The No. 3 seed Detroit Lions held off the scrappy No. 4 seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers, incomes a 31-23 win within the NFC divisional spherical and advancing to their first NFC Championship recreation since 1991.
Listed below are three takeaways from the Lions’ memorable win:
1. Jared Goff is a authentic top-10 quarterback
Goff typically flies beneath the radar due to the notion he was only a throw-in from the Los Angeles Rams within the Matthew Stafford commerce three years in the past, however it’s robust to argue towards what he’s achieved during the last two seasons.
Since 2022, Goff has the second-most passing yards (9,013), the third-most touchdowns (59) and third-lowest interception share (1.6), the fourth-most wins (21) and the fifth-best passer score (98.6).
In Sunday’s win, the Bucs stored issues shut till the fourth quarter when Goff led Detroit on a five-play, 75-yard landing drive and adopted it with a 10-play, 89-yard landing drive to offer the Lions a cushty two-score cushion within the remaining quarter.
He was a mixed 9-for-9 on these drives, throwing for 120 yards and a landing.
Few would debate Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson are, in some order, the highest 5 QBs within the NFL at the moment, however after that, it’s robust to make a case for Goff not being No. 6.
2. Dan Campbell must be the Coach of the Yr front-runner
Campbell entered the postseason with the fourth-best odds of profitable Coach of the Yr (+1900), per FanDuel, however what he’s achieved the final two weeks ought to vault him on to the highest.
Internet hosting the primary playoff recreation at Ford Discipline and the primary playoff recreation in Detroit since 1993, the Lions held off Stafford and a recreation Rams staff they usually adopted it up by reserving their first journey to the NFC Championship recreation in over three a long time.
In three years, Campbell took the Lions from a 3-13-1 staff to at least one that matched the franchise report for single-season wins (12), gained its fourth division title (and first in 30 years) and can play in its second NFC Championship recreation subsequent week.
This postseason alone Campbell tied George Wilson for the second-most playoff wins (two) in franchise historical past.
3. The Bucs belonged within the postseason
Some questioned whether or not Tampa Bay was even a playoff-caliber staff after it squeaked out a 9-0 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 18 simply to get into the postseason.
Many anticipated the 9-8 Bucs to be one-and-done after drawing the 11-6 Philadelphia Eagles throughout Tremendous Wild Card Weekend, however they routed the defending NFC champions, they usually put up one heck of a struggle towards the Lions on Sunday.
The Bucs went score-for-score with Detroit all the way in which up till the fourth quarter earlier than touchdowns from Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown gave the Lions a two-score lead. However Tampa Bay fought again and closed the hole to a landing earlier than a Baker Mayfield interception on the Bucs’ remaining drive sealed their destiny.
Tampa Bay held its personal towards a staff that ranked third in whole yards and fifth in scoring through the common season.
