Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions: Preview, Predictions & Odds
Preview for Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions
Week 7 of the NFL season ends with a bang as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) travel to Ford Field to take on the Detroit Lions (4-2) in a Monday Night Football matchup.
This game pits one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league against a Detroit defense struggling to stay healthy.
The outcome could have lasting implications on the playoff standings – and perhaps even the MVP race.
Few NFL players have silenced critics this season like Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers quarterback has found his rhythm again, throwing 12 touchdowns to just one interception in six games while guiding Tampa Bay to a 5-1 record.
But Detroit's defense – although talented – arrives Monday night exhausted. The Lions will be without safety Brian Branch, who is serving a one-game suspension, while several other key defensive backs are dealing with injuries or remain on injured reserve.
This could cause problems against an in-form quarterback and a passing attack eager to exploit mismatches down the field.
However, Tampa Bay isn't in perfect health either. Rookie Emeka Egbuka and veteran Chris Godwin are both nurses, although star Mike Evans returned to practice this week in a limited capacity.
This prime time meeting has major weight in the play-offs in the NFC. A Buccaneers win would move them closer to securing a top seed and make Mayfield a legitimate MVP contender.
A Lions victory, meanwhile, would break the momentum of one of the conference's hottest teams and keep Detroit firmly in the race for the NFC North crown.
Offensively, Jared Goff will aim to revive Detroit's offense after a disappointing performance in Kansas City. Before that loss, the Lions were averaging more than 40 points per game during a dominant four-game winning streak — and they haven't lost consecutive games since 2022. #
If Goff can establish the rhythm early, especially with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs healthy, Detroit has the firepower to match Mayfield blow for blow.
2025-10-19 08:00:00
