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Lions vs. Buccaneers score today: Game recap from 20-16 home loss to Tampa Bay
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- Lions vs. Buccaneers score today: Game recap from 20-16 home loss to Tampa Bay
The Detroit Lions fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-16 at home in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season to fall to 1-1 on the season.
The Lions took a lead in the third quarter on a David Montgomery touchdown run, but it was short-lived after Baker Mayfield scrambled for a TD on the ensuing possession. The offense failed to put together a scoring drive in the fourth quarter, capped off with an interception and turnover on downs in the red zone. The Lions fail to reach 2-0 for the fourth straight year under Dan Campbell.
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Tampa Bay jumped out to a 6-0 lead with a pair of early field goals from Chase McLaughlin , aided by an interception by Jared Goff on the Lions' first play. Jake Bates answered with two field goals himself, but Baker Mayfield's 41-yard touchdown to Chris Godwin with nine minutes left in the second quarter is the difference right now. The Lions added a field goal to start the second half.
Aidan Hutchinson had a career game with 4½ sacks, just one sack off the Lions record set by William Gay against the Bucs in 1983. Linebacker Alex Anzalone left early after he enteredd concussion protocol in the fourth quarter.
The Lions honored "Mr. Detroit Lion" Joe Schmidt , the captain of the team's last championship in 1957, who passed away Wednesday, before the game. His daughter told him to meet Bobby Layne in heaven and lift the Lions' curse .
Check out the game recap from Ford Field below.
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Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers game recap, highlights
Final: Lions fail on 4th down, lose to Bucs 20-16
The final chance was not enough for the Lions, who were stopped at the Tampa 27-yard line after a series of Jared Goff throws fell short of the intended target.
0:33, 4Q: Lions force punt, get ball back at TB 44
The defense did its job and got a stop on two straight runs and a slant attempt on third down to force a punt. The Lions got the ball back at Tampa's 44-yard line after a decent return by Kalif Raymond .
0:53, 4Q: Lions fail on 4th down in red zone, TB takes over
The Lions may have failed on their final chance.
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After Gibbs' big run, the Lions went nowhere. It started on a four-yard loss on a swing pass to Gibbs, then two good tackles by Tampa on second and third down to keep them short of the sticks. Goff hit Gibs on fourth-and-8, but he was tackled three yards short of the first down, giving Tampa the ball at their own 6. The Lions have all three timeouts, giving them one final chance to get the ball if they prevent a first down.
1:17, 4Q: Jahmyr Gibbs converts key 4th down, Lions at TB 14-yard line
The Lions are in striking distance with just over a minute left.
Jahmyr Gibbs picked up 23 yards on a sweep to the left on fourth-and-1 from the Tampa 37 to put the Lions in the red zone. Detroit has three first downs on this final drive so far.
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7:34, 4Q: Jared Goff intercepted by Christian Izien in red zone
The Lions were knocking on the door of potentially taking the lead, but Goff was hit as he threw and Izien came down with his second interception. There was pressure up the middle and Goff stood and tried to deliver a ball to Jameson Williams down the seam, but two Tampa defenders hit him as he stepped into the throw, turning the ball into a duck that floated aimlessly to the defense. The Lions reached as far as Tampa's 18 before a holding penalty and then an interception.
0:34, 3Q: Bucs retake 20-16 lead on Baker Mayfield TD run
The Lions' lead couldn't last three minutes.
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The Bucs immediately answered with a touchdown drive that ended with a Mayfield 11-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw. The Lions vacated the middle of the field thinking it was a pass, leaving a clean path to the end zone. Tampa kicked the drive off with two first downs, one on a facemask against Terrion Arnold and a 21-yard completion to Jalen McMillan .
3:27, 3Q: David Montgomery breaks through for Lions 1st TD; Detroit takes 16-13 lead
The Lions have finally found paydirt with just over 18 minutes left.
David Montgomery punched in a 1-yard touchdown on a similar play to his Week 1 game-winner to put the Lions ahead 16-13. Detroit put together a 12-play, 68-yard drive that started with a crucial third down conversion by Jameson Williams, who turned a hitch short of the sticks into a first down with a nifty spin. Then, Jared Goff found Amon-Ra St. Brown for a first, followed by a gashing run from Jahmyr Gibbs into Tampa territory. The Lions reached the 1 on a 17-yard completion to St. Brown, who was slow to get up after but was fine, and punched it with Montgomery for the lead.
11:53, 3Q: Jake Bates hits 32-yard FG; Lions trail 13-9
The Lions added a third field goal coming out of the halftime break.
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The Lions quickly moved the ball down the field, starting with a 20-yard completion to Amon-Ra St. Brown with 15 yards added on for a roughing the passer, followed by a 15-yard run by Jameson Williams on an end-around. But, the Bucs defense stood tall in the red zone and got off the field with three straight stops short of the sticks, leading to Bates' field goal. Bates is 3-for-3 today and 5-for-5 overall for the Lions.
Halftime: Lions can't get off last-second FG, trail Bucs 13-6 at break
A substitution mistake cost the Lions three points to close the half. After a completion to Amon-Ra St. Brown over the middle, the offense rushed up to spike it with less than five seconds on the clock, but the field goal unit was already running onto the field, leading to a too-many-men penalty that resulted in a 10-second run-off. The Lions drove the ball down to Tampa's 9-yard line after Branch's interception but came up empty. Detroit gets the ball first in the second half.
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The Lions outgained the Bucs 201 to 138, but could not put together a touchdown drive like Tampa. Both teams have one turnover and have struggled on third down. Detroit has converted two of seven third downs, while the Bucs are one of five. The Lions have just two field goals on three trips to the red zone, while the Buccaneers connected on one long touchdown to be the difference. Jared Goff is 12-of-24 for 136 yards and a turnover. Baker Mayfield is 8-of-12 for 133 yards, completing seven of those passes to Chris Godwin for 117 yards.
1:52, 2Q: Brian Branch comes down with leaping INT off Baker Mayfield
The Lions' first turnover came on a spectacular individual play by Branch.
He slid in front of Mike Evans on a flood concept to the right sideline and leaped to nab Mayfield's third-down throw to give the Lions possession at their own 43 with a chance to tie the game up just before the half.
9:08, 2Q: Baker Mayfield hits Chris Godwin for 41-yard TD; Lions trail 13-6
The Mayfield-Godwin combination just gave the Lions' defense fits all the way down the field into the end zone. Tampa's six-play, 70-yard drive heavily featured Godwin. Mayfield escaped a sack twice to find Godwin on extended plays for first downs, then hit him wide open down the left sideline for a 41-yard touchdown. It was a busted coverage on the Lions end with the defensive backs covering the middle and Amik Robertson and Jack Campbell staying at the line of scrimmage in a zone look, leaving Godwin wide open. Mayfield has only completed passes to Godwin, who has racked up six catches for 107 yards so far.
12:47, 2Q: Lions tie game at 6 on 35-yard Bates FG
The Lions got a stop on another Aidan Hutchinson sack, his third, and drove back down the field and tied the game on a 35-yard kick from Bates. The Lions went 58 yards on the drive, including four completions to Amon-Ra St. Brown for 41 yards, to move into Tampa territory. But, Jahmyr Gibbs was stuffed at the line on a run and screen and Goff missed Jameson Willams to snuff out the drive before the end zone.
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7:13, 1Q: Jake Bates hits 22-yard FG; Lions trail 6-3
The Lions started the drive with a bomb down the field to Jameson Williams to reach the Bucs' 20-yard line. Goff drew a roughing the passer penalty, then David Montgomery got them to the 4 on second-and-goal. But Goff missed Williams on an out on third down forcing the offense to settle for a chip shot from Jake Bates.
9:00, 1Q: Chase McLaughlin hits 55-yard FG; Lions trail 6-0
The defense held firm after the turnover, but the Bucs still extended the lead. Aidan Hutchinson recorded his second sack in as many Tampa drives on second down, leading to third-and-22. Chris Godwin picked up 19 yards on a screen, but got tackled short of the sticks. McLaughlin casually hit the long kick to double the lead.
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11:20, 1Q: Zyon McCollum intercepts Jared Goff on the Lions' first play
Detroit has certainly had better starts.
On the Lions' first offensive play, Goff was off on a dig route intended for Jameson Williams, and it went directly into the chest of McColloum. Williams collided with defensive back Christian Izien at the top of his break but there was no penalty.
11:31, 1Q: Bucs strike first with short FG; Lions trail 3-0
The Buccaneers got the ball first and got on the board with a field goal drive. Tampa reached midfield on a Baker Mayfield completion over the middle to Chris Godwin. They quickly reached the Lions' 5-yard line on a deep shot to Trey Palmer , which Terrion Arnold broke up but committed pass interference. The Lions' defense stood tall with a pass breakup by Brian Branch and a sack from Aidan Hutchinson on an inside stunt with Alim McNeill . Chase McLaughlin hit the 30-yard kick.
Pregame notes
The Lions and Buccaneers have become familiar foes in the last year. The Lions beat Tampa Bay on the road in Week 6 last year and then won an emotionally charged playoff game to reach the franchise's first NFC championship game in three decades. Both teams maintained a majority of the core outside of a few changes this year for the third matchup.
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One of those changes was a trade that sent Carlton Davis III to Detroit and picks in exchange for a third-round pick. Davis has spent the week trying to prepare Detroit's defense for the Bucs' passing attack spearheaded by Mayfield and his top two receivers, Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Mayfield had one of the best Week 1 performances of any NFL quarterback, throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns, with one to third-round rookie wideout Jalen McMillan (Washington).
MORE: Detroit Lions' Jameson Williams 'just put the whole world on notice' but needs consistency
What time is Lions vs. Buccaneers game?
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Date: Sunday, Sept. 15.
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Where: Ford Field, Detroit.
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Time: 1:00 p.m. ET.
What channel is the Lions vs. Buccaneers game?
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TV channel: Fox.
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Streaming live: On Fubo (free trial) .
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Radio:WXYT-FM (97.1) in Detroit (find all Lions radio affiliates ).
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Who is announcing the Lions vs. Buccaneers game?
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Play-by-play: Kevin Kugler.
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Analyst: Daryl Johnston.
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Sideline reporter: Laura Okmin.
Lions vs. Buccaneers will broadcast nationally on Fox in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season. Kevin Kugler has the play-by-play, and Daryl Johnston is the analyst. Laura Okmin is the sideline reporter.
Lions vs. Buccaneers predictions, picks
Jared Ramsey , Detroit Free Press: The Lions went 2-0 against the Buccaneers last year, winning 20-6 on the road in Week 6 and then 31-23 in the playoffs. The Lions had at least 380 yards of offense in both games and poked holes in Tampa's pass defense over the middle using Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had 20 catches for 201 yards and two touchdowns in those games. The Lions offense should be able to move the ball efficiently again despite Tampa's strong run defense. Baker Mayfield and Tampa's strong crop of receivers (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin) will be another tough test for the secondary, but the Lions stack up well against the Bucs' running attack that has struggled in recent years. The pick: Lions 31, Buccaneers 24 .
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Shawn Windsor , Detroit Free Press:For the second week in a row, the Lions have to play a team they just beat. Baker Mayfield and Co. return looking for revenge just as Matthew Stafford did Sunday. The Bucs are missing folks in the defensive backfield, but their offense looked primed and pumped in Week 1. This will be a good test for the Lions revamped defense. Meanwhile, the offense starts to work out some of the kinks. The pick: Lions 27, Bucs 23.
Lions vs. Buccaneers betting odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM on Sunday two hours before kick.
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Spread:Lions by 7½.
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Over/under:51½ points.
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Moneyline:Lions -375; Buccaneers +300.
Lions vs. Buccaneers injury report
Lions:DJ Reader is ready to make his Lions debut after missing Week 1 while finishing up his rehab from a torn quad injury. The Lions invested in Reader for the next two years to be a force in the middle of the Lions' defensive line at nose tackle. However, their other defensive line investment, Marcus Davenport (groin), will miss the Week 2 game against the Bucs after a productive first game.
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Rookie cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. , safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (Achilles), rookie receiver Isaiah Williams (abdomen), linebacker Trevor Nowaske and offensive linemen Gio Manu (rookie) and Colby Sorsdal are also inactive for the Lions. Right tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Jameson Williams are active after being limited in practice during the week.
Buccaneers:The Bucs enter the Week 2 matchup already with a handful of injuries , particularly in the secondary, with standout safety Antoine Winfield Jr. out. Earlier this week, the Bucs placed cornerback Bryce Hall on injured reserve and safety Josh Hall is also listed as out for the game against the Lions. Offensive tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion) and 2023 first-round pick defensive tackle Calijah Kancey are also out.
Detroit Lions schedule 2024
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Sunday, Sept. 15: Tampa Bay, 1
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Sunday, Sept. 22: at Arizona , 4:25
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Monday, Sept. 30: Seattle , 8:15
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Oct. 6: Bye
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Sunday, Oct. 13: at Dallas , 4:25
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Sunday, Oct. 20: at Minnesota , 1
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Sunday, Oct. 27: Tennessee , 1
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Sunday, Nov. 3: at Green Bay , 4:25
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Sunday, Nov. 10: at Houston , 8:20
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Sunday, Nov. 17: Jacksonville , 1
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Sunday, Nov. 24: at Indianapolis , 1
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Thursday, Nov. 28: Chicago , 12:30
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Thursday, Dec. 5: Green Bay, 8:15
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Sunday, Dec. 15: Buffalo , 4:25
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Sunday, Dec. 22: at Chicago, 1
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Monday, Dec. 30: at San Francisco , 8:15
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TBA: Minnesota, TBA
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Feb. 9, Super Bowl LIX: in New Orleans
Find Lions home game tickets on Stubhub
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Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press covering the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 , and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions vs Buccaneers game recap: Highlights, TV channel, injury report
