In a rematch of the divisional playoff round, the Buccaneers will travel to Detroit to play the Lions. The Lions are coming off a win against the Rams in overtime on Sunday night, demonstrating that they are capable of winning even when they play sloppy football. The Bucs are coming off a great win against the Commanders, where QB Baker Mayfield had one of the best games of his career in Tampa. This is going to be an amazing game, and I expect it to come down to the defense.
Buccaneers
The Buccaneers just defeated the Commanders in a thrilling game in which Baker Mayfield played very well. Mayfield finished with four touchdowns and 289 throwing yards. Under first-year offensive coordinator Liam Coen, the offense was excellent, easily moving the ball up and down the field. With only one sack and four QB hits allowed, the offensive line performed admirably. While rookie Bucky Irving gained 62 yards on just nine attempts, Rachaad White struggled, only managing 31 yards on 15 carries.
Additionally, the defense played well, limiting Washington to only 20 points. The Bucs gave up only 184 passing yards under the command of safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Rookie Jayden Daniels was under a lot of pressure from the defensive line, which forced him to make tough throws and give himself little time to find his receivers. Additionally, they played excellent run defense, limiting running back Brian Robinson Jr. to only 40 yards on 12 runs.
The Bucs need Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to get separated from the Lions’ cornerbacks to win this game. To give Mayfield enough time to throw, this offensive line must also outshine the Lions’ defensive line. They will have an opportunity to win this game if they can accomplish that along with making a couple of defensive stops.
Lions
After defeating the Rams in overtime, the Lions’ run game proved why it’s one of the best in the league. The Lions, behind David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, ran 31 times for 163 yards. Montgomery easily crossed the whole field while running the ball down the Rams’ necks in overtime. Jameson Williams had a tremendous performance in the passing game, accumulating 121 receiving yards and a touchdown on 5 receptions. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught just three receptions for thirteen yards on a quiet night. When throwing an interception on the Rams side of the field, Goff was a touch unsteady at times, but by the conclusion of the game, he was performing well.
The secondary of the Lions’ defense seems to have improved. Terrion Arnold, a rookie, performed admirably, making plays in the run and pass games while effectively covering Cooper Kupp. Carlton Davis gave up more than 120 yards in a shaky performance, but he did close the game with several crucial plays. Brian Branch made huge plays the whole game, and Kerby Joseph intercepted Stafford in the red zone. Aidan Hutchinson had a fantastic day up front, registering a career-high 11 pressures, four QB hits, and one sack. Detroit’s top defensive player was Alex Anzalone, who racked up 13 tackles, including three tackles for loss.
This game could be close, but Detroit should be able to win. Their offense must recover and return to its 2023 form. With a score of about 31–24, the Lions should win this game if they can do that and the defense puts forth another strong showing.
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