4 reasons why 49ers beat Lions in NFC Championship (and 2 reasons why they don't)

Why the 49ers win: Playoff experience

The 49ers are no strangers to this part of the NFL playoffs. As mentioned, this is the fourth time in five years that San Francisco has made it this far in the playoffs.

The Lions, as you might expect, have not made it this far in a very long time. It was the 1991 season, and for those who are keeping track, that's well over 30 years.

The Lions have a very well-constructed roster, thanks to frequently strong drafting, but their team is much less experienced when it comes to the playoffs.

Put simply, it's a different ballgame that they're not experienced in.

Combined with this, and the rabid home crowd the Niners will enjoy on Sunday, this is a big psychological edge for San Francisco over Detroit. The 49ers know what it's like to be here, most of the Lions do not.

Of course, that's not in of itself going to put the Niners into the Super Bowl, but don't underestimate the edge in a team that knows what it takes to play in this game.