The Detroit Lions are not making a big deal about the return to Santa Clara, California, to play the San Francisco 49ers, but one player in the locker room wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to get a win on the field where their 2023 season ended.

Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor said it would feel good to get a win on the same field where the most infamous moment of his five-year NFL career went down. The Lions held a 24-7 lead over the 49ers at halftime of the NFC championship game in January but gave up 27 unanswered points in the second half to fall, 34-31, just short of the Super Bowl.

“I guess you could say that as a competitor,” Vildor told the Free Press on if there was any added motivation for him. “We know what happened last year. I know what happened, you know what I mean. So going out there and getting a win will feel good for sure.”

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Vildor had a key mistake early in the comeback. After San Francisco started the second half with a field goal to make it 24-10, Detroit, the 49ers got a stop on fourth down. On the second play of the ensuing drive, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy loaded up a deep shot to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Vildor bumped Aiyuk around the 20-yard line, and both players jumped for the ball a few strides later. The ball hit Vildor in the facemask, and Aiyuk made a diving catch on the ricochet as Vildor fell backward to the ground. The play gained 51 yards, and the 49ers scored three plays later to cut the score to 24-17.

Earlier this summer, Vildor told the Free Press he couldn’t re-watch the NFC championship game because of the way Detroit lost, but said on Friday that he has seen replays of the facemask catch since.

“I’ve definitely seen it,” Vildor said, referring to the facemask play. “I’ve seen it, for sure. We are watching film this week but we ain’t watch that play. I haven’t watched it this week. I know what happened, it’s still crazy to me. But shoot, we’ve moved on now.”

Even if there is a bit of personal motivation, the concerns of the team far outweigh those for Vildor and the rest of the Lions. Detroit is 13-2, tied for first place in the NFC and the NFC North with the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions could potentially clinch the 1-seed with a win and a Minnesota Vikings loss (at 4:25 p.m. Sunday). On the other end, San Francisco has already been eliminated from the playoff race for the first time since 2020, with a 6-9 record.

If the Lions do not clinch this weekend, their Week 18 matchup with the Vikings will almost certainly determine who earns the first-round bye. No matter the stakes, Vildor said the playoff mentality starts Week 18.

“I just want to go out there, compete with my teammates and just get a win,” Vildor said. “It’s an important game for us. The playoffs are the next game so we are going to go out there and do whatever it takes to get a win.”

Redemption for Gibbs?

On the Lions’ first play in January’s NFC championship game following the facemask catch and subsequent touchdown, the Lions handed off to Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs tried to spin out of a tackle at the line of scrimmage but lost the ball for the second fumble of his career and gave the ball to San Francisco at the Lions’ 24, leading to running back Christian McCaffrey’s tying touchdown four plays later.

Gibbs, who is handling the lead back role with David Montgomery (knee) sidelined, said he is going to try to have a big game against San Francisco as he does every other week against any opponent and does not have extra motivation to perform against the team who eliminated them.

“It’s just another game that we want to win,” Gibbs told the Free Press. “… I want to have a big game every game.”