The Lions’ defense made life miserable for Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown today, showing once again that they’re one of the best and most physical front fours in football, as Detroit won big over Tampa Bay and stayed right in the thick of the NFC playoff race.
The 34-17 win improves the Lions’ record to 9-4, keeping them in position to contend in both the NFC North and the NFC wild card race. The Bucs fall to 2-11 on this miserable season.
It was a bad game all around for the Bucs, as the offensive line had a rough time, the running game couldn’t get going, and the secondary was beaten repeatedly by Calvin Johnson, who had eight catches for 158 yards and a touchdown. Lions running back Joique Bell also had a big game, with 83 yards rushing, 50 yards receiving and a touchdown both on the ground and through the air, on a great play he made off a deflected pass.
Even worse for the Buccaneers, one of their best players, Lavonte David, suffered a concussion. If there’s a bright side for the Buccaneers, it’s that their two big receivers, Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, both played very well. The Lions have a good defense, but Detroit’s secondary was struggling all day to keep Evans and Jackson in check.
The Lions’ schedule, which features a home game against the Vikings next week followed by a trip to Chicago, sets up for them to be 11-4 heading into their Week 17 showdown at Green Bay. Detroit appears poised to be playing well down the stretch, with the playoffs on the line.
