Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bracing for 'Tough' Home Crowd vs. Detroit Lions
Imagine this, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions are about to face off in the NFL Playoffs and both teams are coming off big wins in the Wild Card Round.
If you're in the older crowd, that thought would have been laughable for most of your football-watching life no matter if you are a Buccaneers fan or cheer on the Lions.
Now, each team is a divisional champion and Tampa Bay is looking to make its second NFC Championship Game appearance in four years. The last time they went, they ended up winning the whole tournament.
To get there the Bucs will not only have to beat Detroit, but the fans in a city that's come alive in support of their hometown team led by resurrected quarterback Jared Goff and symbolized by the presence of rapper Eminem who all but embodies underdog success.
It's a lot to go against. And coach Todd Bowles is doing everything he can to get his guys ready for the challenge.
Detroit Lions fans celebrate after the Lions beat the L.A. Rams, 24-23, in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024.
© Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK
“It’s going to be tough," Bowles said when asked about how to best replicate the environment his team will face on Sunday. "We can turn it up as loud as possible, music-wise, and have noise brought in and everything else, but Sunday is going to be at a whole other decibel [level]. We’re preparing for it and we’ve got to have a few silent [count] things ready. The best way to do that is to try and make some plays and keep them quiet.”
We suppose, if the Lions fans in attendance are 'representing the 3-1-3' then that would technically make the Buccaneers the 'The Free World' in this scenario.
As gross as that is, quarterback Baker Mayfield is going to have to do what 'Papa Doc' couldn't and put down Detroit's best talent before it has a chance to grab momentum and run away with the contest.
That means scoring early, and not just field goals, but touchdowns. Something the offense struggled to do against the Philadelphia Eagles last weekend and for much of the season.
And doing it in one of the hardest environments Mayfield has ever played in.
“Talking to some of those Rams guys, they said it was the loudest thing they’ve ever heard," Mayfield said. "We’ve got to be completely ready for that. It just comes down to everybody knowing exactly what our game plan is – all the calls to and from, because there could be certain times where they can’t hear certain things. They might have to plug and play some of the words. [It’s] just everybody doing the mental work to get prepped for that, but it shouldn’t be a surprise for us. It’s going to be a great atmosphere.”
Tampa Bay is only going to get one shot at earning a trip to the NFC Championship Game, and they'll have to take down the team and city known for its ability to fight back and persevere.
But Bowles said earlier this week his team is already embracing the underdog role, and are looking to seize a trip to San Francisco or back home, with their Super Bowl aspirations intact.
Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the season.
