Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions, Divisional Round 2023
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Away
23
Detroit Lions
HomeWon, advanced
31
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
| Lions | 3 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
TB 23DET 31 Final
Passing leader
25.5PPR pts
26/41, 349 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top fantasy scorer
28.7PPR pts
8 REC, 147 YDS, 1 TD
Buccaneers leader
19.1PPR pts
9 ATT, 55 YDS, 4 REC, 36 REC YDS, 1 REC TD
Defensive playmaker
Derrick Barnes
1 INT, 4 TKL
Lions 31, Buccaneers 23: Detroit wins the 2023 Divisional Round
Detroit broke a 10–10 halftime tie, outscoring Tampa Bay 21–13 after the break to win 31–23. Tampa Bay outgained the Lions 408–391.
The Buccaneers went 4-for-12 on third down and committed two turnovers, while the Lions kept the ball for 32:00 and finished without a giveaway.
The Lions' run ended in the Conference Championship, a 34–31 loss to the 49ers.
The two teams meet again in Week 11 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.
Key advantages
- +2 turnover margin DET 0 turnovers
- +10% third-down rate DET 43% · TB 33%
- +4:00 time of possession DET 32:00 · TB 28:00
Game Highlights
Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube
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Why the Lions Won
Detroit won the turnover, third-down, and time of possession battles.
| Buccaneers | Stat | Lions |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Turnovers | 0 |
| 33% | Third-down conversion | 43% |
| 28:00 | Time of possession | 32:00 |
| Other team stats | ||
| 408 | Total yards | 391 |
| 6.8 | Yards per play | 5.5 |
| 60 | Plays | 71 |
Scoring Summary
The Lions scored four touchdowns and one field goal; the Buccaneers scored three touchdowns and one field goal.
| Time | Team | Play | TB | DET |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | ||||
| 8:25 | DET | Michael Badgley 23-yard FG Takes lead | 0 | 3 |
| 4:19 | TB | Chase McLaughlin 43-yard FG Ties game | 3 | 3 |
| 2nd quarter | ||||
| 12:33 | DET | Jared Goff → Josh Reynolds, 9-yard TD Takes leadMichael Badgley XP | 3 | 10 |
| 0:15 | TB | Baker Mayfield → Cade Otton, 2-yard TD Ties gameChase McLaughlin XP | 10 | 10 |
| 3rd quarter | ||||
| 3:48 | DET | Craig Reynolds 1-yard TD run Takes leadMichael Badgley XP | 10 | 17 |
| 0:10 | TB | Baker Mayfield → Rachaad White, 12-yard TD Ties gameChase McLaughlin XP | 17 | 17 |
| 4th quarter | ||||
| 13:13 | DET | Jahmyr Gibbs 31-yard TD run Game winnerMichael Badgley XP | 17 | 24 |
| 6:22 | DET | Jared Goff → Amon-Ra St. Brown, 9-yard TD Extends leadMichael Badgley XP | 17 | 31 |
| 4:37 | TB | Baker Mayfield → Mike Evans, 16-yard TD2-pt try failed | 23 | 31 |
Playoff game: these points don't count in most season-long fantasy leagues.
Fantasy Points vs Expected
Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.
- Biggest overperformer+9.2Jahmyr Gibbs21.4 PTS vs 12.2 xFP
- Biggest underperformer−5.4Chris Godwin Jr.8.0 PTS vs 13.4 xFP
- Highest expected volume23.4 xFPAmon-Ra St. Brown21.7 PTS scored
| Player | PTS | xFP | vs xFP | Snap% | Usage | Rte% | Pass att | Car | Car% | Tgt | Tgt% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amon-Ra St. BrownDET · WR | 21.7 | 23.4 | −1.7 | — | 33% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 14 | 33% |
| Jared GoffDET · QB | 20.1 | 21.8 | −1.7 | — | 43 att | — | 43 | 6 | 23% | 0 | 0% |
| Mike EvansTB · WR | 28.7 | 20.0 | +8.7 | — | 31% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 12 | 31% |
| Baker MayfieldTB · QB | 25.5 | 18.5 | +7.0 | — | 41 att | — | 41 | 2 | 13% | 0 | 0% |
| Sam LaPortaDET · TE | 15.5 | 18.4 | −2.9 | — | 26% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 11 | 26% |
| Rachaad WhiteTB · RB | 19.1 | 13.9 | +5.2 | — | 60% car | — | 0 | 9 | 60% | 5 | 13% |
| Cade OttonTB · TE | 17.5 | 13.4 | +4.1 | — | 21% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 8 | 21% |
| Chris Godwin Jr.TB · WR | 8.0 | 13.4 | −5.4 | — | 21% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 8 | 21% |
| David MontgomeryDET · RB | 7.7 | 12.8 | −5.1 | — | 38% car | — | 0 | 10 | 38% | 4 | 10% |
| Jahmyr GibbsDET · RB | 21.4 | 12.2 | +9.2 | — | 35% car | — | 0 | 9 | 35% | 4 | 10% |
| Jameson WilliamsDET · WR | 5.5 | 6.7 | −1.2 | — | 10% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 4 | 10% |
| Chase EdmondsTB · RB | 5.7 | 5.8 | −0.1 | — | 27% car | — | 0 | 4 | 27% | 2 | 5% |
| Josh ReynoldsDET · WR | 10.7 | 5.0 | +5.7 | — | 7% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 7% |
| Trey PalmerTB · WR | 5.2 | 3.3 | +1.9 | — | 5% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 5% |
| Brock WrightDET · TE | 3.9 | 1.7 | +2.2 | — | 2% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 2% |
| David MooreTB · WR | 2.1 | 1.7 | +0.4 | — | 3% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 3% |
| Deven ThompkinsTB · WR | 0.0 | 1.7 | −1.7 | — | 3% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 3% |
| Jason CabindaDET · RB | 1.0 | 1.7 | −0.7 | — | 2% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 2% |
| Craig ReynoldsDET · RB | 6.1 | 0.6 | +5.5 | — | 4% car | — | 0 | 1 | 4% | 0 | 0% |
Team totals: Buccaneers 39 targets and 15 carries; Lions 42 targets and 26 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts aren't available for this game. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2023 season: 1.67 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.61 per carry and 0.42 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.
Fantasy Verdicts
Baker Mayfield Ran hot
26 of 41 passing for 349 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions; 2 carries for 15 yards.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 18.5 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.
Best score since Week 15.
Jared Goff
30 of 43 passing for 287 yards, 2 touchdowns; 6 carries for 6 yards.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 21.8 expected.
Mike Evans Ran hot
12 targets (31% of the team's), 8 catches for 147 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 20.0 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.
Best score since Week 13. A touchdown in 5 of the last 8 games.
Rachaad White Ran hot
5 targets (13% of the team's), 4 catches for 36 yards and 1 touchdown; 9 carries (60% of the team's) for 55 yards.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 13.9 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.
A touchdown in 5 of the last 8 games.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Volume, no payoff
14 targets (33% of the team's), 8 catches for 77 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 23.4 expected.
Fewest points since Week 14. A touchdown in 6 of the last 8 games.
Sam LaPorta
11 targets (26% of the team's), 9 catches for 65 yards.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 18.4 expected.
Best score since Week 15.
Chris Godwin Jr. Unlucky
8 targets (21% of the team's), 4 catches for 40 yards.
Verdict: The role was there, worth 13.4 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.
Fewest points since Week 13.
David Montgomery Unlucky
4 targets (10% of the team's), 3 catches for 14 yards; 10 carries (38% of the team's) for 33 yards.
Verdict: The role was there, worth 12.8 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.
Fewest points since Week 6. A touchdown in 5 of the last 8 games.
Fantasy Matchups
Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2023 through Week 18.
| Points allowed to | Buccaneers D | Lions D |
|---|---|---|
| QBs | 17.7 | 19.4 |
| RBs | 17.6 | 14.6 |
| WRs | 35.9 | 39.7 |
| TEs | 14.8 | 13.4 |
Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.
How the Game Swung
Detroit opened at 50% win probability and passed 98% in the fourth quarter on the way to the win.
Lions win probability
Key Swings
- +23Goff → Reynolds, 9-yd TD50% → 73%Q2 12:33
- −27Mayfield → Otton, 2-yd TD77% → 50%Q2 0:15
- +32Reynolds 1-yd TD run50% → 82%Q3 3:48
- −35Mayfield → White, 12-yd TD85% → 50%Q3 0:10
- +37Gibbs 31-yd TD run50% → 87%Q4 13:13
Swing in Lions win probability, in points
Play Calling and Possessions
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Measure | Detroit Lions |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | Plays | 71 |
| 75% | Pass rate | 63% |
| 7.1 | Yds / dropback | 6.2 |
| 5.9 | Yds / carry | 4.4 |
| 4/12 | Third downs | 6/14 |
Efficiency edge Detroit ran 11 more plays than Tampa Bay.
- Top targets
- TB Evans 31% · Otton 21% · Godwin 21%
- DET Brown 33% · LaPorta 26% · Montgomery 10%
Possession Results
| Result | TB | DET |
|---|---|---|
| Touchdowns | 3 | 4 |
| Field goals | 1 | 1 |
| Punts | 4 | 5 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Missed field goals | 1 | 0 |
DET turnover edge: +2
- The Lions opened the scoring on their second possession, a 8-play, 37-yard drive that ended in a field goal.
- The Lions drained the clock with two second-half drives of four to six minutes.
All 23 possessions, drive by drive
| Team | Start | Plays | Yards | Time | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DET | Q1 15:00 | 3 | 7 | 0:46 | Punt |
| TB | Q1 14:14 | 5 | 17 | 3:06 | Interception |
| DET | Q1 11:08 | 8 | 37 | 2:43 | Field goal |
| TB | Q1 8:25 | 8 | 50 | 4:06 | Field goal |
| DET | Q1 4:19 | 14 | 75 | 6:46 | Touchdown |
| TB | Q2 12:33 | 3 | 9 | 2:52 | Punt |
| DET | Q2 9:41 | 7 | 24 | 2:57 | Punt |
| TB | Q2 6:44 | 9 | 55 | 4:20 | Missed FG |
| DET | Q2 2:24 | 3 | 5 | 0:56 | Punt |
| TB | Q2 1:28 | 7 | 92 | 1:13 | Touchdown |
| DET | Q2 0:15 | 1 | -1 | 0:15 | End of half |
| TB | Q3 15:00 | 6 | 28 | 4:31 | Punt |
| DET | Q3 10:29 | 3 | 0 | 1:16 | Punt |
| TB | Q3 9:13 | 3 | -4 | 1:02 | Punt |
| DET | Q3 8:11 | 10 | 64 | 4:23 | Touchdown |
| TB | Q3 3:48 | 7 | 75 | 3:38 | Touchdown |
| DET | Q3 0:10 | 5 | 75 | 1:57 | Touchdown |
| TB | Q4 13:13 | 3 | 6 | 1:01 | Punt |
| DET | Q4 12:12 | 10 | 89 | 5:50 | Touchdown |
| TB | Q4 6:22 | 9 | 75 | 1:45 | Touchdown |
| DET | Q4 4:37 | 5 | 30 | 2:38 | Punt |
| TB | Q4 1:59 | 2 | 5 | 0:26 | Interception |
| DET | Q4 1:33 | 3 | -3 | 1:33 | End of game |
About these numbers
Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.
Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.
Buccaneers vs Lions Head-to-Head
The Buccaneers and Lions first met in 1977 and have played 64 times since.
- All-time series
- 34–30Lions lead, 64 meetings since 1977
- Postseason
- 1–1Buccaneers won in 1997; Lions won in 2023
- Largest Buccaneers win
- 47–72020
- Largest Lions win
- 38–71992
Since 2021
3–1 Lions lead
4 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.
Oldest to newest. L = Lions win, B = Buccaneers win, outlined = this game.
2026 Meetings
- Week 11 Buccaneers at Lions Upcoming
Recent Meetings
- 2025 Wk 7 Buccaneers at Lions, 2025 Wk 7 recap DET 24 TB 9 DET W
- 2024 Wk 2 Buccaneers at Lions, 2024 Wk 2 recap TB 20 DET 16 TB W
- 2023 Divisional Round Buccaneers at Lions DET 31 TB 23 DET W
- 2023 Wk 6 Lions at Buccaneers, 2023 Wk 6 recap DET 20 TB 6 DET W
Season to Date (Through Week 18)
The 2023 regular season, from each game's box score.
| Buccaneers | Stat | Lions |
|---|---|---|
| 9-8 | Record | 12-5 |
| 20.5 | Points per game | 27.1 |
| 313.0 | Yards per game | 394.8 |
| 5.1 | Yards per play | 5.9 |
| 19.1 | Points allowed per game | 23.2 |
| 344.2 | Yards allowed per game | 336.1 |
Buccaneers vs Lions Fantasy Outlook for 2026
One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 11 in Detroit. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.
- Start/Sit ToolShould your Buccaneers or Lions player start in Week 11? Compare the decision against your other options.
- Fantasy Football ProjectionsSee the latest weekly and rest-of-season projections for Buccaneers and Lions players.
- Fantasy Points Allowed by PositionHow the Buccaneers and Lions defenses have treated QBs, RBs, WRs and TEs.
- Strength of ScheduleWhere this matchup falls in each team's fantasy playoff run.
- Redraft CommandConnect your league for personalized lineup, trade and roster advice.
Keep Exploring
2023 Game Logs for Players in This Game
Buccaneers vs Lions Game FAQ
Who won the 2023 Buccaneers vs Lions Divisional Round game?
The Detroit Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31–23 in the Divisional Round of the 2023 playoffs. The game was played at Ford Field in Detroit, MI, on January 21, 2024. See the Lions' 2023 schedule.
What was the final score of Buccaneers vs Lions?
The final score was Lions 31, Buccaneers 23. The teams were tied 10–10 at halftime, and the second half went Buccaneers 13, Lions 21.
What happened in the Buccaneers vs Lions game?
Detroit broke a 10–10 halftime tie, outscoring Tampa Bay 21–13 after the break to win 31–23. Tampa Bay outgained the Lions 408–391. The Buccaneers committed 2 turnovers, the Lions none.
What was the game-winning score in Buccaneers vs Lions?
Jahmyr Gibbs' 31-yard touchdown run with 13:13 left in the fourth quarter gave the Lions a 24–17 lead they never gave up.
How did the Lions beat the Buccaneers?
The Lions beat the Buccaneers 31–23 because they won the turnover battle 2–0. Jahmyr Gibbs' 31-yard touchdown run put them ahead for good.
Which team won the turnover battle in Buccaneers vs Lions?
The Lions won the turnover battle 2–0: the Buccaneers gave the ball away 2 times and the Lions not at all. The Lions won the game.
What was the turning point of Buccaneers vs Lions?
Jahmyr Gibbs' 31-yard touchdown run with 13:13 left in the fourth quarter was the biggest swing of the game, moving the Lions' win probability from 50% to 87%.
What is the all-time Buccaneers vs Lions record?
The Lions lead the all-time series 34–30 across 64 meetings since 1977, including a 1–1 record in the postseason.
When did the Buccaneers and Lions last play before this game?
Before the 2023 Divisional Round, they last met in the 2023 season on October 15, 2023, when the Lions beat the Buccaneers 20–6.
Have the Buccaneers and Lions met in the playoffs?
Yes, 2 times, most recently in the 2023 playoffs. The Buccaneers are 1–1 against the Lions in the postseason.
What is the Buccaneers vs Lions record since 2021?
The Lions lead 3–1 across 4 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.