2024 playoffs: 49ers' win vs. Lions could end a longtime NFL curse

The 2024 NFC Championship game will witness a showdown between the 49ers and the Lions. However, San Francisco encounters an extra challenge; they must not only defeat Detroit but also surmount a curse to secure victory in Super Bowl LVIII.

The 2023 NFL season is nearing its conclusion. Four teams are vying for a ticket to Las Vegas to compete in the Super Bowl, with the 49ers and the Ravens emerging as the favorites to advance, as per oddsmakers.

Discussing the Niners, they are set to face a formidable challenge for the NFC title. The Lions have had a remarkable year, aiming to reach their first-ever Super Bowl and potentially leverage a longtime NFL curse in their favor to overcome San Francisco.

The 49ers must overcome the ‘Curse of Kirk Cousins’ In the NFC Championship game

What does Kirk Cousins have to do with the 49ers if he’s not playing in the 2024 playoffs? Well, quite a bit. The Vikings‘ quarterback seems to have ‘cast’ a curse on San Francisco that could potentially jeopardize their chances of winning the upcoming Super Bowl.

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In Week 7 of the 2023 season, the Vikings managed to defeat the 49ers with an impressive performance by Cousins. The quarterback threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns, resulting in a 22-17 victory for his team.

Even though it initially appeared as just an upset for the 49ers, Cousins’ win may have cast a curse upon them. Since the quarterback entered the league in 2012, no team that he has defeated in the regular season has gone on to win a Super Bowl in that same year.

Curses are meant to be broken, but the outlook is not too promising for the 49ers. San Francisco is only the third team to make it to the conference title game in the same season they were defeated by Cousins, adding an extra layer of challenge to their postseason journey.

Even though Cousins plays in the NFC North like the Lions, this curse would not apply to them. The quarterback didn’t play against Detroit this year, as he suffered a season-ending injury that prevented this matchup.

Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 29, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

If the 49ers beat the Lions, they would technically break the curse, as no team that Cousins has defeated has even made it to the Super Bowl in the same year. Will they be able to achieve this?

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The 49ers, undeniably one of the NFL powerhouses, are currently on the brink of clinching their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy, marking a perfect conclusion to their exceptional season.