Lions vs. Bucs highlights: How Detroit topped Tampa Bay to reach NFC championship game

Story by

Story by
Lions vs. Bucs highlights: How Detroit topped Tampa Bay to reach NFC championship game

Steve Gardner, Lorenzo Reyes, Chris Bumbaca, Nate Davis, Victoria Hernandez, Tyler Dragon and Safid Deen, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Mon, Jan 22, 2024 ·

24 min read

About Our Ads

The Detroit Lions are headed to San Francisco .

Quarterback Jared Goff threw for 287 yards with two touchdown passes, running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored a touchdown and gained 114 total yards and the Detroit Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 at Ford Field on Sunday.

The Lions advance to the NFC championship game next Sunday, where they will visit the 49ers, who beat the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.

Gibbs scored a 31-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and Goff found receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 9-yard touchdown to take a 31-17 lead with 6:22 left in the game. Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes intercepted Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield on Tampa Bay 's final drive of the game to seal it.

Mayfield had three touchdown passes – his first two to tight end Cade Otton and Rachaad White tied the game, but his third to Mike Evans trimmed Tampa Bay's deficit to 31-23 with 4:37 left in the game. But his second interception of the game ended Tampa Bay's season.

Detroit advances to a conference championship game for the first time since 1991. It is one of four NFL franchises to never reach a Super Bowl .

Tampa Bay enters the offseason after Mayfield led the Buccaneers to the NFC South title, and their first playoff win since Tom Brady retired in 2021. — Safid Deen

Lions vs. Bucs score

Lions — 31
Buccaneers — 23

Lions vs. Bucs winners, losers

WINNERS

Ben Johnson and the Detroit offense didn't panic

Credit the Lions offense and coordinator Ben Johnson, who appears very likely to end up with a head coaching gig whenever the Detroit offseason arrives, for working through early game adversity. Through their first six offensive possessions (not counting a kneel at the end of the first half), the Lions had recorded three three-and-outs and had crossed midfield just twice.

Then, quarterback Jared Goff started to work the ball down the field. The Lions scored touchdowns on their seventh, eighth and ninth possessions, and averaged 8.3 plays and 76 yards in those. Tampa Bay and coach Todd Bowles did a tremendous job early of shutting down the rush and Detroit's offense stalled. Johnson didn't panic and allowed the pass to open up the rush, namely in a beautifully-timed counter that went 31 yards and was a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown early in the fourth that helped Detroit run away with it.

The young Lions weapons

It's not just that Detroit reached its first NFC title game in 32 seasons, it's also that they've set themselves up for the short-term future, especially on offense. The Lions have a nice trio of emerging stars at running back, receiver and tight end.

Jahmyr Gibbs, 21, is a rookie running back who had 114 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 13 touches. Amon-Ra St. Brown , 24, is already a downfield threat who led the Lions in receiving yards (77) and scored the game-sealing touchdown. Sam LaPorta , 23, is a rookie tight end who paced Detroit in catches with nine and was a steady threat all day long.

LOSERS

Tampa Bay ground game a letdown, again

The Buccaneers and offensive coordinator Dave Canales very clearly tried to create some balance Sunday. The team's inability to get anything at all going put way too much pressure on quarterback Baker Mayfield , which in turn stressed the Tampa Bay offense beyond repair.

The Buccaneers ranked dead last in the NFL during the regular season in rushing yards per game (88.8) and rushing yards per play (3.44). Against the Lions, Tampa Bay was more or less right on that average, recording 89 rushing yards at a 5.9 yards-per-carry clip. The problem isn't talent; Rachaad White is a very capable back. The issue is the team often abandons the running game and doesn't execute it with enough consistency. Against Detroit, the Bucs posted only 15 total carries. — Lorenzo Reyes

Lions-Bucs highlights

Lions interception: Derrick Barnes picks off Baker Mayfield

The Bucs last chance to tie the ballgame ended in a Baker Mayfield interception.

On second-and-5 with 1:59 remaining, Mayfield's pass over the middle was intercepted by Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes. Barnes' interception preserved the 31-23 victory for the Lions.

Barnes' interception was the first of his career and it stamped the Lions' ticket to the NFC championship game.

Mayfield had two picks in the loss. — Tyler Dragon

Bucs score: Mike Evans 16-yard touchdown catch from Baker Mayfield

On fourth-and-14 with the season on the line, Baker Mayfield passed to star wideout Mike Evans for 24 yards.

Mayfield and Evans weren't done there.

With their season hanging in the balance, Mayfield tossed to Evans running a skinny post for a 16-yard touchdown to conclude a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. On a two-point conversion attempt, the two tried to hookup again on a fade route but the pass fell incomplete.

The Bucs still trail 31-23 with 4:37 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Evans has seven catches for a game-high 142 yards and a touchdown. He is possibly playing his last game in a Tampa Bay uniform. — Tyler Dragon

Lions score: Amon-Ra St. Brown 9-yard touchdown catch from Jared Goff

Lions QB Jared Goff hit wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown for 16 yards on a critical third-and-15 to extend Detroit's series. Four plays later, Goff found St. Brown again in the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown to extend the Lions' lead to 31-17 with 6:22 left in the fourth quarter.

The Lions have scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to give themselves some breathing room as they inch closer to earning their spot in the NFC championship game.

St. Brown has seven catches, 62 receiving yards and a touchdown. — Tyler Dragon

After Lions touchdown, Bucs' drive ends with punt

After Jahmyr Gibbs and the Lions took the lead, the Bucs had no answer on their next time on the field offensively.

Rachaad White was tackled short of the first down, and the Bucs punted after a three-and-out.

The Lions will take over inside their own 10-yard line with 12:12 left, hoping to hang onto their 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter. — Safid Deen

Lions score: Jahmyr Gibbs 31-yard touchdown run

Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs took the handoff on a zone-read run and the rest was history.

Gibbs saw an opening on the left side, took one cut in the open field and raced to a 31-yard touchdown to cap off Detroit's five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Gibbs' touchdown lifted the Lions to a 24-17 lead with 13:13 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The rookie out of Alabama now has eight carries, 70 rushing yards and a touchdown. — Tyler Dragon

End of 3rd quarter: Lions 17, Bucs 17

This game is coming down to the wire.

The Lions and Buccaneers scored a touchdown in the third quarter to keep the score even at 17.

Craig Reynolds ran in a 1-yard touchdown for Detroit. On fourth down, of course. The drive was boosted by a 29-yard pass from Jared Goff to Brock Wright .

Then, Tampa Bay turned up the heat and went 75 yards in seven plays. The Bucs capped off the drive with a 12-yard touchdown where Rachaad White took a short pass from Baker Mayfield and snuck into the end zone.

Mayfield has gone 19-of-28 for 259 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Goff is 20-of-32 for 168 yards and a score. — Victoria Hernandez

Bucs score: Baker Mayfield 12-yard touchdown pass to Rachaad White

As the third quarter ends, we've got a tied game in Detroit.

The Lions sent the blitz, and Baker Mayfield checked down to running back Rachaad White for a 12-yard touchdown to tie this game at 17.

One play earlier, referees ruled Mayfield threw the ball away incomplete when replays showed he was sacked. The call was missed.

Mayfield heated up during the drive, finding tight end Cade Otton for three consecutive completions for 9, 13 and 27 yards to get into the red zone. – Safid Deen

Lions score: Craig Reynolds 1-yard touchdown run

The Lions were in four-down territory, at least by Dan Campbell's standard.

Quarterback Jared Goff hit tight end Brock Wright for a 29-yard gain into Buccaneers territory. Campbell and the Lions would find themselves in a fourth-down situation later in the drive. On fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, the Lions handed off to Craig Reynolds. The third-string back gave Detroit a 17-10 lead with 3:48 remaining in the third quarter.

The completion to Wright was the longest play of the game for either team. The third-year tight end out of Notre Dame hadn't caught a pass in the Lions' last two games.

Prior to the scoring drive, the teams were trading punts. After Detroit forced a three-and-out, the Lions went 64 yards in 10 plays (4:23 drive time) to go back into the lead. — Chris Bumbaca

Aidan Hutchinson sack ends Bucs drive

The Buccaneers had a promising opening drive going, but it ended with a punt.

On third-and-4 from Detroit's 38-yard line, Hutchinson came across the edge unblocked and sacked Baker Mayfield for a nine-yard loss. Hutchinson's sack knocked the Bucs out of field goal range.

The Lions have three sacks in the game.

Bucs running back Rachaad White had 20 rushing yards during the drive. — Tyler Dragon

Lions' Jonah Jackson injury

While starting center Frank Ragnow is back in the game for the Lions, starting guard Jonah Jackson was ruled out for the rest of the game due to a knee injury. — Tyler Dragon

Bucs on the road in postseason: A brief history

A win today would put Tampa Bay into the NFC title game for the fifth time in the franchise's 48-year history. Of course, that first means securing a victory in Detroit. If only Tom Brady was still here …

The Buccaneers are 3-0 all-time on the road in the playoffs – with TB12, who guided the 2020 road warriors all the way to their Super Bowl 55 victory (ironically at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium). Otherwise? The Bucs are 1-6 in postseason roadies, their lone victory coming in the 2002 NFC championship game – when Ronde Barber and Co. upset the Eagles in Philadelphia in what turned out to be the final game played at Philly's old Veterans Stadium. — Nate Davis

Lions leaders at halftime

Jared Goff: 14-22, 99 passing yards, TD
Jahmyr Gibbs: 4 carries, 17 rushing yards
Sam LaPorta: 5 receptions, 46 receiving yards
Ifeatu Melifonwu : 6 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL
Brian Branch : 6 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL

Bucs leaders at halftime

Baker Mayfield: 13-18, 181 passing yards, TD
Rachaad White: 5 carries, 39 rushing yards
Mike Evans: 4 receptions, 94 receiving yards
K.J. Britt : 10 tackles, 1 TFL
Calijah Kancey : 1 sack

Lions vs. Bucs: Total yards in first half

Tampa Bay has 233 yards of total offense at halftime.
Detroit has 134 yards of total offense.

Halftime: Lions 10, Bucs 10

The defenses have held the upper hand for most of the first half, but Tampa Bay showed the biggest offensive spark in the final two minutes to pull into a tie at the break.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield completed 13-of-18 passes for 181 yards – 67 of them coming on the final TD drive of the half to pull his team even.

Mike Evans leads Tampa Bay with four receptions for 97 yards.

It's been a battle of field position for most of the half. Tampa Bay has 233 yards of total offense, while Detroit has 134.

For the Lions, QB Jared Goff has completed 14-of-22 passes for 99 yards and one score. TE Sam LaPorta has five catches for 46 yards. — Steve Gardner

Bucs score: Baker Mayfield 2-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton

The Buccaneers marched down the field in 73 seconds to score a touchdown before the halftime break.

Baker Mayfield found Mike Evans for back-to-back throws of 27 and 29 yards (where the wide receiver showed his field awareness and veteran expertise) to put Tampa Bay at Detroit's 2-yard line.

Mayfield then tossed the ball to tight end Cade Otton in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown. The referees initially threw a flag for an offensive pass interference, but ruled that Otton made contact within the permitted space.

On the Buccaneers' first set of downs, Mayfield kept the drive alive by running for 14 yards on third-and-1.

The game is tied 10-10. — Victoria Hernandez

Lions' Frank Ragnow injury

Detroit has injury concerns upfront.

Lions starting center Frank Ragnow got his leg rolled up on when quarterback Jared Goff fell into him as he was being sacked to the ground by Bucs defensive lineman Calijah Kancey.

Ragnow did return to snap the ball on the final play of the first half, a kneel-down by Goff.

Detroit is already dealing with an injuring to starting guard Jonah Jackson. Jackson is questionable to return after injuring his knee in the first half. — Tyler Dragon

Lions drive before halftime ends in sack

The Lions had a chance to add to their lead before halftime, but their drive stalled right around midfield.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff was sacked by Bucs defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, and to make matters worse: Lions center Frank Ragnow was injured on the play.

The decisive play on the drive was a pass play to Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, which was was ruled short on second-and-6 instead of extending the drive with a first down.

The play and review by referees proved to be costly for Detroit. — Safid Deen

Buccaneers miss field goal

That sound you barely heard over the crowd noise in Detroit?

DOINK .

Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers wasted a nine-play, 55-yard drive by sending out the field goal unit on fourth-and-5 from the Detroit 32-yard line. Chase McLaughlin 's attempt hit of the left upright and the Buccaneers still trailed 10-3 ahead of the two-minute warning.

Tampa Bay opened the drive with big gain to Mike Evans off play-action. Rachaad White used a nifty first move to pick up a key third-down conversion near midfield. Tight end Cade Otton had a first-down reception, but Baker Mayfield missed Chris Godwin on a third-and-5 throw, and Bowles' conservative nature cost the Buccaneers a chance at points. — Chris Bumbaca

Lions punt back to Bucs

The Lions were forced to punt on their fourth drive.

Jared Goff and the Lions were able to pick up one first down, but they were ultimately stopped on third-and-10 from their own 44-yard line.

The Lions are currently 4 for 7 on third downs. — Tyler Dragon

Lions vs. Buccaneers: Celebrities in Detroit for playoff game

The biggest star at the Lions divisional round game against the Buccaneers might be one who hasn't won a Grammy and doesn't have a bust in Canton.

Among the Detroit diehards is Benjamin Capp, a 66-year season ticket holder who went viral last week during the wild-card win with his distinct glasses and love for his team.

Capp was on the sidelines ahead of the divisional round game against the Buccaneers. He had a chat with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith.

Lions Hall of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson was also at Ford Field for the big day. Current Detroit players got a few words of motivation from Megatron himself .

Flavor Flav, Taylor Lautner, Bob Seger and Jeff Daniels were also in attendance. — Victoria Hernandez

Ford Field history

The Lions' wild-card defeat of the Los Angeles Rams last weekend was their first home playoff game at Ford Field since it opened in 2002. (The venue's only previous playoff utilization occurred in Super Bowl 40, when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Motown native Jerome Bettis vanquished the Seattle Seahawks.)

And while today is obviously the first divisional round game Ford Field has witnessed, it also marks the first time in the Lions' 94-year history that they've had multiple home playoff games in the same season. A win today will qualify Detroit for the NFC championship game for only the second time. — Nate Davis

Is Devin White playing?

The Buccaneers' defense was without one of its top contributors for the first quarter, as linebacker Devin White did not take a snap over the first 15 minutes.

The reason for White's absence was a mystery. His strength as a defender is not against the pass, but the Lions called a balanced first quarter (10 passes, eight runs). White was coming off a two-tackle performance in the Buccaneers' wild-card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles .

K.J. Britt filled in for White alongside Lavonte David as the Buccaneers' off-ball linebackers. White did return for the start of the second quarter and was on the field for the Lions' touchdown. The 2019 No. 5 overall pick is a free agent after the season and finished tied for second on the Bucs with nine quarterback hits during the regular season. — Chris Bumbaca

Bucs punt back to Lions

One yard short.

The Buccaneers are punting on their first possession after the Lions took a 10-3 lead.

Bucs tight end Cade Otton was called for pass interference on a pass play to running back Chase Edmonds , and Baker Mayfield's pass to Edmonds went for 14 yards on third-and-15.

The Lions have the ball again with a chance to extend their lead in the second quarter. — Safid Deen

Mike Evans contract

Mike Evans and the Buccaneers were unable to agree on a contract extension this past offseason. The Bucs star receiver is in the final year of a five-year, $82.5 million extension that he signed in March of 2018.

Evans has produced franchise records in career receptions (762), receiving yards (11,680) and touchdowns (94) in 10 seasons, all in Tampa Bay. He is the first player in NFL history to begin his career with 10 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. — Tyler Dragon

Lions score: Jared Goff 9-yard touchdown pass to Josh Reynolds

The Lions converted a pair of third downs on quick passes from QB Jared Goff to star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, marching into Tampa Bay territory as the first quarter concluded.

As the second quarter began, the Lions continued their march downfield with Goff hitting rookie TE Sam LaPorta on consecutive plays for a first down at the Bucs 14.

From there, Goff connected with a wide-open Josh Reynolds in the back of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown and a 10-3 Lions lead. — Steve Gardner

End of 1st quarter: Lions 3, Bucs 3

The Lions converted a pair of third downs on quick passes from QB Jared Goff to star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, marching into Buccaneers territory as the first quarter concluded.

The teams are even on the scoreboard and nearly so on the stat sheet.

Detroit has 62 yards of total offense. Tampa Bay has 67. — Steve Gardner

Bucs score: Chase McLaughlin 43-yard field goal

Tampa Bay tied the proceedings on a Chase McLaughlin 43-yard field goal with 4:19 left in the first quarter. McLaughlin has missed twice all season and has made every extra point attempt.

Running back Rachaad White sharted the drive with an eight-yard run, but the big plays came from QB Baker Mayfield to his receiving corps. Mike Evans caught a third-down pass for 18 yards, and Trey Palmer – who woke up feeling angry – had a 23-yard gain. — Chris Bumbaca

CJ Gardner-Johnson backs up Baker Mayfield smack talk

While preparing to face the Buccaneers, Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson made headlines for dissing Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield.

"If you give that Tampa group a good quarterback, that's a good group – (Mike) Evans, (Chris) Godwin, (Russell) Gage, that's a great group," the former Florida standout said, according to Detroit radio station 97.1 The Ticket.

The defender backed up his smack talk early in the divisional round game Sunday when he intercepted Mayfield on the Buccaneers' first drive of the game.

Mayfield and Tampa Bay lost to Detroit 20-6 in a regular season matchup where he didn't score and threw a pick.

"He didn't play our first game so I'm excited to see him," Mayfield said of Gardner-Johnson's criticism . "I think he's a really good player. He has been for a while. He's been an impactful guy on every team he's been on. … But yeah, he's gotta do a little bit more film study."

Running back Rachaad White also brushed off Gardner-Johnson's comments and expressed confidence in his quarterback.

"I expect a lot of poise from him, a lot of leadership. What he brings in every week, just a guy that just get us in and out of situations like he normally do," White said on ESPN's NFL Countdown. "… That's the biggest thing I love about Baker and our team loves: When in doubt, he's gonna leave it all out there on the field. He's gonna do everything that needs to be done in order to try to get the win." — Victoria Hernandez

Lions score: Michael Badgley 25-yard field goal

The Lions are on the board, although they left some points off of it.

Detroit settled for a field goal after a run by running back Jahmyr Gibbs got them inside the Buccaneers 5-yard line. Jared Goff nearly threw an interception in the end zone, and a run by David Montgomery was stuffed.

Michael Badgley's kick from 25 yards out was good, giving Detroit a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. — Safid Deen

Lions interception: CJ Gardner-Johnson picks off Baker Mayfield

The homestanding Lions looked to take charge early after winning the coin toss and taking the ball, but the Buccaneers defense held them to a three-and-out.

On their first possession, the Bucs leaned heavily on running back Raschaad White. The second-year back carried the ball twice for 17 yards and caught a pass for 8 more.

But after a sack, QB Baker Mayfield's pass went off the hands of WR Mike Evans and into the hands of Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson for an interception and the first big break of the game. — Steve Gardner

Lions vs. Buccaneers coin toss

The Lions won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball. That means the Buccaneers will get the ball after halftime.

Bucs' Rachaad White in musical mindset on way to Motown

Ahead of Sunday's game, Buccaneers RB Rachaad White explained how he's preparing to face the Lions in the divisional round – embracing the music of the Motor City for his game day playlist.

"I'm with Tee Grizzley, I'm with 42 Dugg," he said on ESPN's NFL Countdown. "I'm with a lot of Detroit rappers right now today, which they're probably against me, but it's all good."

Tee Grizzley appeared in a social media video to hype up Lions fans at Ford Field ahead of the 2022 season. 42 Dugg had Detroit safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson on stage with him this weekend at his homecoming show. The rapper l ed the crowd in a "Go Lions" chant. – Victoria Hernandez

Lions vs. Buccaneers game time

Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET inside Ford Field in Detroit.

Lions vs. Buccaneers how to watch

The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock . The game is also available to stream for free on Fubo .

Who is favored Lions or Buccaneers?

The top NFL betting apps favor the Lions over the Buccaneers in their divisional playoff game.

Lions vs. Buccaneers spread

The Lions are 6-point favorites over the Buccaneers, according to the BetMGM NFL odds .

Lions vs. Buccaneers over under

The over-under is 49.5, according to BetMGM.

Lions vs. Buccaneers moneyline

Detroit is a -275 favorite on the moneyline. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is a +220 underdog, according to BetMGM.

Lions vs. Buccaneers predictions

Lorenzo Reyes: Lions 26, Buccaneers 14
Tyler Dragon: Lions 26, Buccaneers 21
Safid Deen: Lions 30, Buccaneers 20
Victoria Hernandez: Lions 26, Buccaneers 17
Jordan Mendoza: Lions 23, Buccaneers 20

Click here to see how the USA TODAY Sports staff picked the entire divisional round weekend.

Lions vs. Buccaneers weather

This game is being played at Detroit's Ford Field, which is a dome.

Lions inactives

CB, Steven Gilmore
DL, Charles Harris
QB, Hendon Hooker (emergency QB)
LB, James Houston
DL Brodric Martin
WR, Kalif Raymond
S, Tracy Walker

Buccaneers inactives

T, Silas Dzansi
WR, Rakim Jarrett
RB, Patrick Laird
LB, J.J. Russell
T, Brandon Walton
OLB, Markees Watts
QB, John Wolford

Lions vs. Buccaneers history

The Lions and Buccaneers have faced off 61 times in their history, with one of those times coming in the postseason when Tampa Bay won in the 1997 wild-card round. Overall, Detroit leads the series 32-29, and that includes a 20-6 victory in Tampa Bay during the 2023 regular season.

Lions playoff history

The Lions are 8-13 all-time in the NFL playoffs. They have never been to the Super Bowl and the last time they went to the NFC championship game was the 1991 season. Their win against the Rams in last week's wild-card round was their first playoff victory since that 1991 season.

Buccaneers playoff history

The Buccaneers are 12-11 all-time in the NFL playoffs. They have appeared in two Super Bowls and won them both, the last one coming with Tom Brady leading the way after the 2020 season. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Tampa Bay has reached the postseason and the third time it has won at least one game.