Buccaneers can clinch playoff spot with win over lowly Lions
TAMPA BAY (9-5) at DETROIT (5-9)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
OPENING LINE - Buccaneers by 7 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Buccaneers 7-7, Lions 5-8-1
SERIES RECORD - Lions lead 31-28
LAST MEETING - Buccaneers beat Lions 38-17 Dec. 15, 2019, at Detroit
LAST WEEK - Buccaneers beat Falcons 31-27; Lions lost to Titans 46-25
AP PRO32 RANKING - Buccaneers No. 11, Lions No. 26
BUCCANEERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (17), RUSH (29), PASS (6).
BUCCANEERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (6), RUSH (1), PASS (25).
LIONS OFFENSE - OVERALL (19), RUSH (30), PASS (7).
LIONS DEFENSE - OVERALL (30), RUSH (29), PASS (27).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - The Lions have won four of the last six matchups with Tampa Bay, but they will be missing several coaches, including interim head coach Darrell Bevell, due to COVID-19 contact tracing. ... The Bucs need a win or a Chicago loss to clinch their first postseason berth since 2007. ... Tampa Bay's 13-year playoff drought is the NFL's second-longest string behind Cleveland's 18-year run without a postseason appearance. ... The Bucs rallied from a 17-point, second-half deficit to win at Atlanta for their fourth victory after trailing by double digits. ... Tampa Bay has been outscored 59-7 in the first quarter while going 3-3 over the last six games. The Bucs have outscored opponents by an NFL-high 99 points in the second half. ... OLB Jason Pierre-Paul was the only Buccaneer selected for the Pro Bowl. ... QB Tom Brady threw for 320 yards and led five straight scoring drives after halftime against the Falcons. ... Brady is one start away from No. 298 in the regular season, tying Hall of Famer Brett Favre's NFL record for QBs. ... WR Antonio Brown had five catches for a season-high 93 yards and scored his first TD with the Bucs last week. ... RB Ronald Jones is one of four NFL players to average 5-plus yards per carry. ... LB Devin White is the first player in the league with 125-plus tackles and at least eight sacks in a season since former Arizona LB Daryl Washington in 2012. ... DT Ndamukong Suh, drafted No. 2 overall a decade ago by Detroit, has started every game this season and has five sacks. ... DT Donovan Smith was activated from the the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday. ... Detroit, which has been in the playoffs just three times this century, has been eliminated from postseason contention. ... Bevell is 1-2 since Matt Patricia was fired along with general manager Bob Quinn, but wide receivers coach Robert Prince will run the team Saturday. ... The Lions fired Brayden Coombs on Monday, a day after the 34-year-old special teams coordinator went with a trick play instead of punting as Bevell said he called for in the fourth quarter of the loss at Tennessee. ... Detroit has scored 20-plus points in 13 of 14 games for the first time in franchise history. ... TE T.J. Hockenson, C Frank Ragnow and P Jack Fox were selected for the Pro Bowl. ... QB Matthew Stafford played with banged-up ribs against the Titans and is expected face the Bucs. ... D'Andre Swift and Jacksonville's James Robinson are the NFL's two rookie RBs with at least seven rushing TDs and two-plus scores receiving. ... WR Marvin Jones, who has matched his career high with 65 receptions, had a career-high 10 catches last week and 100-plus yards receiving for the second time in three weeks.. ... The Lions have given up an average of five-plus touchdowns over the past four games. ... DE Romeo Okwara has a career-high eight sacks. ... Fantasy tip: Brady has a shot to take advantage of a banged-up secondary and to perhaps produce more than he did last week with a season-high 390 yards passing, two TDs and no turnovers. Detroit is giving up an NFL-high 31.1 points per game.
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