From winless back in 2008 to the NFC Championship game 16 years later. The roar is indeed restored in the Motor City.
The Detroit Lions kept their foot on the gas in the second half, manufacturing three straight scores to defeat Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-23, at Ford Field. The Lions can now look forward to their first NFC Championship game since the 1991 campaign in the Bay area.
“I envisioned that we would have a chance to compete with the big boys, and that’s where we’re at,” head coach Dan Campbell said in his postgame news conference. “All you’ve got to do is get in. It’s about placing yourself in the very best position to where you can move. … Here we are. Now, we get a chance to go to San Francisco. We know what kind of team that is, but we’re in a great position. We’ve got a great opportunity.”
Seven days ago, the Lions got off to a blazing start against an old friend, Matthew Stafford, who played for them for 12 seasons, and the Los Angeles Rams. Sunday, it was the complete opposite. Detroit found it hard to move the ball for stretches in the first two quarters, heading into the locker room, tied at 10. After a three-and-out on the opening drive, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who is at the top of the list for a number of jobs in this years’ coaching cycle, showed off why, as his offense kicked into warped speed.
Embed from Getty ImagesJared Goff carved up the Bucs’ defense like a Thanksgiving turkey, converting crucial third downs and engineering a 10-play, 64-yard touchdown drive punctuated with a Craig Reynolds 1-yard scamper into the end zone. After Mayfield answered for Tampa, it was rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs’ turn. The allusive and dynamic back dashed through the defense. On second-and-2 from the 31, Gibbs ran into a huge hole, put a move on All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and ran for a touchdown.
After Aaron Glenn’s defense forced a three-and-out, Goff cooked the Bucs. The quarterback took what the defense gave him, found checkdowns and connected with Jameson Williams for 24 yards to give the Lions breathing room. On a pivotal third-and-15, Goff made it a 14-point game when he hooked up with his No. 1 receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown. Four plays later, Goff dropped the hammer down, lofting a beautiful ball to St. Brown for a 9-yard score with 6:22 remaining.
“We know if it’s not quite there, it’s coming,” Campbell said of his offense. “It’ll come. That dam will burst. We’ve just got to continue to harp on the little things, clean up a few things here and there. But it’ll come. We always feel that way. I think there’s a lot of trust in that regard. Ben (Johnson) did a hell of a job calling the game. Those guys held on. Goff, in the fourth quarter he really showed up there. Made some big throws. And we knew we need to throw the ball to move it today.”
Mayfield went through ups and downs throwing three touchdown passes for Tampa Bay (10-9), including a 16-yard toss to Mike Evans that got the Bucs within one score with 4:37 left. Detroit could not milk the clock on offense, giving the Buccaneers one last gasp, but Mayfield’s pass over the middle was picked off by linebacker Derrick Barnes, the signal callers second interception of the day.
“Our defense stepped up there at the end. I thought our defense played a hell of a game all night and got the ball back there to finish it,” Goff said.
The Lions kneeled to run out the clock as their fans stood, screamed and twirled white towels.
