16:17 EDT — Eating some pre-game crow as FOX is showing bonus coverage of the Browns easily covering their line against the Niners, which I most assuredly said would not happen. They’re about to take the lead outright. I hope I wasn’t as hugely wrong about the Lions.
16:19 — No snackage. Went to a glass-blowing factory earlier today and had a food truck halal chicken sandwich outside. Nashville hot, so I’m waving a gastrointestinal yellow flag until further notice. Probably mix in a few glasses of ice water, maybe a Triscuit. To be honest, I had a huge spread watching the Michigan State collapse at Rutgers yesterday and haven’t felt very hungry since.
16:21 — Puppy is in rare form. I’m leaving on a short trip early tomorrow and she saw me packing, so I think she knows something’s going on. A lot of “what’s your deal” soft head butts eating, a lot of denim leg chewing, some heartbreaking lil’ cuddles.
16:26 — Going with FOX audio against my usual judgment. Feel like I need to be tempered by some non-homer audio.
First Quarter
15:00 — We’re starting on defense. The sideline report is as follows: both quarterbacks respect each other. Not kidding that’s pretty much all they had to say.
13:12 — After a mini-flurry of Mayfield completions, Anzalone knocks a pass away and forces a 3rd-and-long…
13:08 — Which they fail to convert!! Anzalone on pass coverage twice in a row! Nice start by the defense.
12:37 — Special coverage on the punt by Tampa Bay and a wide TV shot indicates that they’re also doing throwback end zone art in addition to their jerseys. Very cool.
12:15-11:15 — After an opening salvo Goff-to-Returned Sun God for a first down, Davey gets a solid chunk on the first try of the second set of downs, and then Goff-to-LaPorta (no longer Iowa Sam) refreshes the set again. Lions look crisp out of the gate.
10:19 — Solid jinx by your boy. The drive stalls with two errantly communicated passes sandwiching a fruitless run by Wiz Kalif up the middle (?). Foxy Jacky and The Silver Coverage come in to punt it away.
10:08 — Holy Nice! A Baker pass is smacked up at the line and Will Harris gets under the ducky for an easy pick. Nice job by the defense. Tipped up by Isiah Buggs. Lion ball!
10:04 — Goff-to-Sun God again. Looks like they’re trying to get him comfortable early. Or, y’know, he was just open on that one. Either way.
8:45 — After they stymie Davey for little gain, Tampa Bay’s deef gnashes its teeth at Montgomery again and Vita Vea knocks him down quick. Kicking time…
8:09 — And it’s good!!! “Pat” Riley Patterson knocks through a chip shot and the Leos take a 3-0 lead. Not ideal, but we’ll take it for now.
6:39 — Mayfield has reminded me in the first eighth of this game that he’s a total crapshoot from snap to snap. Could be something totally awesome, could be a catastrophe, almost impossible to tell which, when. Gonna be a fun afternoon.
5:38 — The gutless turd Buccaneer sideline and their fans try to goad the refs into an unnecessary roughness call on Aid Hutch after Hutch lays a nice hit on Baker, but Hutch gives them all a condescending GTFOH head shake and the refs correctly refrain from making a call. Good to see. That woulda been some booooolshit. They’re punting.
4:28 — Gotta hand it to the Buc defense, they’re fast and they look like they give a damn. I may have half-misjudged Todd Bowles.
3:48 — But sometimes they can’t contain the greatness that is the Sun God AKA First Down Catch God. Goff hits him over the middle on a beautiful timing route.
1:13 — More impressive defense from Tampa Bay. LaPorta (henceforth, sometimes, The Door) had both hands on a high Goffie, but it was well knocked away by their linebacker. The opponents earn their first begrudging cap doff of the day.
0:00 — The first quarter ends with a nice Mayfielder over the middle to get the Bucs a first down and a little momentum. Even though the Leos have a lead, this was largely a “no blood” quarter. Maybe the coaches are feeling each other out a bit, but the Bucs look a little better than I expected on defense. We’re gonna have to be really sharp to win this one.
Second Quarter
14:14 — A solid gain by the Bucs on 1st is totally erased by a huge TFL on 2nd. The defenses are playing much better than the offenses in this game so far.
13:32 — Mike Evans makes an unforgivable drop, but the Buc punter executes a true coffin corner punt and the Lions will have their work cut out for them. This game feels disjointed and without flow. Partially because of the defense but I think it’s 5% due to these creamsicle uniforms. They’re disorienting.
13:15 — Incomplete pass on first then run on second: it’s a sequence I broadly dislike and it doesn’t seem to often work well for the Lions. This series is no exception. 3rd-and-long…
12:38 — And it fails. Goff hits Sun God with the pass but it’s short of the sticks. What a slog this has proven to be thus far.
11:03 — Cam Sutton forces a 3rd-and-long with a sure, leg-wrapping tackle in the flats. Sound technique, Cam. Glad you’re a Lion.
10:26 — But it’s all for moot, as Baker delivers an impressive strike under intense pressure to get into Lion territory.
9:00 — The Tampa Bay offense is beginning to find a gear. They’re inside the Lion 30. It’s not that complicated, their O-Line is handling the guys they’re lined up against and our back 7 can’t quite keep up with the impressive Buc backs and receivers.
7:42 — Another PBU from Anzalone brings up a crucial 3rd-and-3…
7:42 — And Baker calls time out so they can talk about it. Let’s hope Aaron guesses paper to their rock on this play coming up. I think that’s where we’re at with this game.
7:38 — The Leos do a great job of sniffing out the quick slant. Jerry Jacobs continues his hot streak and defends it masterfully. Nice stand by the boys.
7:34 — The equalizing kick is doinked through. 3-3. FEEL THE HEAT! Lions need to snap out of their offensive doldrums.
7:13 — The doldrums are snapped, but oooohhhh nooooo Davey went down and stayed down after a 20-yard screen ’n’ scamper. Craig Reynolds is gonna have to come in and prove that the end of last week’s game wasn’t a fluke and he’s a true, greasy beefer.
6:20 — The Special Relationship (Goff-to-Reynolds) yields its first fruits of the day, a nice gain to get the Lions inside the Buc 35.
4:57 — Reynolds passes his first beef test and gets a first down carry through a load of dudes. It was a good beef test.
2:39 — HOLY SMOKES!!! Sun God catches one short of the sticks and does the most patient running after a catch I’ve ever seen, biding his time and moving laterally until Craigster comes through and smashes several defenders with a monster block, springing the Sun God for a TOUCHDOOOOOOOOOWN DETROIT LIONS!!! 10-3, Good Guys. What smart football. Love that Sun God. Love the Craigster. Nice throw from the Goffster. Give it up for the boys.
2:00 — Not sure I agree with Bowles’s clock management here, letting a lot of time tick off before the two minute warning when it looked like they had ample chance to get into a threatening range. Seems like he’s playing to get 3. Fine with me, Lions get the ball to start the second half.
1:53 — No other way to say it: the Lions dodge a haymaker as Baker overthrows a WIDE open Trey (Tray? Who cares.) Palmer who found himself behind our entire secondary. That was lucky.
1:06 — Julian Okwara smacks another Baker ball at the line. They’ll be punting it back, and with all three TOs still in their pocket maybe the Lions can get into position to sneak another 3 onto the scoreboard before half.
0:42 — Consecutive attempts to throw to The Door have gone begging against Tampa Bay’s fast pass coverage, but The Special Relationship comes through for a lengthy gain and we’re back on track for point addition.
0:00 — Another incompletion intended for The Door before Goffman takes a sack, but Bowles is content to let the clock run out for half. A tightly contested game thus far, as predicted. Let’s hope the Leos have their best third quarter in a month. Because anything less could spell big trouble.
Third Quarter
14:40 — They say Davey injured his ribs, but God bless him he’s still in there. A hard-fought gain of nothing followed by a short Goffie to Wiz Kalif brings up a 3rd-and-short…
13:28 — That gets converted! 28 yards of a post-catch scamper by the Craigster and the Lions open the half looking tight.
12:03 — Devine Ozigbo converts some hard yards into a first down. Just like we drew it up: lotsa touches for ol’ Devine Ozigbo. Hadn’t heard the name before this morning. Enjoying it very much.
10:38 — A nice effort by the line gives Goffmaster enough time for a decent toss to The Door, but again the pass coverage is tight and the ball is knocked away.
10:33 — “Pat” Riley Patterson’s 52-yard effort has plenty of leg but goes juuust wide left. Not that start we wanted, but there were flashes of good football in that drive. Still, would’ve liked to score some points. 10-3 lead for the Lions but it feels far less than solid.
7:39 — Not gonna lie, time-sensitive packing and puppy concerns kept me from keeping a keen eye on the previous Tampa Bay drive. But I got the gist of it: they moved the ball well, Baker looked sharp but an offensive P.I. on Evans made them settle for a field goal. I got it. Back in the saddle.
6:32 — Goff-to-Door and Goff-to-Sun God yields a crucially needed first down. Lions gotta put some points on the board here to retain a semblance of control on this game. The BenJo play-calling hasn’t been super-duper so far, but maybe he’s trying to stack up body blows.
5:11 — Jamo Williams grabs an 8-yarder to set up a 3rd-and-short. Jamo! We need you to become a true deep threat, buddy.
4:11 — Goff-to-Wiz moves the sticks! This, after a rare Sun God hold set up a 3rd-and-12. Goff is making some cluuuutch tosses out here. Let’s keep it rolling.
3:27 — Consecutive “ay-yi-yi” drops by Jamo and The Door. This isn’t as bad as our previous four games’s 3rd quarters, but it ain’t so hot.
3:19 — NEVER FREAKING MIND!!!! JAMO WILLIAMS IS DEEP ON THE RIGHT SIDE FOR A TOUCHDOOOOOOWN DETROIT LIONS!!!! Hot Dog!!! A beautiful arc from Goffman and Jamo ran right under it to make a tough grab. 17-6, Lions. That drive showed CHARACTER, ya sonsaguns. I’m so happy we drafted you, Jameson. Welcome to the show for real.
2:31 — Iowa Jack Campbell makes a nice stop. He’s had a solid but decidedly unspectacular start. That’s okay. He’s a rookie ‘backer. Just needs to make sure tackles. Speaking of sure tackles, Anzalone makes it 3rd-and-7…
1:16 — And it fails! Kerby Joe knocks yet another Mayfielder down at the line. Bucs gotta punt and the Lions have an opportunity to really get a vice grip on this game if the offense can hold serve again.
0:00 — A hands-to-the-face call (which I honestly can’t ever remember going the Lions’s way) breathes new life into a discombobulated-looking drive, and then the Lions enticed a nootch-zone infraction as the quarter winds down. What a doozy.
Fourth Quarter
14:05 — Goff-to-Sun God to open up the final stanza. What a dart from Jared. He’s in a zone, a zone which remains as The Special Relationship goes for 8. Lions are in Buccaneer territory.
12:04 — A high-intensity 3rd down goes Tampa Bay’s way, as this time it’s one of Goff’s throws that gets batted at the line. “Pat” Riley out for the kick…
12:00 — And it’s good!! That could prove to be a crucial 3-pointer. Lions extend the lead, 20-6. Though they haven’t broken through yet, the Buccaneer offense hasn’t looked flaccid or stagnant. They’re not out of this game yet, the issue is still in doubt.
10:52 — Another Mayfielder goes waaaay too long over a receiver who’d beaten our whole secondary. The random quality of output from Mayfield may be the most critical factor in how this Bucs season plays out. If he was razor-sharp today I’m almost certain they’d be ahead right now. But as it stands, they do a very quick 3-and-out. Lion ball, up late. Positive scenario.
9:51 — Decker commits a kind of lucky false start that puts us at 2nd-and-9 instead of 3rd-and-6. Sometimes it’s better to be luckily bad than good.
9:00 — Goff-to-Sun God AGAIN for a first down on a 3-yard out. Sublime. Precise.
7:40 — After Craigster gets us to 2nd-and-2, Goffster threads a needle to the Sun God for another grab. At the risk of a jinx, the Lions look like they’re wearing down the Buc deef.
5:25 — The O-Line gives Goff absolute oodles of time and The Door eventually gets great separation and the two make it look easy. Nice conversion.
4:23 — This time the Tampa Bay pressure finally gets home and Goff takes a sack that knocks us out of field goal range for the second consecutive week. That used to be the Stafford special. I don’t want to see it return. On the plus side, Jacky Fox and The Silver Foxies fire off a punt that goes out of bounds 5 feet in front of the Buccaneer end zone. Well done, Jacky!
2:40 — Tracy Walker absolutely levels Godwin (who, to his credit, made the grab) and stripes wisely picked up their flag. It was a vicious hit, but a clean one. One Baker run later and it’s 4th-and-4…
1:58 — And they convert on a short pass over the middle as we take a pause for the Caución de Dos Minutos. Clutch time, baby! Barring a true disaster, the Lions can salt this away with fundamentals and mental presence.
1:10 — They’re moving the ball. Cam Sutton knocks a sure touchdown out of Buccaneer mitts. Pressure feels high for having a 14-point lead.
0:53 — On their last gasp 4th-and-10, Baker make a big overthrow under heavy presh. THAT’S A LIONS WIN!!!! LIONS WIN ON THE ROAD AGAINST FIRST-PLACE TAMPA BAY!!! AND THEY COVER THE SPREAD FOR THE FOURTH WEEK IN A ROW!!! LIONS WIN!!!
0:00 — It played like many thought it would: hard-fought but with the superior team eventually wearing the pretenders down. Huge kudos to Aaron Glenn and the defense, who were opportunistic and tenacious despite not getting home as consistently as they’d like. They kept playing like maniacs and it eventually started to wear on Baker. The offense had more than enough moments to cover their butts and cover the spread. It speaks a lot to this team’s character that their level of play is consistent from week-to-week. Always tough, always focused; this team is unlike any Lions team in my lifetime and they’re breaking team records that have stood since the Kennedy administration. Thank you so much for your readership, it means a great deal to me. I hope these words find you well and you’re having a nice autumn. Check back next week as we gear up for a tough test in Baltimore, plus more game picks and other tangentially-related nonsense! Love it. Auf Wiedersehen!
