Three Things The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Must Do To Beat Detroit Lions

Injuries are piling up for the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs have holes on offense, while the Lions’ secondary is practically being held together with duct tape. But in the NFL, nobody cares about who’s hurt; they only care about who wins. If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to walk out of the Motor City with a W and even the score, they need to execute. Here are three reasons they can pull it off.

Reason 1: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Red Zone Defense Must Be Elite

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers red zone defense has been a liability this season. Giving up touchdowns on nearly 70% of opponent trips inside the 20-yard line is a recipe for disaster, putting them near the bottom of the league at 28th. That won’t cut it against a high-octane offense like Detroit’s.

However, we have seen this defense rise to the occasion before. Remember last year’s regular-season upset in Detroit? The secret sauce was a suffocating red zone performance where the Buccaneers held the Lions to just one touchdown in seven attempts. That’s the kind of grit they need to channel on Monday night.

Reason 2: Neutralize the Game-Wrecker, Aidan Hutchinson

Every team has that one guy who can single-handedly destroy a game plan. For the Lions, it’s Aidan Hutchinson. He’s a nightmare off the edge, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers know it all too well after he racked up 4.5 sacks against them in Detroit last season.

History seems to be repeating itself, as the Bucs will once again be without starting right tackle Luke Goedeke. Last time, it was Justin Skule who was overwhelmed by Hutchinson’s relentless pressure. This time, the unenviable task falls to Charlie Heck. You can bet the offensive game plan will involve giving him plenty of help. Expect to see tight ends Cade Otton and Payne Durham glued to his hip, chipping and double-teaming to keep Hutchinson out of the backfield.

Baker Mayfield has been Houdini-like in his ability to escape pressure this season, but you can’t rely on magic against a force like Hutchinson. He has the power to blow up plays before they even start. If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to win, they have to contain him. They don’t need to shut him down completely—that’s nearly impossible—but they can’t let him dictate the flow of the game. Limiting his impact will be fundamental to giving Mayfield the time he needs to operate.

Reason 3: Exploit the Lions’ Banged-Up Secondary with a Balanced Attack

The obvious move for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is to let Baker Mayfield air it out. With a secondary this depleted, the matchup advantages for the Bucs’ receivers are glaring. However, a one-dimensional, pass-happy approach plays right into the hands of Detroit’s fierce pass rush.

The real key is balance. The Bucs’ ground game found its footing last week, and they’ll need another strong performance from Rachaad White and Sean Tucker. Establishing the run won’t just keep the offense on schedule; it will force the Lions’ front seven to stay honest. If they can’t just pin their ears back and rush the passer on every down, it opens up everything for Mayfield.

Getting Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka back on the field would be a massive boost. Their presence would not only provide deep threats to exploit the Lions’ patchwork secondary but also draw coverage away from the middle of the field, creating running lanes and opening up the short passing game. A balanced offensive attack—one that can run the ball effectively while still taking calculated shots downfield—is the perfect strategy to dismantle this Lions team.