Bucs DTs Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey and Logan Hall – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR The Bucs continue to ascend as a team, winning the sixth of their last seven games. Tampa Bay has a lot of momentum right now heading to Detroit for a rematch against the Lions. The Bucs lost their creamsicle game to the Lions, 20-6, back in Week 6 in Tampa. Tampa Bay is a far different team now then it was then on both sides of the ball, and it’s at full strength from a health standpoint, too. The Bucs could continue their “revenge tour” next week in the NFC Championship Game if they win in Detroit and San Francisco beats Green Bay as expected. Tampa Bay also lost at San Francisco this year, 27-14, and the Bucs would love another shot at the 49ers. If not San Francisco, Tampa Bay would host Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game if both the Bucs and the Packers pull off the upset. What’s At Stake For The Lions The Lions posted 12 wins for just the second time in franchise history this season, and it was their best record since going 12-4 back in 1991. After winning the NFC North division for the first time, the Lions won a playoff game for the first time since the 1991 season by beating the Rams, 24-23. With that proverbial monkey off their back, is there less pressure on Detroit or more pressure to win and advance with one of the greatest Lions teams of all-time record-wise? 
Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown – Photo by: USA Today The Lions seemed to tighten up against the Rams after jumping out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter. Detroit was outscored 20-10 the rest of the game, including 6-3 in the second half. Will they face a similar situation with the underdog Bucs coming to town? The Lions are 7-2 at home this year, but the Bucs were 5-4 on the road, including wins at NFC North teams Minnesota and Green Bay. Detroit head coach Dan Campbell could lose both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to head coaching jobs around the league after the postseason. Both are hot commodities and have drawn interest from other teams for interviews. It might be now-or-never for the Lions to win it all. Look what happened in Philadelphia after making the Super Bowl last year. The Eagles lost both coordinators to head coaching jobs last offseason. The Bucs Win If… Tampa Bay did a remarkable job of shutting down Philadelphia’s vaunted ground game on Monday night, holding the Eagles to just 42 yards rushing after allowing 201 yards rushing back in Week 3. The Bucs stymied the Lions’ running attack back in Week 6, limiting Detroit to 40 yards and a 1.8-yard average while knocking starting running back David Montgomery out of the game. 
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today Tampa Bay has the league’s fourth-best rushing defense, allowing an average of just 92.3 yards per game, while Detroit has the NFL’s sixth-ranked ground game, averaging 132.8 yards per game. If the Bucs run defense prevails, Tampa Bay could win on the road. Slowing down the Lions passing game will be a challenge regardless, as quarterback Jared Goff still had a 300-yard day in Tampa Bay in Week 6 and threw for two touchdowns even without a ground game to lean on. But Goff is even better with play-action when the Lions’ rushing attack is revving. Offensively, the Bucs need the best version of Baker Mayfield on Sunday – just like they got against the Eagles on Monday night when he passed for 337 yards and three touchdowns in the Wild Card win. Mayfield threw an interception and failed to hit Trey Palmer on a couple of deep shots back in Week 6 that could have changed the outcome if he had been more accurate. The Bucs will also be striving for balance on offense, as Tampa Bay’s running game stalled out in Week 6. The Lions boast the league’s second-best rushing defense. The Lions Win If… Running back David Montgomery was knocked out of the game by halftime back in Tampa Bay in Week 6. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs didn’t play in that game due to injury. That duo has combined to rush for 1,960 yards and 23 touchdowns this season and powers the league’s sixth-ranked rushing attack. When Montgomery and Gibbs provide balance to the Lions offense, it makes Jared Goff and the play-action game click even better. If the Lions can rush for over 100 yards, they can beat the Bucs, who are 2-6 when that happens. 
Lions DB Will Harris – Photo by: USA Today Jared Goff was sacked three times in Tampa by the Bucs defense, but he was still able to pass for over 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Goff does a good job of getting rid of the ball quickly, and if Detroit’s offensive line can hold up even better this time around, he could have more success in the passing game. Defensively, Detroit made the Bucs one dimensional by taking away the run. As a result, Baker Mayfield had a season-low QB rating of 56.8 due to completing 19-of-37 passes for 206 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. The Lions have the league’s second-ranked rushing defense and if they can win the line of scrimmage again, it can open up the pass rush for Aidan Hutchinson and Detroit’s defensive line to go after Mayfield, who was only sacked once back in Week 6. Bucs’ Key Matchup On Offense Bucs RB Rachaad White vs. Lions Linebackers Bucs running back Rachaad White had one of his worst games of the year against the Lions back in Week 6. White tallied just 26 yards on seven carries and didn’t do a good job locating open holes in the running game or breaking tackles. Even as a receiver White struggled, catching just three passes for 12 yards. 
Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: USA Today If Tampa Bay’s offense is going to do a better job of converting third downs – the Bucs were 2-of-12 in Week 6 – White has to have more success as a runner and a receiver. Perhaps incorporating White in the screen game or in the downfield passing game split out as a receiver is in order on Sunday in Detroit to try to take advantage of the Lions’ pass rush or Detroit’s linebackers. The Lions have three productive linebackers with 80 tackles or more in Alex Anzalone (129 tackles), rookie Jack Campbell (95) and Derrick Barnes (81). All three are physical and play a big role in shutting down the running game. And all three are good tacklers in space. Where they do struggle is in coverage, and this might be the kind of game where the Bucs use White more as a receiver than a runner as a result. Bucs’ Key Matchup On Defense Bucs Secondary vs. Lions Receivers Detroit’s passing game thrives because Jared Goff has so many weapons to throw to. Aside from rookie sensation Sam LaPorta, who is already one of the league’s best tight ends after catching 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns, the Lions have four really good wide receivers led by All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown. He led the league with 119 catches for 1,515 yards (12.7) and 10 touchdowns and had seven catches for 110 yards in Sunday’s playoff win over the Rams. 
Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown – Photo by: USA Today Back in Week 6, St. Brown had 12 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown against the Bucs defense. Josh Reynolds had three catches for 50 yards in Tampa and finished the year with 40 catches for 608 yards (15.8 avg.) and five touchdowns. Jameson Williams had a 45-yard touchdown against the Bucs defense last time and finished with 24 receptions for 354 yards (14.8 avg.) and two scores. Kalif Raymond had 35 catches for 489 yards and one TD on the season and is another dangerous weapon. To tame the Lions receivers, the Bucs will need to play tighter coverage this time around, and at least Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean are healthy for the rematch. Todd Bowles put Zyon McCollum at safety last week against Philadelphia in a surprise move, and that could be the plan again this week, as McCollum brings better speed and coverage ability to the lineup than Ryan Neal or Dee Delaney. Antoine Winfield Jr. is the best safety in football and needs to have a big game and create at least one takeaway. Tampa Bay’s secondary will have its hands full on Sunday. The post SR’s Pick-6 Preview: Bucs at Lions – Divisional Round appeared first on Pewter Report. https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-lions ... 6-preview/
