Last meeting
The 49ers defeated the Lions 19-13 in 2006. San Francisco's defense registered four turnovers and RB Frank Gore ran for 159 yards, including a 61-yard TD.
Streaks
The Niners have beaten the Lions 10 out of the last 11 times, and lead the overall series, 36-26-1.
Last week
The Lions dug their way out of a 21-0 hole against the Packers but couldn't finish, falling 48-25 to their NFC North rivals. ... San Francisco fell behind 14-0 before regrouping to defeat the Seahawks 33-30 in overtime.
Keep your eye on ...
J.T. O'Sullivan, for starters: The Niners' starting QB won the job in training camp and preseason after spending last season as Jon Kitna's backup in Detroit. O'Sullivan is positioned to have a big game against his old teammates, who gave up 328 passing yards and three touchdowns to Aaron Rodgers last Sunday. Oh, and did we mention that O'Sullivan is now being coached by former Lions OC Mike Martz?
How the Lions start: Detroit fell behind by 21 points in both games this season and had to play catch-up by airing it out. Playing outdoors and on the road, Jon Kitna & Co. have to make sure punter Nick Harris stays off the field in the first half.
How Frank Gore rebounds: The fourth-year veteran looks to bounce back from a disappointing effort against the Seahawks in which he ran for 61 yards and lost a fumble. In his only game against the Lions two years ago, Gore rushed for 159 yards and a TD.
Did you know?
In three games vs. San Francisco, QB Jon Kitna has completed 45 of 63 passes for 479 yards and three TDs. ... WR Calvin Johnson had career-high 129 receiving yards last week, recording back-to-back 100-yard games for first time in his career.