Post by D6 on Jan 22, 2024 4:57:56 GMT -5
Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: The Lions are just 1 win away from the Super Bowl!
Instant observations: The Lions are just 1 win away from the Super Bowl!
Updated: Jan. 21, 2024, 7:23 p.m.|Published: Jan. 21, 2024, 6:18 p.m.
Detroit Lions take on Tampa Bay Buccaneers in NFL divisional playoff
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions are just one game from the Super Bowl.
The Detroit Lions.
The Super Bowl.
Just one more game.
The third-seeded Lions punched their ticket to the NFC championship game with a thrilling 31-23 win against the fourth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Ford Field. They’ll head to San Francisco next Sunday for a play-in game to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
**** Never in my lifetime prior to yesterday did the Lions win 2 straight playoff games. The same for most Lions fans that saw or heard the Lions beat the LA Rams and the Bucs in consecutive weeks, whether in person in Ford Field in Downtown Detroit or elsewhere. The Lions won more playoff games in less than a week than the Lions did from the 1958 season through the 2022 season! Incredible accomplishment by the 2023 Lions! Tremendous game and win for Lions in defeating a Bucs team that like the Lions is very resilient. Congrats to both teams for exceeding the expectations of most people that follow the NFL! Todd Bowles became a much better Head Coach this season. Dan Campbell's leadership was an immense reason why the Lions ended up winning this game. Many Lions teams in the past wouldn't have recovered from the late 2nd QTR Bucs TD that tied the game, following the PAT. The 2023 Lions aren't the Same Old Lions! ****
The Lions were locked in a 10-all game before catching fire in the third quarter, with Craig Reynolds, Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown scoring three straight touchdowns to build a 31-17 cushion as the crowd shook the bricks right out of the foundation at Ford Field. Baker Mayfield did counter by hitting Mike Evans with a 16-yard touchdown pass that drew Tampa within 31-23 with 4:37 left, but never came close to finishing off the comeback.
Linebacker Derrick Barnes made sure of that, picking off the former No. 1 pick to seal the victory with 1:33 left.
**** Great play by Derrick Barnes and by John Cominsky, who got pressure on Baker Mayfield. The pressure certainly was a huge factor in Mayfield throwing the ball where Barnes was able to secure the ball and a Lions 2nd Round Playoff win! Derrick Barnes is a prime example of the Lions All Grit approach. The first 2 seasons didn't go the way Barnes and the Lions hoped it would for him. After the Lions drafted LB Jack Campbell in Round 1 in the 2023 Draft, Barnes didn't go into the tank. He worked very hard and won an opening day starting job. Barnes never lost his starting job, though he does split many snaps with Jack Campbell. I'm very happy that it was Derrick Barnes who came up with the game sealing interception. ****
As Penei Sewell screamed at teammates before the game kicked off: “They came to Detroit! (Expletive) them!”
**** Tremendous game by Penei Sewell. He was arguably the best Lions player in this game. Sewell was a difference maker as a run blocker and in pass protection in the playoff win over the Bucs.****
Quarterback Jared Goff gave the Lions an early lead on a 9-yard touchdown pass to Josh Reynolds, who ran a post route into a blown coverage. But the offense struggled to find some rhythm and consistency after that, going three-and-out on half of their first six possessions of the game. That spoiled an early opportunity to pull away, as the defense flustered Mayfield into an early pick and just three points on his first four possessions.
**** It was definitely concerning that the Lions weren't able to separate from the Bucs in this part of the game and until Jared Goff's TD pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown that made the score 31-17, following the successful PAT. Once the Bucs scored on Mike Evans TD reception, the Lions concern level on this end went up greatly. Thankfully, Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu broke up the 2 point conversion attempted pass to Mike Evans. Iffy had 1 1/2 sacks in the game. He's been one of the Lions key players to the late season drive to the NFC North Title and in the first 2 Rounds in the playoffs. ****
The Lions went three-and-out to open the third quarter in a 10-10 game, but finally started poking holes in the Bucs defense after that thanks to some offensive creativity from Ben Johnson. On third-and-1, blocking tight end Brock Wright faked like he was going to block before running across the backside of the line of scrimmage. No one followed with him, and Wright caught a low pass before turning upfield for a 29-yard splash play, making one defender miss along the way.
**** The Jared Goff to Brock Wright pass in this game was very similar to the 4th and short pass to Wright at the Jets in mid December, 2022 that resulted in a Lions go ahead and eventual game winning TD. I can't recall Ben Johnson calling that play again until yesterday! Tremendous call and great execution. ****
Detroit stalled out at the goal line, but Daring Dan Campbell wasn’t about to send his field-goal unit onto the field at the 1-yard line. Not even in a 10-10 game, with a ticket to the NFC championship game on the line. Aggressive football got them here, and it was going to take them to the next round, or not.
Going for it was no surprise. The man who got the football -- Craig Reynolds -- definitely was. The backup running back hadn’t touched the rock since Oct. 30. But he’s trusted by the coaching staff, and didn’t disappoint, following a banged-up center Frank Ragnow into the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown.
**** Great play call and execution! Having Craig Reynolds in the backfield might have been enough to get some of the Bucs defenders to anticipate a pass.****
Tampa countered with a touchdown of its own, running a brilliant screen into an aggressive blitz from Aaron Glenn, and Rachaan Evans went untouched for a 12-yard score. That made it 17-17.
****Rachaan White. Great call and execution by the Bucs. I'm reluctant to criticize Dan Campbell for not challenging the previous play, when it looked like Baker Mayfield was sacked before he threw the ball away. Timeouts are extremely important in the 2nd half. Considering that the Lions still had a favorable Defensive down and distance situation, with it being 3rd and 10 from the Lions 12 yd line. *****
Goff ran back onto the field showered in more chants of “JAR-ED GOFF! JAR-ED GOFF!” and the quarterback continued to heat up, finding Jahmyr Gibbs and Josh Reynolds for a total of 30 yards. Gibbs didn’t have his best game against the Bucs’ top-five rush defense, but he finished off this drive with his best play of the day, bursting through a huge hole, then shaking-and-baking safety Antoine Winfield Jr. before stiff-arming the All-Pro as he crossed the goal line for a 31-yard touchdown with 13:13 left.
****Jahmyr Gibbs was a differential player in the 2nd half of the game. His rushing, receiving, and blitz protection were huge in the Lions winning this game. It's fair to say that the trade Brad Holmes made in trading down from Pick # 6 and Pick # 12 in the 2023 Draft easily could be the difference in the Lions advancing to the NFC Championship Game this season.****
That gave the Lions a 24-17 lead late in the third quarter. Then the defense answered with a stop of its own, forcing a three-and-out, and Detroit had a chance to finally pull away. Amon-Ra St. Brown didn’t disappoint.
St. Brown struggled with his connection with Goff throughout the game, but came up huge with the game hanging in the balance, catching a pass on third-and-15 and then dragging a defender across the line of gain. He finished off the drive with a 9-yard touchdown catch, opening up a 31-17 lead.
****Amon-Ra St. Brown had a costly 3rd Down drop in the 2nd QTR but more than made up for it in the 4th QTR. The 3rd and 15 play in which St. Brown made the reception and used his strength and determination to get past the chains for a 1st Down, reminded me of the pass route he ran that sealed the 1st Round playoff game win over the LA Rams. ****
Mayfield countered by hooking up with Evans on a bomb on fourth-and-14, then finding him for a touchdown that drew Tampa within 31-23 with 4:37 left. And once the Lions’ following series stalled out, the defense ran back onto the field needing one more stop to move one step closer to you-know-what.
**** The Lions blitz on the 4th and 14 play backfired. I understood and respect the call by Aaron Glenn.****
And Derrick Barnes, the man who was heavily criticized for whiffing on Dak Prescott on a game-changing touchdown pass in Dallas, picked off Mayfield to send the Lions on to San Francisco.
Heartbreak and triumph. Barnes’ story is a Detroit Lions story. And now the story of this Detroit Lions team marches on for another week.
One more game.
Just one more.
**** The Lions have a difficult task to defeat the 49ers on the road to advance to the Super Bowl. But it's also going to be a challenge for the 49ers to secure a win over the Lions, especially if WR Deebo Samuel is out or substantially limited because of the shoulder injury he suffered in the 49ers comeback playoff win over the Packers on Saturday Night.****
Let’s get to some more observations:
-- Amon-Ra St. Brown didn’t have his best game, catching just four of his first nine targets. He wasn’t on the same page with Jared Goff on a few plays, and dropped a third-down pass that would have moved the chains. We’re just not used to seeing that from No. 14. But once the fourth quarter rolled around, the killer inside that man was unleashed. He caught a pass short of the sticks on third-and-15, then dragged a defender across the line of gain. Four plays later, he dusted cornerback Zyon McCollum on a route to the back right corner of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown, finally breaking open the game with a 31-17 lead.
****Josh Reynolds contributed heavily to the TD by St. Brown, with his natural pick on the play. Very good job by Reynolds not making an illegal pick on the play. ****
St. Brown finished with eight catches for 77 yards against the Bucs. He now has 134 catches this season overall, more than any other man who has ever worn Honolulu blue. Herman Moore held the previous record, catching 130 passes back in 1995. St. Brown has been especially hot down the stetch, racking up 100-yard games in four of his last six outings overall. And even on a night when he didn’t have his best stuff, he still helped send the Lions to the NFC championship game. That’s what killers do.
**** Indeed. ****
-- If you were having a bit of deja vu on Brock Wright’s 29-yard catch in the third quarter, you’re not alone. That was the same concept the Lions deployed to beat the New York Jets last season, when Wright feigned like he was going to block before leaking into the defensive backfield and then working from one sideline to the other. The Jets lost him for what proved to be a 51-yard winner on fourth down, and the Bucs did the same for a 29-yard chunk on third down. Huge, huge play. The game was a 10-all dogfight at the time. And Jared Goff used the new life to drive the offense to the 1-yard line, where Craig Reynolds pounded the ball into the end zone on fourth down.
**** It's going to difficult for the Lions to effectively replace Ben Johnson, if as expected he becomes an NFL HC of another team.****
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a former tight ends coach, and has always shown a nice touch for knowing how to deploy those guys effectively. T.J. Hockenson was having a huge season before getting traded last year, and rookie Sam LaPorta just set the NFL record for most catches by a first-year player at that position. Now he’s turned to the backup Wright -- who is mostly a blocker -- for two massive, game-changing plays.
**** Ben Johnson and 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan as the Offensive play callers in the NFC Championship Game is a treat for NFL fans. ****
-- Yes, by the way, that was Craig Reynolds on the fourth-down touchdown run in the third quarter. Reynolds hadn’t touched the football since Oct. 30, but he’s a trusted veteran who had his best game of the season in the first meeting with Tampa Bay, including delivering a massive block that sprung Amon-Ra St. Brown for a touchdown. And in the rematch with Tampa, the Lions rewarded the gritty back with one of the most important touches of the season. The game was tied 10-all at the time, and facing fourth-and-goal from the 1. Then they handed the ball off to Reynolds, who ran behind a banged-up Frank Ragnow working against the outstanding Vita Vea, and plowed through for a go-ahead touchdown. That’s Dan Campbell’s Lions. Fearless. Aggressive. And creatively using the entire roster.
****Vita Vea is arguably the Bucs best player at any position. He contributed greatly in the Lions not pulling away from the Bucs in the 1st Half. Frank Ragnow showed why he's a Pro Bowl Caliber Center in this game and a definition of All Grit. ****
-- Aidan Hutchinson continued his tear through the postseason, sacking Baker Mayfield to kill a promising drive to open the third quarter. He now has three sacks in the playoffs overall, which actually matches a franchise playoff record, held by Ezekiel Ansah. Hutchinson hit Baker Mayfield a team-high three times overall.
****Aidan Hutchinson also contributed to Iffy's 1st QTR sack, by driving Bucs RT Luke Goedeke backwards towards Baker Mayfield. On many other plays, Hutch was used as a DT in this game. This made sense, being that the Bucs Tackles are much better pass blockers than their Interior Offensive Lineman.****
-- Brian Branch didn’t play in the first matchup with Tampa because of an injury. Boy, he sure made his presence felt in this one. The rookie cornerback killed a first-half drive with a sack, then put the Bucs behind the sticks by dropping Rachaad White 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the third quarter. He finished with a team-high nine tackles overall, two of which were TFLs, plus defended one pass. How many guys taken beyond the first round of this year’s draft would you take over him? Not many, is the answer. Not many at all.
****Agreed. Brian Branch has often displayed versatility (that helps win games for the Lions) and playmaking skills in his rookie season, with this playoff game another illustration of this. ****
-- Baker Mayfield, just a thought: Maybe don’t trash talk the biggest mouth in the league? There are bleep talkers, and then there is Ceedy Duce, who once spent more than 5 minutes straight going after the Jacksonville Jaguars’ kicker during training camp. That guy is not only an artist of trash talk, but feeds off it. All of which made it kind of peculiar to see Mayfield go after Duce in the media this week, saying he needed to watch more film. Duce heard it, and a guy who won’t stop talking refused to talk to reporters, knowing what he’d say wouldn’t be good. Then he took the field in a ski mask, and immediately picked off Mayfield on his very first series of the day -- before flipping him the football along the sideline.
****CJGJ has great playing instincts. It's not by accident that comes away with a high % of takeaways per snap, compared to the vast majority of Defensive Players. ****
This is why the Lions went hard after Duce in free agency. He’s one of the best ballhawks in the league, sure, but he’s got swagger too. After wasting away at the bottom of the league for years, that’s exactly what this defense needed. Now that Duce is back from a torn pec, they’re getting all of it. And it has changed the game for what was once among the worst secondaries in the league.
**** The Lions depth at Safety and at Nickel CB is a huge strength with CJGJ back. ****
-- The Lions sure looked like they were on the wrong side of another officiating decision. After the Reynolds touchdown in the third quarter, the Bucs were back on the move when Mayfied was hit while scrambling toward the right sideline. Mayfield threw away the football, but replays show he should have been ruled down. Detroit probably would have won the review, but the risk of being wrong and losing a timeout -- with Tampa already boxed into a third-and-10 anyway -- proved to be too risky for the head coach. Tampa made the Lions pay, running a screen into the blitz, and Rachaad White went 12 yards untouched for a game-tying score at the end of the third quarter.
**** Agreed.****
-- Lions cornerback Cam Sutton continues to get votes of confidence from the coaching staff, despite getting chewed up by WR1s for the better part of a month now. He made two huge errors just before halftime against Tampa too, failing to jam Mike Evans on a 27-yard pass, then was beaten in a one-on-one for another 29 yards on the very next play. That propelled a 92-yard touchdown drive that required just 73 seconds, and Tampa scored a game-tying touchdown with just 15 seconds left until intermission.
Sutton has been solid in his first year with the Lions, but my goodness does this team need a proper CB1. That was the plan in the draft last year -- they were targeting Devon Witherspoon, who went one spot earlier to Seattle -- and also signed Emmanuel Moseley in free agency, who wound up playing two snaps before tearing another ACL. Expect cornerback to be very, very high on Brad Holmes’ wish list next offseason.
****Cam Sutton clearly got beat on both plays mentioned. He's being paid as a # 2 CB. To Sutton's credit, he played better in the 2nd Half.
IMHO, the biggest mistake Aaron Glenn made was on the play that resulted in the 29 yard reception that set up the Bucs at 1st and Goal from the 2 very late in the 2nd QTR. The Lions were in man to man coverage but faked a blitz. Sutton didn't have Safety help on the play. Considering the time remaining in the 2nd QTR, a more conservative call would have probably been the best decision. If the Lions would have blitzed on the play, the coverage would have made more sense than the fake blitz. ****
-- Left guard Jonah Jackson left the game in the first half with a knee injury and did not return, the latest setback for a talented player who has struggled through an injury-marred contract season. Wright also left the game with a forearm injury after making his big third-quarter catch.
****Even with the Bucs getting a pressure or two against LG Kayode Awosika, who replaced the injured Jonah Jackson, Awosika played better than I could have envisioned. Great job by # 74 in stepping up in place of Jackson. Having said this, the 49ers DTs and overall Defensive Line is arguably the best in the NFL. Not having a relatively healthy Jackson could prove costly, if he's indeed not relatively healthy. ****
-- The Lions have now won back-to-back playoff games for the first time since capturing their last NFL championship in 1957. The challenge will grow next week as they leave the friendly confines of Ford Field for the first time in the playoffs, traveling to Santa Clara for a conference title game against the 49ers. The good news is Detroit has been one of the league’s best road teams this season, going 6-3, while San Francisco also hasn’t been particularly imposing at home, losing their last two regular-season games at Levi’s Stadium and finishing 5-3 overall.
****The LA Rams win over the 49ers in the regular season finale was one in which both teams kept out many starters. I wouldn't put weight on that game. The 49ers loss at home to the Baltimore Ravens is another story. When the 49ers are missing one or more key pieces on Offense, they have had a substantial drop-off, as was the case in that game when LT Trent Williams suffered an injury that ended his evening vs. the Ravens. ****
For what it’s worth, the only road playoff win in Lions history occurred in San Francisco, all the way back in 1957. Detroit went on to win the NFL championship against Cleveland a week later. It still hasn’t won on the road in the playoffs since. But this Lions team has been, if nothing else, a team of firsts.
**** The Lions also won the 1952 NFL Championship game on the road (in Cleveland). ****
-- Rapper Eminem, actor Jeff Daniels, music legend Bob Seger, NFL Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and rapper Flavor Flav were among the VIPs on hand at an electric Ford Field.
..........
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions vs. Bucs preview: Playoffs: 2nd Round ( 2023 ).
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/2004/lions-bucs-preview-playoffs-round
