The Detroit Lions came into Candlestick Park looking to put their powerful offense on display in primetime.
Instead, they became the latest NFC power to be humbled by a scary good San Francisco 49ers defense.
Here's what else we learned during San Francisco's 27-19 win:
»Alex Smith might never put up the numbers of elite quarterbacks in today's pass-happy NFL, but he's the perfect QB for this 49ers offense. He played mistake-free football Sunday night, and showed toughness and playmaking ability on the Niners' final scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
» For the second straight week, Matthew Stafford didn't look sharp. He didn't have many opportunities against the 49ers' stout defense, but he missed too many throws. This Lions team isn't built to win 17-14 games. They need Stafford to be a stud.
»Frank Gore has some fresh legs right now. The 49ers' all-time leading rusher made Lions defenders miss all night. The Niners need to do everything in their power to keep Gore healthy for four months.
»Michael Crabtree came up huge in the Niners' final scoring drive. He kept the march alive with by converting first downs on third-and-7, third-and-14, and third-and-9. That's what big-time wide receivers do.
» Randy Moss had one catch for 14 yards. He might still be able to take the top off defenses, but we've yet to see it through two weeks.
» Nice moment for Kyle Williams, tragic figure of the NFC Championship Game, who made a nice sliding recovery of the Lions' desperation pooch onside kick late in the fourth quarter.
» As you might expect, the postgame handshake between Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz was completely uneventful. No one wants to move on from that storyline more than these two guys.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.
