Gameday Tampa Bay
December 10th, 2017
Game 13
Lions (6-6) at Bucs (4-8)
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: WTVT-TV Channel 13; DirecTV Ch. 712
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (WXTB-FM 97.9 in Tampa-St. Petersburg region); SiriusXM Channel 108.
Weather: Wow, per AccuWeather.com, the weather tomorrow at the Den of Depression will damn near be Green Bay-like. You may remember — Joe does; he was there — last week in Green Bay, it was virtual summer in December. The high got up to 50 degrees. Well, today in Tampa, the high is expected to be 60. Joe wonders if Bucs players will be wearing ski masks today like they did in Green Bay last week?
Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Lions -3.
Outlook: The key here today is if Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford will play or not. He was listed as questionable in Friday’s injury report, as he hurt his throwing hand last week against the Crows. Either way, call Joe nuts, but the Bucs actually play halfway decent to good defense at home. It is the road where the Bucs defense turns to s(p)it. Even if Stafford plays, the Bucs can turn the game one-dimensional because the Lions have virtually no run game, but they are better with the run than the Bucs (if Doug Martin carries the mail). Joe actually has a good feeling about this game. The key is if Bucs coach Dirk Koetter feeds the rock to Peyton Barber or not.
Trinkets: The Lions are fifth in the NFL in points scored averaging 26.2 points a game. … Detroit is No. 6 in passing offense just behind the Bucs, averaging 258.8 yards through the air each game. … QB Matthew Stafford is second in the NFL in passing (3,302 yards) and averaged 312.3 pass yards a game in his past six. In his past three road games, Stafford has a touchdown/interception ratio of 5/1. … RB Theo Riddick has the most receptions for a running back since since 2015 (172) and has a catch in 40 straight games, longest active streak by an running back. WR Golden Tate has a touchdown catch in each of his past four road games. … DE Ezekiel Ansah has three sacks in two games against the Bucs. In his past seven road games, Ansah has five sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. … LB Jarrad Davis leads NFL rookies with 64 tackles. … S Glover Quin is tied for second in interceptions since 2013 (19). In his last two games against the Bucs, Quin has a sack and a pick. … CB Darius Slay is tied for the NFC lead in passes defended (15) and has 4 picks in his last 10 games. Since 2014, Slay is only player with over-50 passes defended (58), 10 interceptions and a sack. … The Bucs are No. 5 in the NFL in passing averaging 261.6 yards a game. … The Bucs are No. 31 in defense overall allowing 385.6 yards a game. … In five career games against NFC North teams, QB Jameis Winston has 1,409 pass yards (281.8 per game) and nine touchdowns. … WR Mike Evans has 696 receiving yards (77.3 per game) and 7 touchdowns in his last nine home games. … Since 2016, TE Cam Brate ranks second among tight ends with 14 touchdowns. Only Seattle’s Jimmy Graham has more (15). … DT Gerald McCoy has three sacks in his past three home games. Since 2013, GMC leads all defensive tackles with 38.5 sacks. … LB Lavonte David is tied for second in the NFL with four forced fumbles. He has two sacks and two fumble recoveries in the last four home games. … S Justin Evans has two picks in his last three games and is tied for the rookie league in picks (three). … CB Brent Grimes has led the NFL since 2013 in passes defended (74).
December 10th, 2017 at 4:53 am
Is any self respecting Bucs fan actually interested in seeing this game??? I smell a massacre. All the lions have to do is play sound defense, and they will pile-drive us like the Cardinals did… we dont stand a chance as long as Mike Smith is negotiating with the wind on which direction to blow our sails on defense, and so long as Koetter continues to NOT hold Jameis responsible for bonehead decisions and questionable audible calls. LIONS 34, BUCS 19
December 10th, 2017 at 5:28 am
Well the wiseguys in Vegas are putting a lot of coin on Detroit. The moneyline moved from -133 (Bucs) to -150 detroit and the spread from Even to -3 to 3.5 Detroit. It takes serious coin to do that and the same line move has happened with the Bucs twice at home before: to Carolina where they got nailed 17-3 and the Jets where the Bucs actually pulled off the “upset”. The NY line was probably moved by NY homers actually thinking their team was good but the Carolina line was simply wise betters knowing the Bucs would lose. This Detroit game seems more like Carolina to me than the Jet game as Detroit is a better team than anyone the Bucs have beat (Miami, the 2 NY teams and the lowly Bears). Hope I am wrong but unless the D gets to Stafford and bangs him up; Ebron, Tate and Marvin Jones are going to have a field day and most fans know the Bucs have trouble scoring more than 20 or 23 so it is kind of obvious to see why Detroit is a popular pick….
December 10th, 2017 at 5:35 am
If the earlier report is true that Drug Martin is expected to start then Irk Koetter should be fired at the end of this game. Druggie had been given gifts far too many times in his career. I’ve seen enough out of Martin.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:37 am
bleh! draft time….play the backups and practice squad….JOE DIRT aka Riley Bullough please. Try Beckwith at DE and Riley at middle. eh wtfdik.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:58 am
@Joe … “The Bucs are No. 5 in the NFL in passing averaging 261.6 yards a game. … The Bucs are No. 31 in defense overall allowing 385.6 yards a game.” Hang tough Joe. Neither of those stats means diddly (especially since you’re cherry-picking again), but if you keep saying it enough times someone will bite.
Try these for stats: 4-8. That’s actually all Bucs’ fans need to know, but you could add a couple more stats to elaborate. Bucs’ offense is #22 in points scored, while the Bucs’ defense is #21 in points allowed. Hmmm. Oh and for kicks you might add one minor stat through which the Bucs’ defense has tremendously helped the Bucs’ offense look better than it really is … our defense is #4 in turnovers and #1 in forced fumbles. Gee, imagine what our defense might’ve been able to do if Licht had actually provided them with some ‘Weapons for Smitty’.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:37 am
If Doug Martin starts and plays in this game more than Peyton Barber then he deserves to be fired after this game.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:47 am
Fire the glazers Says,
“Is any self respecting Bucs fan actually interested in seeing this game???”
I am.
Been a fan since the start of this team. That’s why I scoff at people who say this is the worst ever this or that. If they had any clue, they’d know how wrong they are.
Just as players are tested, fans are too. I’ll watch this game no matter how ugly it gets. Why? Because I am not an NFL fan first. I am a Bucs fan first. As many times as I have wanted to turn off a game, I never have.
And I won’t start now.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:48 am
Joe, I think a win poll for today needs to be put up. Doesn’t seem like there’s much confidence for a win by reading comments this morning. Go Bucs
December 10th, 2017 at 8:50 am
So far as playing Doug, it doesn’t matter. First off, Koetter may not have a say in it. Licht might be forcing him to start him in the hopes that Doug plays well once or twice before the end of the season. Maybe he’ll get a 6th for him. Maybe.
But I doubt it.
December 10th, 2017 at 9:29 am
FortMyersDave
My father was a small time bookie. That was a very nice analysis of what the “money” is telling us about today’s game.
December 10th, 2017 at 9:54 am
Doug Martin is starting today lol
December 10th, 2017 at 10:16 am
FortMyersDave Says:
December 10th, 2017 at 5:28 am
Well the wiseguys in Vegas are putting a lot of coin on Detroit.
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Great – that means the Buccaneers will have to overcome the Lions AND the referees’ more than usually slanted calls to get a 5th win of the season.
December 10th, 2017 at 1:15 pm
Seriously? A flat-chested Lions cheerleader!? I thought this was a Bucs site??