3 Lions to blame for painful NFC Championship collapse

3) Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds

For the Lions, there's plenty of blame to go around for this loss. The biggest culprit, though? Josh Reynolds. Reynolds has been an integral part of this Lions offense, snaring the No. 2 wideout role in the wake of Jameson Williams' early season suspension for gambling. If only he could have snared the football on Sunday with as much conviction.

Against the Niners, the usually reliable Reynolds who caught 40 balls and five touchdowns for Jared Goff was nowhere to be found. Goff looked his way four times on the day, yet Reynolds only managed a single catch, and his two drops were killers with a capital "K".

The first drop came on the Lions' first possession of the second half, with Detroit leading 24-10 after holding the Niners to a field goal to start the third quarter. Dan Campbell's decision to go for it will be much-discussed in the coming days, but what can't be disputed is that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had the right play installed. Reynolds popped open, Goff made a throw that was good enough to hit him in the hands, but Reynolds couldn't hang on to it.

Nobody knew it at the time, but this was the beginning of the end for Detroit, as the Niners scored 24 straight points from this moment.

Reynolds had a chance to redeem himself with the game tied at 24, but again he let the ball bounce harmlessly off his hands, this time on a critical third down that forced a Lions punt.

Reynolds' pair of mistakes prove why it's so difficult to predict what is going to happen in the playoffs. Things that have worked all season short circuit, sure-handed players drop the football, and defeat can be snatched from the jaws of victory. Sometimes pressure makes diamonds, sometimes it makes coal.