The Detroit Lions proved themselves to be a formidable team by winning a tough game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a score of 20-6.
Despite facing the challenge of playing away from home and missing some key players, the Lions were able to come out on top against a healthy Buccaneer team that had just come off a bye week. This win puts the Lions in a tie for the best record in the NFL. The organization’s ability to get the job done no matter the circumstances is impressive, and this win is a testament to how the Lions are run from top to bottom.
Although some players didn’t perform their best, the Lions still managed to secure a team victory. Here are the Lions Studs and Duds for their win over the Buccaneers.
Stud: Jared Goff
Goff is currently playing his best football of his career. He appears to be in complete control of the offense, making smart decisions that can tear apart defenses with ease. When David Montgomery was injured, the Lions were left without another core piece of their offense, but that did not shake Goff. He knew that the offense was going to rely on his arm and he rose to the challenge, commanding the offense perfectly.
With Goff leading the team, it seems that they can reach a new level of success.
Dud: Run Game
Without Jahymr Gibbs, the Lions were relying on David Montgomery to carry the running game this week. Unfortunately, Montgomery left the game early due to a rib injury and did not return. This left the Lions with only Craig Reynolds and practice squad call-up Devine Ozigbo to keep the run game going. However, these two only managed to gain 20 yards for the rest of the game, leaving the Lions with a one-dimensional offense.
Despite this setback, the Lions were able to pull through, but it underscores how important Montgomery is to the team’s offense. Hopefully, he will not be out for an extended period of time.
Stud: Alex Anzalone
Anzalone once again showcased his defensive skills this week. He is undoubtedly the leader of this defense, with his 9 tackles and his ability to excel in both coverage and run-stopping. He is an indispensable asset to Aaron Glenn’s defense, which allows him to execute different coverages and pressures. With Anzalone on the field, the defense is equally effective. He consistently manages to be in the right place at the right time to either stop a run or break up a pass.
He is another leader that the Lions rely on to push the team to the next level.
Dud: Sam LaPorta
It was expected that LaPorta would eventually have a challenging game, and this week it happened. Despite being second only to Amon-Ra St. Brown in targets with 11, LaPorta only managed to catch four passes for 36 yards. He was late to show up on the injury list this week due to a calf strain, which may have contributed to his inconsistent performance. However, the high number of targets indicates that Goff still has faith in him, and this poor performance is likely an anomaly that he should recover from without any issues.
Stud: Amon-Ra St. Brown
The Lions played without St. Brown in the previous week, but they managed to win the game. They were eager to have him back for a tough away game. Early in the match, it was evident that he would be a problem for the Buccaneers’ defense. St. Brown consistently found gaps in the defense and made important catches to move the chains. He had yet another 100-yard game and displayed some fancy footwork to score a touchdown. St. Brown is proving himself to be one of the top receivers in the league, and he makes sure everyone knows it.
Meh: Will Harris
Harris has been performing well since taking over the nickel corner role while Brian Branch is recovering from an injury. However, during this week’s game, he faced some difficulties against the Buccaneer receivers. If it weren’t for Baker Mayfield’s overthrows, Harris would have had a tough day as he was beaten multiple times, which could have resulted in big catches for the opposing team.
Despite this, Harris did demonstrate his proficiency in run defense and managed to make a nice interception off a tipped ball from Isaiah Buggs. However, Harris should consider himself fortunate that Mayfield was inaccurate in his deep throws during the game.
