49ers Open Season With 41-33 Win Over Lions

DETROIT (AP) — Dre Greenlaw returned an interception for a touchdown to assistance the San Francisco 49ers score 17 points implicit two-plus minutes precocious successful the archetypal half, and they hardly held connected for a 41-33 triumph implicit the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

San Francisco led 38-10 aboriginal successful the 4th fourth and allowed Detroit to people 23 points successful three-plus minutes to propulsion wrong 8 points. But the Lions turned the shot implicit connected downs astatine the San Francisco 24 with 12 seconds near aft getting it backmost connected a fumble by Deebo Samuel.

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For astir of the afternoon, the 49ers performed much similar the Super Bowl-contending squad they were 2 years agone than the 10-loss squad they had past play erstwhile injuries took a large toll.

Meanwhile, it looked similar the galore changes the Lions made mightiness beryllium moot successful manager Dan Campbell’s debut — until the comeback provided immoderate hope.

San Francisco welcomed backmost Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle connected discourtesy and Nick Bosa connected defence aft each missed overmuch of past play with injuries.

Garoppolo, who helped San Francisco triumph the 2019 NFC championship, is 23-8 successful the regular play since being acquired from New England. Kittle had 4 receptions for 78 yards. Bosa had 4 tackles, including a drive-ending sack aboriginal successful the 4th quarter.

Garoppolo, who mislaid a fumble connected his archetypal snap, was 17 of 25 for 314 yards. He threw a 79-yard touchdown walk to Samuel, who took vantage of cornerback Jeff Okudah falling. That gave the Niners a 28-point cushion midway done the 3rd quarter. They needed it.

Samuel had 9 catches for a career-high 189 yards. Rookie Elijah Miller, filling successful for injured Raheem Mostert, had a tiebreaking, 38-yard touchdown tally aboriginal successful the 2nd 4th and finished with 104 yards rushing.

In his Detroit debut, Jared Goff was 38 of 57 for 338 3 touchdowns and a costly interception. T.J. Hockenson had a career-high 8 receptions for 97 yards and scored successful the season-opening crippled for the 3rd clip successful 3 years.

Goff, the erstwhile Los Angeles Rams backmost acquired on with first-round draught picks for Matthew Stafford, was picked disconnected precocious successful the 2nd 4th by Greenlaw. The linebacker returned the interception 39 yards to springiness San Francisco a 28-10 lead.

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The Niners led 31-10 astatine halftime, their highest full aft 2 quarters since 2008.

NOTABLE

San Francisco backmost Trey Lance connected with receiver Trent Sherfield connected a 5-yard, play-action walk to assistance the 49ers instrumentality a 7-0 pb precocious successful the archetypal quarter.

The erstwhile North Dakota State prima is the archetypal rookie to propulsion a touchdown connected his archetypal walk effort since Atlanta’s Matt Ryan against Detroit successful 2008. Lance besides became the archetypal Niners rookie to propulsion for a people successful a season-opening crippled since they joined the NFL successful 1950.

INJURY REPORT

49ers: Mostert (knee), Greenlaw (groin) and CB Jason Verrett (right leg) were hurt.

Lions: WR Kalif Raymond limped disconnected the field, favoring his near limb successful the 3rd quarter. On a play successful the 4th quarter, some Okudah (foot) and DT Kevin Strong were injured.

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