The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions are facing off in the divisional round, but it’s not the first time these teams have played each other this season.
The Lions and Bucs played back in Week 6, just over three months ago. The Lions, in the midst of a strong start, beat the Bucs 20-6. Tampa, on the other hand, was at the beginning of a lengthy midseason swoon.
Things have changed somewhat since then. The Bucs certainly aren’t the same team. They struggled for most of the season, but got into the playoffs on a late-season surge. They earned their ticket to the divisional round after hammering the imploding Philadelphia Eagles into the ground.
The Lions had a tougher time against the Los Angeles Rams last week. Nailing down that 24-23 win wasn’t easy, and their offense continued to be inconsistent, disappearing just when they need it the most. But they’re still the same strong team that beat the Bucs in Week 6.
The Lions will have an advantage, though. They’re playing at home. The atmosphere at Ford Field last week was transcendent, as the long-suffering fans watched their team win their first playoff game in decades. It should be just as electric this week. Are the Bucs prepared to deal with that?
Follow along as Yahoo Sports provides the latest news, scores and highlights from the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
Live22 updates
The Bucs play it safe again on fourth down. Opt to attempt a 50-yard field goal on fourth-and-5. Chase Mclaughlin’s kick hits the upright, and the Lions take over on downs leading, 10-3.
Rare mistake from Amon-Ra St. Brown. He drops a would be first-down ball on third-and-10, leading to a Lions punt. Lions lead 10-3, midway through the second quarter.
Sam LaPorta with another nice gain to pick up a Lions first down. Five catches for 46 yards midway through the second quarter. Looking strong just two weeks after suffering a knee injury.
Offensive pass interference on Cade Otton on a pick play put the Bucks in third-and-15. The Bucs failed to convert after a third-down play picked up 14 yards. Bucs punted rather than go for it on fourth-and-1 at their own 34.
Conservative play that limits the risk of giving the ball to the Lions in field goal range. Detroit will start at its own 20 and a 10-3 lead early in the second quarter.
We’ve got a touchdown. Jared Goff finds Josh Reynolds in the back of the end zone from nine yards. 10-3 Lions early in the second quarter.
We’re into the second quarter now. The Lions are driving in a 3-3 game.
A contender for most impactful play of this 3-3 game thus far:
The Bucs respond with a 43-yard field goal of their own, and we’ve got a tie game in Detroit.
Also, this:
The Lions are 11-1 this season when they score first in all games this season 👀
The Lions got all the way down inside the 10, but their drive stalled out. They settled for a field goal off of the interception, and now hold a 3-0 lead.
Mike Evans tipped this pass high, and the Lions get the ball back after a huge interception from CJ Gardner-Johnson.
The Bucs force a punt right away, and will now take over less than a minute into the game. Let’s see what Baker Mayfield can do here.
Detroit is ready, and the game is underway at Ford Field.
NBC’s intro of Lions-Bucs was a battle of chips on shoulders: All of Detroit vs. Baker Mayfield.
The Lions sound ready to play. Well, at least Penei Sewell is.
In case you wanted a weather update from Detroit, our Dan Wetzel has you covered:
The kicker to the “You do know we play indoors?” question this week is that its 28 degrees, partly cloudy, with little wind in Detroit right now.
That weather would have far less impact on Tampa Bay than dealing with the deafening noise of roofed Ford Field.
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
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