Lions look to take playoff party to overdrive against spoiler-minded Bucs

History remains in the balance for the Detroit Lions.

They ended a 32-year playoff-win drought with Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Rams, sparking feelings of joy that had previously eluded generations of fans. They’re not ready for the party to end now.

A Tampa Bay Buccaneers team led by a resurgent Baker Mayfield stands in their way on Sunday with a trip to the NFC championship game in the balance. Can they mount a second consecutive playoff upset?

Buccaneers (10-8) at Lions (13-5)

Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, NBC

Betting line: Lions -6.5, total of 48.5

Super Bowl odds: Lions +900, Buccaneers +2800

Odds via BetMGM

Why we’re watching

A win on Sunday for the Lions would secure a return to the NFC championship game for the first time since that same 1991 season that last saw them advance in the playoffs. They’re favorites thanks to a roster filled with home-grown stars featuring Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs.

They’re led on the sideline by a head coach in Dan Campbell who takes chances and revels in his blue-collar identity. They’re led on the field by a reclamation project at quarterback in Jared Goff who has revived his career after flailing as the No. 1 pick in Los Angeles. This is a Detroit team through and through, and they’ll be playing for high stakes in front of a ravenous fan base.

The Bucs, meanwhile, want nothing more than to play spoiler. They bring their own compelling storyline to the table with another ex-No. 1 draft pick who not long ago was written off as a bust. Just five months ago, Mayfield was in a competition with Kyle Trask for the starting job in Tampa. Now he’s an NFC South champion fresh off leading a dominant playoff win over the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The stakes are high and the teams are hungry. Let’s go.

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Wild card of this divisional game

Mayfield. The former No. 1 pick’s career has been defined by turbulence since he joined the Cleveland Browns…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfc-divisional-preview-lions-look-to-take-playoff-party-to-overdrive-against-spoiler-minded-bucs-172454075.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-01-19 17:24:54

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