5 most exciting matchups 49ers could open with in Week 1
By Peter Panacy
Ideal Week 1 matchups: 49ers @ Lions
If the 49ers can't get a grudge match against the Chiefs in Week 1, the Detroit Lions would like nothing more than to get their own revenge game against the Niners right out of the gate, particularly if it's at the friendly confines of Ford Field.
Rewinding back to the NFC Championship game at Levi's Stadium last January, the Lions appeared to have San Francisco's number, up big at halftime with a trip to the Super Bowl fully in sight.
Except Brock Purdy and the rest of the 49ers had other plans.
We all know what happened. The Niners staged an epic playoff comeback over head coach Dan Campbell's squad. And, while Campbell made some of his own questionable moves in the game, such as some odd fourth-down "go for it" tries, one can't undercut San Francisco maintaining the never-say-die attitude.
For the 49ers, a Week 1 showdown in Detroit would present an opportunity to send a message to a top conference contender. For the Lions, it'd be a chance to enact a small piece of vengeance for what happened in the penultimate weekend of football last January.