Game Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Detroit Lions
With a win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can clinch a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
In what will be his 300th career regular-season game this weekend, quarterback Tom Brady explained what it means for this team to possibly reach the postseason.
“This is why we play – to put your team in a place and give yourself an opportunity to compete for a championship," Brady said this week. "It takes a lot of work to get to that point. It’s very hard to get to that point. The competition is tough. Week in and week out you’re playing against great teams [and] great coaches."
While the Bucs have faced tough competition week in and week out as Brady mentioned, Saturday's opponent isn't exactly the toughest. The nine-loss Lions fired their head coach Matt Patricia and general manager, Bob Quinn, at the end of November after two straight seasons with losing records, and this season which the team will end below .500 for the third year in a row.
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Detriot's defense ranks near the very bottom of the league allowing 401.4 yards per game and features a turnover margin of -5 which sits tied for 23rd. One of the few bright spots on the team is franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford, who needs 226 pass yards for his eighth-career 4,000-yard season.
Buccaneers' head coach Bruce Arians shared his appreciation for Stafford this week when asked about the veteran quarterback.
“He can make every throw from every angle. He’s just so, so talented," Arians said about Stafford. There are only so many guys that are that talented that I say, ‘Hey, I’m going to sneak out and watch him warm-up.’ I’ve been a fan of his for a long, long time.”
Stafford's number one receiving target is Marvin Jones Jr. who has caught 65 passes for 779 yards and seven touchdowns so far this season. Jones has recorded 100 more receiving yards and a touchdown catch in two of his past three games for Detriot.
While Detriot sits in last place in the NFC North and the Bucs are in the playoff race, Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said Tampa Bay isn't focused on the Lions' poor record this season.
"If you don’t show up on Sunday, you’re going to get your butt kicked regardless of who you’re playing in this league," Bowles said. "We know they have a lot of talent on that team and we’ve got to worry about us and take care of us. We’re taking that approach this week, we’re going to try to show up and we’re going to play a good football game.”
Of course, Saturday's game will come just one day after the Christmas holiday. Arians spoke about the difficulty of juggling football and family during the holiday season and explained he tried to schedule practice this week to accommodate everyone and their families.
“There is so much to do – as coaches, especially – those of us that have older daughters [ask them], ‘Hey, can you get mom something and send it to me? Because I haven’t gotten her anything yet.’ We talked to the guys about trying to get their shopping done early and having as much time with their families as we possibly can," Arians.
Tampa Bay can deliver one final Christmas present this weekend for Bucs' fans around the country as the team is hoping to earn a spot in the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. All the Bucs need to do is win and they're in.
“I call them ‘Hat and T-Shirt’ games," Arians said. "You get a hat and a t-shirt when you get in the playoffs. It’s a great feeling for those guys. That was the goal this year – it was to get in the dance. Anything can happen once you’re in there, but get ourselves in the dance. We have that opportunity [on Saturday].”
