The Detroit Lions (1-0) host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) in their Week 2 game on Sunday, September 15 at Ford Field. This will be the second opponent in back-to-back weeks that the Lions have faced from last year’s playoff run. Detroit opens as 7-point favorites and are 2-0 against the Buccaneers in the Dan Campbell era.
Lions vs. Buccaneers Game History and Quotes
Both the Lions and Bucs want to win their division again; the Lions for the second straight year and Tampa Bay for the fourth consecutive year. The Buccaneers are looking for revenge after two losses to the Lions last year, while the Lions are looking for another big win over a great team.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell noted that the Buccaneers are favorites to win the NFC South for a reason. The way Tampa Bay plays on both sides of the ball is a big reason why they won a playoff game last season.
He specifically praised Baker Mayfield, mentioning his career resurgence and how he is a “tough and competitive player.” Campbell also noted how elusive Mayfield is in the pocket, and he is adept at taking advantage of certain matchups.
For the Buccaneers, Todd Bowles, a defensive-focused head coach, praised the Lions’ mound of playmakers. Bowles mentioned how Jared Goff has immense control over the Lions’ offense and unique control over the game.
“He has very good command of the offense.” Bowles continued, “He knows where to go with the ball. He understands defenses very well and he’s playing well.”
Bowles also mentioned how the Lion’s one-two punch at running back and weapons on the outside in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are explosive players who need to be game-planned for.
Key Players for the Lions
The Lions will be without Ifeatu Melifonwu, Isaiah Williams, and most likely Marcus Davenport. Meanwhile, Detroit has Kerby Joseph, Jameson Williams, and Penei Sewell listed as questionable ahead of the Lions game on Sunday.
The potential absence of Isaiah Williams and potentially Jameson Williams makes St. Brown the most important offensive player this week for the Lions. The wide receiver group is already incredibly thin, so the team will have to lean on St. Brown significantly.
Sam LaPorta will also have to be a dominant presence this week and make himself available for Goff. Goff had a lackluster performance last week against the Rams, throwing one interception. He will have to be better this week. The Bucs maintain a stout run defense, so if the run game can’t get going, the Lions will need to lean on Goff – similar to last year’s regular season matchup.
Defensively, D.J. Reader will be making his season debut, significantly strengthening the defensive line. Without Marcus Davenport, Aidan Hutchinson will have to be a force on the edge, creating pressure, just as he did last week.
In the secondary, rookie Terrion Arnold was tasked with guarding Cooper Kupp for a large chunk of last week’s game. Arnold had his moments of strength and struggle, but an excellent performance would go a long way for the secondary.
Carlton Davis will also be necessary. As a former Buccaneer, he should know those receivers inside and out. The Lions will potentially be without both starting safeties, so they will rely on second-year player Brian Branch to step up, while rookie Ennis Rakestraw will likely take a lot of snaps as the nickel cornerback.
Key Players for the Buccaneers
The Buccaneers will be without Luke Goedeke, Josh Hayes, Calijah Kancey, and Antoine Winfield Jr. Meanwhile, Logan Hall, Zyon McCollum, and Tykee Smith are all listed as questionable.
Offensively, the passing unit will be the most important group for the Buccaneers. Attacking the Lions’ secondary still seems to be the most effective strategy for the offense, so a good performance from Mayfield is vital.
Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and rookie Jalen McMillan will also look to cause issues for the Lions in the back end. Tristan Wirfs will be the Buccaneers’ only starting tackle, so they need him to be reliable on the left side of the field to compensate for their disadvantage at right tackle.
Defensively, nose tackle Vita Vea is the force the defense revolves around. It all centers on stopping the run for the Buccaneers, and Vea is one of the best at eating double teams and opening lanes for star linebacker Lavonte David.
The Buccaneers also have a young group of edge rushers poised for breakout seasons. Joe Tyron-Shoyinka is the best edge rusher on this team, and has all the pieces to have a tremendous season. The Buccaneers will potentially be without three starters in the secondary, so they will rely heavily on cornerback Jamel Dean.
Keys for the Detroit Lions to Win the Game
Aidan Hutchinson cements himself as a DPOY candidate
Hutchinson had the highest PFF grade of any edge rusher in Week 1, kicking off an underrated DPOY campaign. While he did his job dominating the Rams’ backup offensive tackles, he has the chance to do it again this week.
Hutchinson rushes a lot off the left side, meaning he will be matched up against backup right tackle Justin Skule. Supposing Hutchinson can replicate his performance from last week, he’ll force Mayfield to get the ball out quickly. That will limit the damage Tampa Bay’s wide receivers can do against the Lions’ secondary. He’ll have help from defensive tackles Alim McNeil and D.J. Reader, both good pass-rushing defensive tackles.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam Laporta dominate a weakened Tampa Bay Secondary
Tampa Bay will be without three – potentially four – players in their secondary. Very few teams in the NFL can survive that type of injury hit, and Tampa Bay may not be one of them.
St. Brown and LaPorta are already some of the best at their positions, so dominating a weakened unit is critical for the Lions’ passing game to take off.
If Jameson Williams were set to play, Tampa Bay would be even more pressured. If Tampa Bay cannot generate pressure, Goff will have plenty of time to throw and dice the Buccaneers secondary just as he did last season.
Shutting Down Rachaad White
Rachaad White burst onto the scene last season, emerging as one of the best dual-threat running backs in the NFL. He also cemented himself as one of the best pass-catching running backs in the league.
The Lions’ defensive strength is their run defense, so shutting down White early is pivotal. Forcing Tampa Bay into long second-and-long, and third-and-long situations will force them to throw the ball.
While Mayfield has good chemistry with the wide receivers, it is still hard for any team to convert consistently in long third down situations. The Lions forced the Rams into many of these situations, who are arguably better at quarterback and wide receiver, and found a way to win the game.
If the Lions can shut down White early, they will be able to create difficult situations for the Buccaneers’ offense.
