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NFL divisional round: Lions, Bucs much different than in their first meeting

Notes: LaPorta continues to improve; no apologies for physicality

ALLEN PARK — While this will be the second meeting this season between the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Bucs. The Lions are six-point favorites, but there is no such thing as a cakewalk in the NFL playoffs.

In Week 6, the Lions defeated the Bucs, 20-6, at Tampa Bay.

“This is a better team than where we faced them, but we’re better too,’’ Lions coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday.

Since then both teams have evolved.

“It’s so long ago and they’re such a different team and so are we. … It’s different teams, it’s different time of the year, it’s a different location,’’ Lions quarterback Jared Goff said. “There’s a lot of differences there, but I know they’re a good team and a good defense.’’’

The Bucs finished the season hot, winning five of their last regular season games and then beat the Eagles, 32-9, to earn the chance to play in this divisional round.

In that first game — the start of a four-game losing streak Tampa Bay — the Lions defense held the Bucs to two field goals and their run game to just 46 yards. Goff was 30 of 44 for 353 yards with two touchdowns. The Lions were without Jahmyr Gibbs and had trouble running the ball.

“They’re good, really good. They were really good when we played them the first time and made it hard on us,’’ Goff said. “We’ll have our hands full, they’ve been playing well.’’

The Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years when they beat the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Ford Field. Because the Packers upset the Cowboys, Detroit earned another home game.

‘It’s not dirty, it’s how we hit’

The Lions defense is physical and tough. They say it’s not dirty football, it’s how the Lions play.

Rams tight end Tyler Higbee tore his ACL as a result of a tackle from Lions safety Kerby Joseph in Detroit’s wildcard win on Sunday.

Kerby has been under some criticism around the NFL for the physical way he plays. Week ago he was also involved in a tackle that resulted in a torn ACL for Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson.

On ‘X’ Joseph defended himself saying the NFL doesn’t allow hitting up high so he had no choice.

Dan Campbell offered no apologies on Wednesday.

“That’s how we play football here, just keep your head up, see what you hit. That’ll always be what I tell Kerby, just keep your eyes up so you don’t hit on the crown of your helmet and you hit spine, you mess yourself up,’’ Campbell said. “He’s going for the thigh board and staying away from the head. That’s how we play defense here. It’s not dirty, it’s how we hit.’’

LaPorta coming along

Sam LaPorta, who hyperextended his knee in Week 18, healed enough to play against the Rams..

“I was impressed, he helped us. He was not 100 percent, but he helped us win that game,’’ Campbell said. “He did exactly what we needed him to do for that game and he’s coming along. He’s gotten better, he feels better than he did at this time last week. That’s encouragaing.’’

The rookie tight end had three catches on three targets — one for a touchdown.

Campbell said of course they wouldn’t have played him if there was a chance of further damage to his knee.

“For a young player who doesn’t know what this is and is not 100 percent, knew he could get this done and he could help us,’’ Campbell said. “That goes a long way, that’s not an easy thing for a young player.’’

UP NEXT: Buccaneers at Lions in divisional round, 3 p.m. on Sunday at Ford Field.

Lions Dan Campbell’s focus on next opportunity, not on big win over Rams

ALLEN PARK — While the 24-23 playoff win over the Rams was momentous for the Detroit LIons, another opportunity awaits.

It’s one reason coach Dan Campbell didn’t get much sleep on Sunday night.

“Honestly I had a fire going, the TV on, I’m thinking about the game, just going back through the game in my head,’’ Campbell said on Monday. “I didn’t watch the game until this morning, go back through it, relive it a little bit.as much as I can. I try not to watch the game right after I don’t want to grade it emotionally.’’

The Lions will host the winner of Monday night’s Bucs-Eagles in the NFL Divisional playoff round at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Ford Field.

So the work is not done.

“It’s like I said last night, believe me it feels good to win, it feels good to do that, I’m so much into right now the next one, the next thing here, it’s right in front of us, it’s all about the next one and how do we stay right where we’re at, make some corrections and get ready for this next home game,’’ Campbell said. “ I just know the opportunity we’ve got here.’’

Any big-time celebrations will just have to wait.

“I can’t quite go there. Believe me, I’m excited (as he stretched out his arms for emphasis), don’t think for a minute I’m not, but I just know we’ve got an opportunity here. I want to make sure I’m on it.’

Again he mentioned the crowd and the electric atmosphere at Ford Field which has been rocking all season.

“It was probably the best I’ve ever been a part of. So much of it was the fact that the thing started an hour before the game. It was four hours of nonstop barrage of the fans going off, the chants for Goff, what a special, special environment,’’ Campbell said. “For anybody who was there you’ll never forget that for the rest of your life you’ll remember that.’’

Veteran sports writer Peter King, who has covered the NFL for 40 years, was in the pressbox for the game. In his column on Monday he said in terms of quality of the game, atmosphere and electricity it was one of the top five games he’s ever covered.

With another game at Ford Field, it will be the first time in franchise history the Lions have hosted two playoff games in one season. The Lions beat the Bucs, 20-6, in Week 6. They did not face the Eagles this season.

INJURY UPDATE: Linebacker Alex Anzalone injured his shouder during the game, but Campbell said on Monday he should be alright. He left the facility after getting treatment better than when he walked in which was a good sign. Plus, he’s tough.

Detroit Lions prove to be road warriors; Dan Campbell says it’s a mindset

Franchise record for road wins is 6 set in 1961

No one has called the Detroit Lions “road warriors” for years, actually decades.

That appears to be changing this season. Already the Lions are 3-0 on the road — at Kansas City, Green Bay and Tampa. They stand at 5-1 overall as they prepare to head to Baltimore on Sunday.

“I think every team that I’ve been a part of as a player and a coach, when – that has had success, that’s a winning team – first of all, you’ve got to be able to win on the road. I do think there’s a confidence about it, there’s a – and you have anticipation,’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Monday following the 20-6 win at Tampa Bay.

“You look forward to it and I think that’s what – kind of where we’re at. I think that going on the road and it’s just you against them, their crowd, the – I think we kind of thrive off of that and I think that’s a mindset and I think that’s where it starts,’’ the coach added.

The most road wins for the franchise is six, which happpened in 1961, when they were 6-0-1 on the road and 2-5 at home. They did not make the playoffs that season.

The Lions have only won five road games in five seasons, going back to 1930 when they were the Portsmouth Spartans. They had five wins in 2017, in 2011 (made the playoffs with a 10-6 record), in 2000, in 1993 (made the playoffs with a 10-2 record) and in 1953 when they won the NFL Championship.

When Campbell was questioned about the road success on Monday, he said: “Well, first of all, they’re not really road games. That’s what it feels like anyway. We’ve got significant fan support on the road right now.’’

At Tampa Bay, estimates were that 20,000-25,000 Lions fans occupied the stands. They were loud and appreciative and stayed around after it was over.

Campbell spent three seasons playing for the Dallas Cowboys who have a fan base that travels well, but he said it was never like what he’s seeing from Lions fans.

“There’s kind of a takeover here. It feels that way. … You walk out and it’s a sea of blue. And then by the time the third quarter hits, you can hear them because we get up, we’re making plays and, I said this last night, their offense is out there and I swear they’re about to go to silent cadence at their own home because it’s loud,’’ Campbell said. “I’m like, I think I would tell our guys to go silent cadence if it was this loud. And man, that’s something else. I mean, seriously, this is pretty awesome.”

Of course, it isn’t just showing up that earns the Lions the road wins. They beat the Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champs, and the division foe Packers before facing a tough Bucs bunch.

The defense is playing outstanding in the four straight wins and quarterback Jared Goff has led the banged-up offense to score at least 20 points in all six games so far.

“I just think there’s a mentality about it. I think our guys believe on the road you go out there that we should win, but they know they’ve got to earn it. … We’ve got to play a clean game. Usually what happens, you go out there and momentum shifts and you allow it to affect you and then you can’t ever get momentum back and then one thing leads to another, you turn the ball over, you’re getting stopped, you’re getting hit on explosives and we’re just not doing that,’’ Campbell said. “We’re not making these mistakes and the other teams are right now.”

The players love having such a Honolulu Blue presence on the road. They can hear them and certainly appreciate it. It’s reciprocal. Lions fans have been waiting for years to support a team with a vision, a team that has a bright future and, most importantly, wins games.

“I get texts all the time from friends, family and they refer to things – ‘Man, our receivers did a hell of a job today.’ It’s ‘our.’ And I feel like that’s where our fans are, ‘This is ours and our guys are doing this and our guys are –’ And that’s what it’s about,’’ Campbell said “That’s what it’s about.”

UP NEXT: Lions (5-1) at Baltimore Ravens (4-2) at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Ravens are coming off a 24-16 win at the Titans on Sunday.