4 Buccaneers Players Lions Must Worry About
Next up on the Detroit Lions' historic playoff run are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Detroit and Tampa Bay squared off during the regular season in Week 6, with the Lions coming out on top, 20-6.
Entering Sunday's divisional playoff matchup with the Buccaneers, here are four Tampa Bay players that Detroit needs to be worried about.
QB Baker Mayfield
The once-maligned Mayfield has enjoyed a career resurgence with the Buccaneers in 2023.
Entering training camp last summer, the former Browns quarterback was simply going to compete with third-year pro Kyle Trask for the starting job under center.
The job is all Mayfield's now, after leading Tampa Bay to the NFC South division crown and a win on Super Wild Card Weekend against the Eagles.
In that wild-card playoff contest with Philadelphia, the Oklahoma Sooners product completed 22-of-36 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns. He had his way all night long with the Eagles’ secondary, and I wouldn't be surprised if he has the same experience with Detroit's defensive backs group Sunday.
WR Mike Evans
If there's one offensive weapon the Lions are going to have to worry about Sunday, it's Evans.
Mayfield and the star Buccaneers wideout have established a terrific rapport with one another in their first season together. The quarterback and receiver connected 79 times for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023.
It marked Evans’ 10th consecutive season with north of 1,000 receiving yards.
The five-time Pro Bowler came down with three catches for 48 yards against Philadelphia Monday. I expect him to replicate that production and then some this weekend against Cam Sutton and the Lions’ porous secondary.
DT Vita Vea
Vea will never be accused of being small. The 28-year-old nose tackle, who stands in at 6-foot-4, 347 pounds, has been one of the most reliable players at his position since entering the league in 2018.
He lined up for 62 percent of the Buccaneers’ defensive snaps this past season, and racked up a career-best 43 total tackles and eight tackles for loss. He also amassed 5.5 sacks, nine QB hits and two forced fumbles. And, for his efforts, he earned a 78.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
I expect Detroit's offensive line to have its hands full containing the big-bodied interior lineman on Sunday.
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
Winfield Jr., the son of former NFL cornerback Antoine Winfield, enjoyed a career-best campaign in 2023.
The 25-year-old produced career-high marks in total tackles (122), sacks (6.0), forced fumbles (six), passes defensed (12) and interceptions (three). For his efforts, he earned a PFF overall grade of 90.5 – the second-best mark among all safeties – and All-Pro honors for the first time in his career.
He's an excellent run defender – notched a 92.5 PFF run defense grade – and is never afraid to come in from the safety spot and make a tackle. He should be a big factor in Tampa Bay's run-stopping efforts against Detroit's backfield tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.
