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Dec 25, 2009 - 8:03 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

The San Francisco 49ers ensured that their playoff drought would continue with a loss last week, but they still have an opportunity to finish with their best record in seven seasons.

Needing to win their final two games to do so, the 49ers will try to get the first of those victories Sunday against the visiting Detroit Lions.

A 27-13 loss in Philadelphia combined with Arizona's 31-24 win in Detroit eliminated San Francisco (6-8) from the postseason for the seventh straight year.

"I am very frustrated," coach Mike Singletary said. "There are a lot of adjectives, some that I can't say, but I feel \2026 This is a team, it is unfortunate, that is good enough."

Despite that disappointment, Singletary has a chance to do what Dennis Erickson and Mike Nolan, the man he replaced with nine games to go last season, couldn't accomplish - avoiding a losing season.

"We've got to finish strong, man," running back Frank Gore said. "The main thing is to take care of this week and go from there."

With their remaining games against the Lions (2-12) and the 1-13 St. Louis Rams, the 49ers have a good shot at accomplishing that feat, but they could use a better performance from quarterback Alex Smith.

Since his career-high 310 yards in a win over Seattle on Dec. 6, Smith has completed 54.2 percent of his passes for 321 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions in the past two games.

Despite those recent struggles, the former No. 1 overall draft pick has completed a career-high 60.1 percent of his passes this season, with 16 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 78.5 passer rating - also a career best.

Singletary still sees promise in Smith, who took over the starting job from Shaun Hill in the sixth game this season.

"When I look at Alex, I think each week he's continued to grow," Singletary said. "He's done a lot in a short amount of time."

The Lions, meanwhile, are set to start their third quarterback of the season in Sunday's game.

The NFL's most recent No. 1 overall pick, Matthew Stafford, is out for the season with a separated left shoulder, and Daunte Culpepper has proved ineffective, paving the way for Drew Stanton's first career start.

"It was a nice early Christmas present - the best one I've had," Stanton said.

Stanton replaced Culpepper in the second half of last week's loss to the Cardinals and was 10 of 19 for 72 yards with an interception. Detroit, however, scored 17 points with him in the game, including his tying 1-yard sneak with 3:48 remaining.

The Cardinals responded with a touchdown less than two minutes later to send the Lions to their fourth straight loss.

"The stats didn't bear out, but he moved the team and he scored points," coach Jim Schwartz said. "The one thing is, Drew in his career has never gone through a week as the starter, getting the starter reps and having that time to prepare."

Detroit will try to avoid a 20th consecutive road defeat, a streak that began Nov. 11, 2007, on Sunday. Among those was last season's 31-13 loss in San Francisco.

Gore rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown in that game, and San Francisco's defense held the Lions to 240 total yards in the third of their 16 losses in 2008.

Gore comes into this game following consecutive 100-yard performances, and he needs 59 more yards to surpass 1,000 for the fourth straight year. In addition to his solid game last season against Detroit, he also had 159 yards in his first career game against the Lions in 2006.

He'll try to help the 49ers extend a nine-game home win streak over the Lions that dates to 1977. San Francisco has also won six in a row overall against Detroit and 11 of 12 in the series since 1988.