Detroit Lions Versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Divisional Round, Here We Go!
In the upcoming Divisional Round of the 2023-24 NFL playoffs, the Detroit Lions will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6). The two former NFC Central rivals are set to clash on Sunday, January 21 at 3 p.m. ET, with NBC broadcasting the game.
The opening betting line, courtesy of DraftKings, has Lions -6.5 points as the favorite, with the moneyline set at Lions -270 and the Bucs at +220. The over/under line is set at 48.5 points.
It’s not surprising that Detroit is the favored team in this playoff game. The Lions not only won three more games than the Bucs during the regular season but also triumphed over the Bucs 20-6 in Tampa Bay during Week 6. Despite key players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, and Jonah Jackson being absent due to injury and David Montgomery being injured during his sixth carry, the Lions still emerged victorious. Jameson Williams, who was just returning from his suspension, played only 16 snaps.
The Lions’ victory can largely be attributed to the impressive performance of Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown. As the Lions lacked their starting running backs, Goff threw the ball 44 times, with 30 successful completions, amassing an impressive 353 passing yards, and two touchdowns. St. Brown received 12 of those passes, contributing 124 receiving yards and one touchdown.
In the recent game against the Rams, the Goff and St. Brown duo connected seven times, accumulating 110 receiving yards, including the game-sealing reception.
On the other hand, Tampa Bay convincingly defeated the inept Philadelphia Eagles at home on Monday night, controlling the majority of the game leading to a 32-9 victory. The Bucs have been performing well lately and will be approaching the match with the Lions with a great deal of confidence.
The Lions, after sealing their franchise’s first playoff victory in three decades, are looking forward to extending their successful run against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round this coming Sunday. The game is set for 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 21, at Ford Field.
Under the leadership of Dan Campbell, the Lions have shown remarkable improvement this season, resulting in their first NFC North title. They narrowly defeated the Rams, 24-23, in the Wild Card round, marking the first playoff game hosted at Ford Field.
The Buccaneers, on the other hand, have had a roller-coaster season. After losing six out of seven games mid-season, they bounced back to win five of their last six games, clinching their third consecutive NFC South title.
The Lions dominated the Buccaneers in Week 6 of this season, with a commanding 20-6 victory. Both teams struggled with their running game in that match, with Detroit managing only 1.8 yards per carry due to key players Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery being sidelined due to injury. The Bucs, on the other hand, lost four of the next five games to slip to third place in the NFC South before rebounding to clinch the division title.
Detroit averaged 30.5 points per game with a 6-2 home record this season. The Lions’ running game has been impressive, averaging 138.5 rushing yards per game in home matches and the highest number of rushing touchdowns per game (1.6) throughout the season.
Tampa’s defense has been solid, allowing the sixth-fewest rushing yards per game (95.3) this season and holding opponents to the third-lowest touchdown conversion rate (42.6%) in red zone possessions.
After a long drought, the Lions ended their nine-game losing streak in playoff games by defeating the Rams in the Wild Card round. These two franchises have a history of intense matches, with a memorable 1997 Wild Card clash that saw Tampa Bay secure a 20-10 victory.
Before this season, the Buccaneers won the last two regular-season matches against the Lions in 2020 and 2019, with an average of 541.5 yards of offense in those dominant victories.
As the Detroit Lions prepare to face the Bucs, fans and pundits alike eagerly await the outcome of this high-stakes match. The Lions will be buoyed by their recent playoff victory and very loud fans at Ford Field.
Facebook Comments