With an extra-point try, a two-minute commercial break, and a kickoff in store, I figured if I was quick, I could take care of my business and be back in my seat before the Lions ran another play from scrimmage.
My timing almost worked. I ran back to the entrance to Section 123, but a stadium attendant held me and others up at the top of the stairs as the Lions broke their huddle and moved into formation.
From where I stood, I could see the field in front of me and a television screen to my immediate right broadcasting the live action. Greg Papa and Tim Ryan were delivering the play-by-play.
The handoff from Jared Goff to Jahmyr Gibbs was not clean. Tashaun Gipson came up from his safety position and separated Gibbs from the football.
I could hear Tim Ryan screaming through the TV monitor, "Ball out! Ball out!" Arik Armstead recovered the loose ball at the Lions' 25-yard line as Nick Bosa pointed to the 49ers' endzone, signaling San Francisco had recovered the loose ball.
As Ryan continued, "49er ball, Bang! Bang!"
And the Niner Gang erupted in unbridled euphoria, louder than I had ever heard Levi's. It was as if a wave of energy had swept through the stadium, and suddenly, I found myself amid a mosh pit as 49er fans bounced off me in unrestrained celebration.
While I'm accustomed to the usual hugs and high-fives, this was something else entirely. The fans were raucous.
There was an instant shift in momentum as if the Lions were blindsided by a left hook. A feeling of inevitability swept through the crowd as the Niners scored 27 unanswered points, seizing a commanding 10-point lead.
The crowd was still buzzing as the game ended, reveling in a 34-31 victory and a Super Bowl berth. Whenever I hear the song 'Don't Stop Believin,' my mind immediately drifts back to the 49ers/ Lions title game and the enduring memories it left us with.
This article is the first installment of From the Stands. I'm not just sharing my memories but inviting you to be part of this journey. What are your recollections of last year's NFC title game? Reach out to me via email (jjopelt@gmail.com) or a tweet at from_the_stands@#49ers. Tell me what made the Lions' game so memorable to you. Remember to leave your name and city of residence and check in because your comments may feature in a future article, making this a collective recollection of our shared love for the 49ers.
Written By:
Jon Opelt
Reporter. Immersed in 49ers football from Kezar to Candlestick to Levi's Stadium.
All articles by Jon Opelt
Jon Opelt
Reporter. Immersed in 49ers football from Kezar to Candlestick to Levi's Stadium.
All articles by Jon Opelt
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