Need-to-know info
- Who: Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions
- When: Sunday, Jan 21 at 3PM ET
- Where: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
- How to watch: NBC
Ford Field waits 22 years to host a playoff game, then two come along at once! The Cowboys were swept aside by Green Bay on Wildcard Weekend – and that means another home game for Detroit. The Lions haven’t had much to thank the Packers for over the years, but that result certainly boosts their chances of reaching the NFC Championship game.
Head Coach Dan Campbell’s aggression and brave calls have been a feature of the Lions’ season, and he showed those attributes again in a hard-fought 24-23 win against the Rams. It’s a no risk, no reward playbook and it’s got this franchise dreaming of going all the way.
The Lions raced out the blocks last week with the RB tandem of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs putting them out in front. Sam LaPorta put the icing on a nice first-half offensive display, while Amari St. Brown (7 catches for 110 yards) and Josh Reynolds (5 for 80) did a lot of the heavy lifting.
Jared Goff and the offense couldn’t get the points on the board in the second half, but the QB protected the ball and delivered under pressure in what was the best playoff performance of his career.
The red-zone defense held firm too, but the secondary was exposed by Rams’ star WR Puka Nacua – and that’s where Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be licking their lips. We expected the Bucs to put the final nail in the coffin of the Eagles’ season, but they sure looked good while doing it in a 32-9 win.
Baker Mayfield got NINE different receivers involved on Monday night in a 337-yard, three-touchdown performance against last year’s Super Bowl finalists. Tight End Cade Otton had a huge game, but you can expect Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to get more involved in this one.
And they’re gonna need to, cos the Bucs’ running game still leaves a lot to be desired – despite the best efforts of the talented Rachaad White. The Lions’ rush defense is one of their strengths, so Mayfield is gonna have to keep on slingin’ if Bucs wanna keep on winning.
