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NFC Divisional Round: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-8) @ Detroit Lions (13-5)


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LIONSLOGOGDT.png.6310d1eff97723731b2ca41c12e696db.png          vs.          bucslogo.png.ea3f897c6795b7ff7767ca4b12f8074e.png

Setting: 01/21/2023 3:00pm on NBC

Site: Ford Field in Detroit, MI

Weather: Climate Controlled

Opening Spread: Lions -6

All-Time Series Record: Lions lead, 32-29

Last Meeting: 10/15/2023, Lions won 20-6

 

#4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-8)

Head Coach: Todd Bowles (6th Season: 41-57, 1-1 in Playoffs)

Projected Starting QB: Baker Mayfield (6th Season: 40-46, 2-1 in Playoffs)

Last Week: 32-9 W v. Philadelphia Eagles (11-7)

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Your #3 Detroit Lions (13-5)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (3rd Season: 24-26-1, 1-0 in Playoffs)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (8th Season: 66-50-1, 3-3 in Playoffs)

Last Week: 24-23 W v. Los Angeles Rams (10-8)

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Elsewhere in the NFL

Saturday: #4 Houston Texans @ #1 Baltimore Ravens (4:30pm on ESPN/ABC), #7 Green Bay Packers @ #1 San Francisco 49ers (8:00pm on FOX)

Sunday: #3 Kansas City Chiefs @ #2 Buffalo Bills (6:30pm on CBS)

Edited by MichiganCardinal
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Okay,  yes, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a much better team than when we played them before.  No doubt about that. 

But this idea that they have some sort of great offense based on last night?    Remember, they played a Matt Patricia-coached defense.    You saw such a piss-poor effort on defense last night with guys who weren't balling out on defense, not at all.   Those Eagles player hate him like our guys hated him.  You can tell.   Players who love or even respect their coach don't give an awful effort like that.     

So while I expect Baker & the Boys to score more than 6 this time, they are not playing a Matt Patricia-coached D now.  They are playing an Aaron Glenn/Dan Campbell-coached team and despite all their defensive flaws, the Buccaneers are going to feel every single hit on Sunday.   

 

How the **** does Patricia keep getting gigs?   God, I hate that guy  (and I don't hate Marinelli or Morningwheg, they were just overmatched in that role, they weren't completely arrogant about it, not like Patricia, who would stop press conferences to cup his own farts and hold it up to his nose.    You know Belichick will probably hire him.    Good.  We're playing Dallas next year and I don't care what happens the rest of this season, the chip on the Lions shoulders vs. Dallas will be as big as Dan Campbell's balls. 

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Speaking of blocking there was a broken play last night when the Eagles RB (maybe Swift?) went right and cut all the way back left. He ran right by Hurts and instead of trying to pickup the defender with a block Hurts just stood there like the house on the side of the road and watched him go by. If he would have put minimal effort the runner could have gotten back at least to the line of scrimmage, instead ended up being a 5 yard loss.

Edited by Tigeraholic1
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7 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

I saw that his TE had words with Hurts on the sideline.  Might have been related to this.

Can’t see how the coach stays.  A lot of competition for the more coveted coaches out there, but I would think Philly would be a desirable opportunity.

The Eagles are getting old and they seem to have character issues on that roster. It's probably better than most other jobs out there but the expectations would be Super Bowl or bust. 

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It would be a mistake to say "Lions beat Tampa 20-6 in week five, Lions were missing many key pieces, Lions now have those key pieces, therefore the Lions will easily win"

Neither of these teams are what they were back then. Baker missed some wide open throws in week five to guys who would have gone for 6. It could have easily been a 20-20 game headed to OT. Based off of last night, Baker might make those throws this Sunday.

Rachaad White went for 72 yards last night against the Eagles good defensive line. He went for 26 against the Lions. For the Lions, they basically won the game in week five without running the ball. The leading rusher was Craig Reynolds, who went 10 carries for 15 yards. I doubt they shut down a healthy Gibbs and Montgomery in the same fashion.

Another week, another team with good receivers set to exploit the Lions porous secondary. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin might be getting older, but I'm sure they'll have a delicious late Sunday lunch on Vildor.

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3 minutes ago, holygoat said:

Mayfield missed several open receivers downfield last night, too. If the Lions can run on the Bucs D, I like their chances.

I agree. All told, I think the two worst playoff teams in the NFC (and maybe the NFL) played last night. It's just how the seeding shook out this year. Add in the Lions being at home, hungry, and having what I think is far better coaching, and I like the Lions a lot. Probably to cover 6 as well. But I don't want to overlook the Bucs.

Edited by MichiganCardinal
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Detroit’s OL is healthy. That’s what stands out to me.

Yes, Ragnow and Jackson were among the lowest rated offensive players in PFF’s rankings, but Aaron Donald will do that to you. 

As I think about it, I’d rather put that strength against SF’s defensive front, even on the road, than let GB’s young receivers run wild against Detroit’s suspect secondary. 

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3 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

As I think about it, I’d rather put that strength against SF’s defensive front, even on the road, than let GB’s young receivers run wild against Detroit’s suspect secondary. 

I don't want to put the cart too far ahead of the horse.... Tampa first.... but having watched the Green Bay/Dallas highlights, Love is a concern. I'm not ready to say he's the next big thing in the lineage of Favre and Rodgers, but if he consistently plays how he did against Dallas, he will be.

I genuinely like our matchup against San Francisco. They're very good, but they would have a tougher time exploiting our weaknesses.

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1 minute ago, RatkoVarda said:

how much $$$ is generated from a NFC Championship game at Ford Field?

I can't remember where I saw it, possibly Axios, but the number that stood out was something like $20 million per playoff game for the region.

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