Jared Goff passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns and the Detroit Lions advanced to the NFC championship game with a 31-23 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon.
Seeking their first Super Bowl berth, the Lions will travel to California to face the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday. Detroit will be playing in the conference title game for the first time since the 1991 season.
Jahymr Gibbs rushed for 74 yards, including the go-ahead 31-yard score in the fourth quarter. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught eight passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, while Sam LaPorta had nine receptions for 65 yards for Detroit.
Baker Mayfield passed for 349 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions for the Bucs. Mike Evans caught eight passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Derrick Barnes’ interception of Mayfield with 1:33 remaining clinched Detroit’s victory.
The game was tied at 10 at halftime.
Detroit struck first on Michael Badgley’s 23-yard field goal. Tampa Bay answered with Chase McLaughlin’s 43-yard field goal.
The Lions regained the lead early in the second quarter on Goff’s 9-yard scoring pass to Josh Reynolds.
McLaughlin banged a 50-yard field goal attempt off the left upright with 2:24 remaining in the half.
The Bucs tied it with 15 seconds left on a 92-yard drive that took just 1:13. Evans’ diving 29-yard reception set up Mayfield’s 2-yard scoring pass to Cade Otton.
Detroit regained the lead with 3:48 left in the third quarter. Craig Reynolds scored on a 1-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal.
Tampa Bay answered again as Rachaad White scored on a 12-yard screen pass from Mayfield with 10 seconds left in the third.
The Lions struck back quickly, as Gibbs burst through a hole and scored from 31 yards out with 13:13 left to make it 24-17.
After Detroit forced a punt, its offense drove 89 yards to increase the lead. Goff hooked up with St. Brown on a 9-yard pass play to finish it off.
Mayfield completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Evans with 4:37 left. Evans had a 24-yard reception on fourth-and-14 earlier in the drive. The Bucs attempted a two-point conversion but the pass was broken up.
–Field Level Media
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