Lions reserve on vs. Buccaneers, head to NFC Championship Sport

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions stored their storybook season going and complicated to their first NFC Championship Sport since 1991 following a 31-23 divisional-round victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Detroit will play games the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 28 with a Tremendous Bowl berth at the form. Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at every workforce’s efficiency:

Detroit Lions

Detroit, webhosting its moment playoff tournament in the similar postseason for the primary life in franchise historical past, were given off to a gradual get started offensively.

The sport was once join on the finish of the primary, moment and 3rd quarters ahead of the Lions needy distant within the fourth as rookie operating again Jahmyr Gibbs got here alive to spark the farmland assault.

Promising pattern: Over his presen 4 video games, second-year edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson has registered 8 sacks — together with one in opposition to Tampa Bay. Previous to that, Hutchinson went on a three-game drought and not using a sack within the usual season however stated he “figured out my own identity” all the way through this stretch. The Lions protection additionally recorded 3 sacks in a playoff tournament for the fourth life since workforce sacks was reliable in 1963.

QB breakdown: Goff completed 30-for-43 with 287 passing yards and threw two touchdowns in a playoff tournament for the primary life in his profession. The Lions ended with 391 yards of overall offense in opposition to Tampa Bay next posting 334 overall web yards of their wild card tournament in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 14. Goff went 11-for-12 for 131 yards and a TD within the 4th quarter

Largest hollow within the tournament plan: The Lions’ secondary. Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans torched Detroit’s protection with 8 catches for 147 yards because the Buccaneers ended with 349 passing yards. All through the wild card matchup as opposed to the Los Angeles Rams, additionally they struggled to secure Rams rookie receiver Puka Nacua as he went off for 181 receiving yards on 9 catches – together with a 50-yard landing. That is an section of shock for the Lions when dealing with just right receivers. — Eric Woodyard

Upcoming tournament: Sunday at San Francisco, 6:30 p.m. ET

Buccaneers educator Todd Bowles informed his gamers all presen to “weather the storm in the first quarter” in opposition to the Lions — the league’s highest-scoring first quarter offense in 2023 — however the fourth quarter stung them essentially the most. They surrendered two touchdowns to Goff and Co., who finished 9-of-9 passes for 120 yards and a landing and Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield threw a miserable interception to seal the sport for Detroit.

This ended the Bucs’ “Revenge Tour” as inside of linebacker Devin White put it, with out a redemption in opposition to the Lions next a Era 6 loss and disagree shot to avenge their Era 11 loss to the 49ers. They did, then again, defy expectancies outdoor the group within the wake of Tom Brady’s depart, completing the yr at 10-9 next shedding 5 out of six video games halfway in the course of the season with questions raised about Bowles’ process condition. Now, the Bucs input the offseason with questions looming over two key figures on offense: quarterback Baker Mayfield and large receiver Mike Evans.

QB breakdown: Mayfield finished 26 of 41 passes for 349 yards, with 3 TDs and two interceptions. On fourth-and-14, trailing 31-17 within the fourth quarter, Mayfield discovered Evans for a 16-yard landing to put together it 31-23 with a failed two-point conversion try as Evans was once out of bounds. Mayfield’s first select got here all the way through the Bucs’ opening force on a tipped move supposed for Evans that was once intercepted by means of protection C.J. Gardner-Johnson, putting in a 23-yard garden target for the Lions. His moment select — and the game-ender — got here with 1:35 extra and the Bucs trailing by means of 8 issues.

Largest hollow within the tournament plan: The Bucs burdened Goff on 26% of his dropbacks in spite of blitzing 47% of the life. He was once sacked two times however gave the impression in large part unaffected by means of the whole thing the Bucs threw at him.

Pivotal play games: The Lions went for it on fourth-and-goal on the Tampa Bay 1-yard form with 3:51 to progress within the 3rd quarter, and RB Craig Reynolds ran it up the center for a 1-yard landing. The verdict to progress for it reinforced the Lions’ possibilities of profitable the sport by means of 70.5% in step with ESPN Analytics.

Perceptible-popping NextGen stat: Mayfield was once sacked in below 3.10 seconds two times Sunday, the 2 quickest sacks he took all season. He was once sacked in 2.77 seconds by means of Hutchinson and in 3.07 seconds by means of protection Ifeatu Melifonwu. — Jenna Laine