The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got their revenge match from last year’s 31-23 loss in the NFC Divisional Round in the Playoffs against the Detroit Lions at Ford Stadium on Sunday. Both teams came off wins in the first week of the season. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield had a career day, going 24/30 in completions with four touchdowns and a QBR of 146.4 in their 37-20 win against the Washington Commanders.
The Detroit Lions won against the Los Angeles Rams in overtime. Running back David Montgomery ran in the winning score. Quarterback Jared Goff for the Lions threw for 317 yards, going 34/49 in completions with one touchdown and one interception. Montgomery carried the ball 17 times for 91 yards with one touchdown. This matchup sets the tone for both teams on who will be one of the top teams in the NFC conference. Did the Lions stop the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ hopes of being one of those top teams to be considered Super Bowl contenders?
Chris Godwin
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got a win against the Detroit Lions 20-16 in a dogfight that went down to the wire. Baker Mayfield, quarterback for the Bucs, didn’t have a magical day like week one but did throw for one touchdown and had one rushing touchdown in the third quarter. Mayfield threw 12/19 in completions and had a QBR of 50.7 with 185 yards. Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s offense had difficulty getting their passing game going; the Detroit Lions defense had Mayfield under constant pressure, with defensive end Aidan Hutchinson sacking Mayfield 4.5 times during the game, with three in the first quarter.
The Bucs run game wasn’t on point either in this game, with Rachaad White carrying the ball ten times for 18 yards. Rookie Bucky Irving only had seven carries for 22 yards. Chris Godwin, wide receiver for the Buccaneers, was the star again this week with seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown, with many of the receptions having Godwin in open space. Godwin is predicted to have a good season by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ new offensive coordinator, Liam Coen. The Lions’ defense held Bucs veteran receiver Mike Evans to only three grabs for 42 yards.
Bucs Defense Still Taking Hits
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense gave up 463 yards in total in the game with the Detroit Lions. Jared Goff, the Lions’ quarterback, threw for 307 yards on 34-55 completions, two interceptions, and no touchdowns. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense line was already without Calijah Kancey, and Logan Hall missed week one because of a foot issue. Hall did make his start this week, but Bucs nose tackle Vita Vea went out with a knee injury in the first half.
The Bucs were already short, and there were injuries on the defensive side of the ball. With issues on the defensive line, the Lions took advantage of the situation; Lions running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 119 yards in rushing with one touchdown by Montgomery. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St Brown had 11 catches for 119 yards with no TDs.
Final Thought
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have won against the Lions, but it wasn’t without some scares. The Bucs have been dealing with injury issues since training camp. The Buccaneers have a young roster, and many are contributing to the team now. The Buccaneers will play the Denver Broncos at home next Sunday. Hopefully, the Bucs can get their roster to a healthier status after making a mark on the league by beating the Detroit Lions, but they still have a long way to go.
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