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The NFC North-leading Detroit Lions entered Week 6 flying high as winners of three in a row, and their run of success continued after a hard-fought 20-6 win against the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dating to last season, Detroit has scored 20 or more points in 15 consecutive games, a franchise record as quarterback Jared Goff has played some of the best football of his career.
The Lions have now won 13 of their last 16 games since Week 9 of the 2022 season, a notable run considering Detroit has never won 13 games in a single season. After Sunday's win, they have tied their best six-game start in the Super Bowl era, having improved to 5-1.
Goff put together another solid outing, throwing for 353 yards and two touchdowns on 30-of-44 passing. Baker Mayfield, who entered Sunday with the best completion percentage of his career (69.6%), couldn't get much of anything going against the Lions' defense. He had an inefficient 206 passing yards, an interception and no touchdowns on 19-of-37 passing. Mayfield entered Week 6 as the NFL's top passer on third down, leading the league in completion percentage (79.5%) and passer rating (140.7) while co-leading in passing touchdowns (five) on the "money down," but he and the Buccaneers went 2-of-12 on third down. Conversely, Goff and the Rams converted on nine of their 16 third down tries.
The first half was been all about defense. Tampa Bay had held its opponents to 17 or fewer points in three of its four games, giving the Bucs the eighth-best scoring defense in the league entering Week 6 (17.0 points per game allowed), and their performance looked like it. Detroit was forced to punt on three of their six first-half drives. The Lions were also stingy, forcing four punts as well as crucial interception of Buccaneers quarterback of Baker Mayfield. Following a Detroit punt that put Tampa Bay on their own eight, disaster struck for the home team.
Mayfield's pass that was intended to Mike Evans over the middle was tipped by Detroit defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs and picked off by cornerback Will Harris. The Buccaneers defense stood tall, not allowing a single yard on the Lions' drive that began 12 yards from the end zone. Two consecutive tackles for a combined loss of three after a three-yard completion to Amon-Ra St. Brown on their first play. That forced Detroit to settle for a 30-yard field goal from kicker Riley Patterson and 3-0 lead.
After the Buccaneers finally broke through with a field goal of their own, a 33-yarder by Chase McLaughlin, the Lions found the end on their next drive. The only touchdown of the first half occurred on a check-down pass from Goff to top receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, which he took 27 yards to the house. St. Brown was sprung free by a couple of blocks by both wide receiver Josh Reynolds and backup running back Craig Reynolds. That put the Lions back out in front 10-3 with 2:39 left in the first half.
The primary reason Reynolds, a fifth-year, undrafted running back, was in the game was because of an injury to starter David Montgomery. He took a second-quarter screen pass 19 yards, but he suffered a rib injury on the play after being tackled awkwardly. He walked off of the field under his power to the locker room. Fox Sports reported that X-rays on Montgomery's ribs were negative, but the Lions ruled out his return late in the third quarter.
Just after halftime, Goff uncorked a high-arching deep ball on a third down and 10 from the Buccaneers 45, and his heave was hauled in by 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams in the end zone for a 45-yard score. The catch gave Williams more receiving touchdowns of 40 or more yards (two) than all other Lions wide receivers combined (one) since the start of the 2022 season. That play put Detroit up two scores, 17-6, with 3:19 to go. They eventually stretched the lead to 14 after another Patterson field goal, the last one from 36 yards. That type of edge felt insurmountable given the way the game was flowing, and it was.
Here's a closer look at how the Lions continued their winning ways.
Why the Lions won
Goff continued to play high-level, turnover-free football despite being without his top two running backs. He was incredibly accurate on his short and intermediate throws while connecting deep on the back-breaking 45-yard touchdown to Williams to provide the separation required to win comfortably.
Their defense also came to play, not allowing either of the Buccaneers Pro Bowl receivers (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin) to get loose for big plays. Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton was so locked in on his red zone coverage of Evans that he drew an offensive pass-interference penalty on a third-down pass attempt in the first half.
Why the Buccaneers lost
Mayfield's inability to hit for a big play when Tampa Bay needed it most. Rookie receiver Trey Palmer broke open twice on a couple of vertical routes downfield, but both times Mayfield just overthrew him. Those two plays being made could have made Sunday a much different outing for the home team. Going 2-for-12 on third down when the Buccaneers had been reliant on Mayfield playing like the NFL's best on third down also hindered Tampa Bay greatly.
Their defense didn't play terribly, but their offense punting six times eventually wore them out.
Turning point & play of the game
Goff's 45-yard touchdown to Williams. The Buccaneers had just trimmed the Lions lead down to four, 10-6, after Chase McLaughlin's 46-yard field goal, but this score felt like the nail in their coffin. Detroit did a great job of locking down their side of the field, and this bomb, plus the two-score lead that came with it, took the air out of Raymond James Stadium.
What's next
Detroit (5-1) will hit the road once again in Week 7 to play the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens (4-2). The last time these two teams played in Week 3 of the 2021 season, history was made. Ravens future Hall of Fame kicker Justin Tucker broke the NFL's all-time record for the longest made field goal by drilling a 66-yarder as time expired to give Baltimore a 19-17 victory.
Tampa Bay, still in first place in the NFC South at 3-2 will remain home next Sunday for a divisional showdown against the Atlanta Falcons (3-3).
