Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Page 2

Lions DT Alim McNeill ready to go after 10 longs months off

Alim McNeill says he never has a dark day. He’s one of the more positive people you’ll ever meet.

So when the Detroit Lions defensive tackle, who has not played since he tore up his knee 10 months ago, says he’s positive he’ll be back at 100 percent on Monday night, there’s no reason to doubt him.

McNeill practiced for two weeks knowing he wouldn’t play, but this week the end result of all his hard work and therapy to get back on the field was in sight. He coudlnt be more excited.

“One thousand percent, probably slept a little longer last night too trying to get more rest for the week,’’ McNeill said. “Ten thousand percent, I’m 100 percent locked in right now. Ready to go.’’

The Lions (4-2) are coming off a loss at Kansas City. They’re facing the Tampa Bay Bucs (5-1) featuring mobile quarterback Baker Mayfield.

McNeill’s return is perfect timing for his teammates.

“I know he can’t wait to be back and it’s going to be fun to watch,’’ defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said. “We’re playing beside each other on some reps, it’s going to be really good to have him back.’’

McNeill plans to pick up where he left off when his season ended on Dec. 15. Oddly enough, the Lions were wearing their black uniforms that day and they’ll be wearing them again on Monday night.

“Mac brings a lot to us. I feel like he’s going to bring a lot in the pass game because he is a guy we believe can win one-on-ones in the pass game,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “But also all that he can do in the run game. I mean he’s stout, he’s aggressive, he’s powerful. So, I just think he’s another player that can elevate those around him.’’

Campbell said he will help Hutchinson just like Hutchinson will help him. The coach expects him to boost D.J. Reader and Al-Quadin Muhammad too.

McNeill said he’s been watching the games and visualizing what he could do if he was playing.

“I see myself fitting in just fine, being explosive, getting off blocks, creating pressure on the quarterback, making plays in the backfield,’’ McNeill said. “So that’s all I’ve been envisioning and that’s the work I’ve been putting in toward being able to do that.’’

The Lions and Bucs have played each other five times since 2019 with the Lions winning two of those matchups including one in the playoffs. Detroit lost to the Bucs in Week 2 last year, 20-16.

“I would say it definitely helps with a familiar opponent that we’ve seen a couple times now,’’ McNeill said. “They still do a lot of the same tendencies, the same things, but it will be all fresh to me because I’m coming back in. Once I get my legs under me with two or three snaps I think I’ll be all right.’’

UP NEXT: Tampa Bay Bucs (5-1) at Lions (4-2), 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 20 at Ford Field)

Five key reasons for the Detroit Lions 20-16 loss to Tampa Bay Bucs

DETROIT — On the stats page, the Detroit Lions dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But on the field Detroit couldn’t take advantage of its chances and lost 20-16 at Ford Field on Sunday.

The Lions had the edge in first downs, 26-14; third-down efficiency, 7/17 to 2/10; total yards 463 to 216; and total plays 83 to 47. Sounds impressive but the scoreboard is what matters. Also, Detroit was just 1 of 7 in the Red Zone.

“We fought, we got down there, certainly on offense we doubled up on yardage, we get down to the red zone and can’t get TDs, that was the story of the game,’’ Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “Defensively I thought we played lights out, gave us two shots there at the end of the game and we couldn’t finish it out.’’

The Lions beat the Bucs twice last season — 20-6 in October and then a big divisional round win, 31-23, in January. With the win, the Bucs moved to 2-0 while the Lions fell to 1-1.

“It’s early in the year but it’s a good learning experience and chance for us to dive into what went wrong and how can we fix it,’’ quarterback Jared Goff said. “If I remember correctly we started 1-1 last year and we were able to respond from that pretty well.’’

Here are five of the main reasons the Lions lost:

ONE: At the end of the first half, the Lions had second-and-10 at Tampa’s 17-yard line with 18 seconds left. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught an 8-yard pass up the middle, Goff spiked the ball leaving 4 seconds but the Lions were penalized for 12 men on the field and the half was over. If they had made a field goal, they wouldn’t have needed a touchdown in the fourth quarter, they could have won with just another 3 points. “It’s a massive error on my part no one else’s,’’ Campbell said. “It was between hurry-up field goal and clocking it, it was 100 percent my fault.’’

TWO: Going 1 for 7 in the red zone was a killer. “We just never felt real comfortable and once you get out far enough and you end up in these third-and-longs in the red zone that’s where it gets pretty hard, when getting close to 10-yd line it’s hard to throw it from there from what they could do coverage-wise,’’ Campbell said. “We couldn’t quite get the rhythm, we couldn’t get in sync and ultimately it hurt us.’’ Detroit was at Tampa’s 11-yard line on a fourth-and-8 with 1:01 remaining. A 5-yard pass to Jahmyr Gibbs, turned the ball over to the Bucs. Goff said the Bucs’ defense got “really stingy” in the red zone.

THREE: Goff threw a pair of interceptions, including his first pass of the game. On that one it looked to him like Jameson Williams was man-handled but no pass interference call was made. He finished the game 34 of 55 for 307 yards, zero touchdowns and those 2 interceptions. Campbell is not worried about Goff. “He’ll rebound. Has he played better? Yeah, he’s played better. I know him, he never stays down,’’ Campbell said. “… He’s going to take ownership and he’s going to be better. That’s the way he’s wired and that’s what makes him who he is.’’

FOUR: Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield completed just a dozen passes (185 yards) and was sacked five times. He threw one touchdown pass and one interception. He also carried the ball five times for 34 yards. Even though his numbers weren’t spectacular he was in control. That was not a surprise.

FIVE: Aidan Hutchinson was an edge rusher on a mission, finishing with 4.5 sacks. “His motor is unbelievable. To be able to play at the rate he plays at, at that intensity for that many snaps in a game, it’s rare,’’ Campbell said. “On top of that he’s got talent and he’s continued to develop his different moves.’’ Detroit’s defense held the Bucs numbers down but also allowed too many chunk plays including a 41-yard touchdown play by Chris Godwin.

UP NEXT: Lions at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22.

Lions notes: Dan Campbell on Goff’s fourth quarter, eardrums and Jackson’s knee

ALLEN PARK — Through 14 wins and even the five losses, Lions quarterback Jared Goff has been the coolest guy in the building when the temperature rises and the game is on the line.

It was never more apparent than in the Divisional Round win, 31-23, over the Buccaneers on Sunday at Ford Field, especially in the fourth quarter.

The game was tied at 17-17 to start the final 15 minutes. That’s when Goff draped a Superman cape across his shoulders and went 11-of-12 for 131 yards including a spectacular 9-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown.

“It’s the way he’s made. I think that’s one of those traits that I believe he learned over time. Look I don’t know, maybe from his father maybe it started there, just his experience, his time playing the game at a high level in big games, understanding what’s coming next,’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Monday. “He does do a great job. He does stay calm, he does stay cool. He knows even if it feels a little shaky, a little rocky, it will smooth out and we keep playing ball.’’

The coach said it’s one of the reasons Goff had that remarkable display in the fourth quarter.

“He can hang in there, he’ll get in a rhythm, he’ll start finding some throws and get hot for us,’’ Campbell said.

The Lions will need the same poise from Goff when they play at the 49ers in the NFC Championship game at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Goff is the third quarterback in franchise history to win multiple playoff games, joining QBs Tobin Rote (1957) and Bobby Layne (1953, 1952).

Zach Ertz signed

Veteran tight end Zach Ertz was signed to the Lions practice squad on Monday to fill the gap after tight end Brock Wright broke his forearm in Sunday’s win over the Bucs.

Ertz, 33, played for Lions tight ends coach Steve Heiden while they were with the Arizona Cardinals. So there is familiarity.

Ertz started seven games for the Cardinals in this 2023 season and then was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 24 and waived on Nov. 30.

He was drafted in the second round in 2013 by the Philadelphia Eagles and played there until he was traded to the Cardinals in October 2021.

In his career he played 151 games with 113 starts. He has 709 catches for 7,434 yards and 46 touchdowns. He has played in eight postseason games with 36 receptions for 381 yards and two touchdowns.

Eardrum check

The fans came through big-time at both playoff games at Ford Field. It, of course, has not gone unnoticed.

“The eardrums were just banging. The only thing I thought is, I would get a blown-out eardrum, we’ll work on that next year,’’ Campbell said.

The crowd and the noise was his vision, where he wanted to go.

“For all the Lions fans, this was the whole idea,’’ Campbell said. “I know everybody’s been dying for it for so long. This is the point because of what we just saw in those last two playoff games.

“The environment in there is better than any you’re going to find in the NFL, back-to-back weeks.

Injury update

Guard Jonah Jackson underwent surgery for a minor meniscus tear in his knee, per an ESPN.com report. He’s expected to miss the NFC Championship game on Sunday at the 49ers.

However, Campbell said there’s a chance he might be able to play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11 if the Lions beat the 49ers. He said it depends on how quickly it heals. “The timeline could be there,’’ Campbell said.