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It's Week 17, which means we're getting the last Monday Night Football game today. Luckily, it seems like it will be a good one, which is fitting, considering MNF is easily the big brother of Thursday Night Football. TNF has a bad reputation of delivering absolute sleepers of games.
The worst one may have come just a few days ago, when the Seattle Seahawks faced the Chicago Bears in one of the most miserable mid-offs of the year. Seattle won that game 6-3, though it was more fitting to say they tried less hard to lose.
Tonight's contest will be a lot more entertaining. That's a guarantee. So who is playing, what time will the game be on, how can it be watched and who will win?
The Detroit Lions, who have been an elite team sitting at 13-2 so far this year, will take on the 6-9 San Francisco 49ers, who have been eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2020. Their bad record is more of an indictment of head coach Kyle Shanahan's consistent mishandling of player injuries than overall talent and football coaching, though.
I think it was Foerster who called @isaacguerendo a guy who can break a safeties angle. Kevin Byard wasn't ready for this speed. pic.twitter.com/QoeEFVAziO
— JonnydelsFA (@jonnydels) December 10, 2024
Luckily, rookie running back Isaac Guerendo (foot/hamstring) was cleared to return to last week's game after an injury scare. His presence will be important, as the Shanascheme relies heavily on highly athletic and productive RBs to succeed. We should have a good one coming up.
The game will start at 8:15 p.m. EST, just like the rest of them. It will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN Deportes (for Spanish-language viewers). You can also watch it with an NFL+ subscription, or if you have Sling, Fubo, or YouTubeTV.
These viewing methods have been consistent all season. You can visit the websites of any of these if you want to purchase a subscription, though it's pretty late in the season, so maybe you can hold off until next year. However, you might want to order some of these subscriptions for the playoffs.
Who is Going to Win?
Probably Detroit. They have a much more productive offense and are on a team that's motivated to win due to their chance at securing the No. 1 seed. Their defense has been obliterated by injuries but their offense is so strong that it might not even matter.
On the other side of the field, the 49ers offensive line is atrocious. Games are often won in the trenches in the NFL, and it's incredibly difficult to win games if the OL isn't playing well. A ton of backups will likely struggle, as they're less skilled than the starters, and having to use them breaks continuity.
As you contemplate starting Isaac Guerendo this week, consider the 49ers OL… https://t.co/suk4GAvEfe pic.twitter.com/VPwZx91l6D
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) December 28, 2024
As far as fantasy football goes, managers likely don't have a choice of who to start, as most of the games have already been played. We don't necessarily agree that a poor offensive line will ruin Guerendo's fantasy value. That's more likely to happen (if it does) due to injuries or lack of receiving work.
The freshman player is used well as a receiving back, anyway. But it really might not matter much. The slew of injuries that have decimated San Francisco will make it much more difficult for them to win. It's extremely unlikely they can pull this one off. We're going with the Lions here.
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