It's no secret that 2024 hasn't been a great year for the 49ers.
After a heartbreaking loss in Super Bowl LVIII back in February, San Francisco has underperformed massively this season and is eliminated from NFL playoff contention entering Week 17.
But, as coach Kyle Shanahan stated on this week's episode of NBC Sports Bay Area's "49ers Game Plan," that doesn't mean his team has nothing to play for in their home season finale against the NFC-leading Detroit Lions.
"I want to end it by beating Detroit," Shanahan told NBC Sports Bay Area's Greg Papa. "This year hasn't been a successful year for us. We'd like to finish it ... as strong as possible. not getting into the playoffs has been a huge disappointment for us, and we've had to deal with that."
Despite that disappointment, San Francisco can still enter 2025 with a much better taste in its mouth -- just in a different role than it is used to playing: spoiler.
"We've got two more games here, and being able to play a team who a lot of people are saying is the best team in the league," Shanahan continued. "We all know the history from last year, so that's gonna be fun for both of us to go through that.
"Nothing would be better than upsetting them and ruining their chance at the one seed and having a game that we can be proud of."
San Francisco 49ers
Nevertheless, even if the 49ers give it their all on Monday night and perhaps play their best game of the season, it still will take a lot to overcome a 13-2 Lions squad that easily leads the NFL in point differential.
But, stranger things have happened. After all, San Francisco came back from a 17-point halftime deficit in the NFC Championship game last season; who's to say the 49ers can't pull off another miracle?
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