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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF at KC | CAR at ATL | CHI at STL | CIN at PIT | GB at NO | HOU at CLE | IND at SD | MIN at JAX |
| NE at MIA | NYG at ARI | NYJ at TEN | OAK at DEN | PHI at BAL | SF at DAL | TB at DET | WAS at SEA |
Week 12 Game Recap: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38, Detroit Lions 20
What you need to know
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Tampa Bay fell behind 17-0 quickly after they allowed a first quarter Detroit score that was followed by a fumble return for a touchdown and a Jason Hanson field goal. They answered with five unanswered touchdowns that came in all three phases of the game.
RB Warrick Dunn started the scoring spree with a 13 yard touchdown run and QB Jeff Garcia connected on touchdown passes to WR Ike Hilliard and TE Jerramy Stevens to cap off a 21 point second quarter.
RB Clifton Smith returned a punt for a 70 yard score and DB Ronde Barber added a 65 yard interception return for a touchdown to give Tampa Bay a 35-17 lead. Kickers on both sides each added field goals for a 38-20 final.
| Detroit Lions |
Detroit played well in the first quarter of the game, but that's about where it ended for the struggling Lions. QB Daunte Culpepper hit WR Calvin Johnson for a 15 yard score for the first points of the game and DB Daniel Bullocks returned a Garcia fumble for a 44 yard score to give the home team the early lead. Jason Hanson added a 38 yard field goal that put the club up 17-0 after the first quarter. After the first quarter, Culpepper struggled and was later replaced by backup Drew Stanton. Stanton left with an injury and Culpepper came back, but finished just eight of 20 for 121 yards for the game.
In the second quarter, the Lions started to fall apart. Their offense struggled to convert third downs and the defense allowed three touchdowns to give the Buccaneers the momentum heading into the break. Unfortunately for the Lions, it didn't stop there. Tampa Bay was sparked by a Clifton Smith punt return for a score on special teams and a defensive touchdown by Ronde Barber that broke the game wide open for the Buccaneers.
What you ought to know
| QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 13 - 18 - 165 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 |
Jeff Garcia brought his team back from a 17-0 deficit with his usual steady play, and he took advantage of poor coverage in the Detroit secondary to finish 13 of 18 for 165 yards that included two second quarter touchdown passes. Garcia connected with Ike Hilliard from 36 yards out for his first score and hit TE Jerramy Stevens on a 24 yard scoring strike on the next possession. On the negative side for Garcia, he lost two fumbles and was sacked five times.
| RB Warrick Dunn, Rush: 14 - 90 - 1, Rec: 5 - 37 - 0 (6 targets) |
With Earnest Graham out for the season, Dunn started the game and had a productive outing for the Buccaneers. He ran the ball 14 times for 90 yards and flashed moves from earlier on his career on a swift 13 yard touchdown run for Tampa Bay's first score of the game. Dunn also produced in the passing game where he caught five passes for 37 yards on six targets.
| RB Cadillac Williams, Rush: 16 - 27 - 0 |
Cadillac Williams got his first work of the season after being brought off the PUP list last week and got the majority of his work late in the game. On his first play, however, Williams collided with QB Jeff Garcia on a play action attempt, and caused Garcia to lose a fumble that Detroit returned for a touchdown. He finished the game with 16 rushes for 27 yards, and while the numbers aren't huge, it's nice to see him back on the field following the gruesome injury he suffered to his patellar tendon.
| WR Antonio Bryant, Rec: 4 - 48 - 0 (6 targets) |
Bryant was targeted six times, twice on third downs, and finished with four receptions for 48 yards.
| WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 2 - 51 - 1 (3 targets) |
Hilliard was targeted three times and finished with two receptions for 51 yards that included a 36 yard touchdown reception. One negative for Hilliard for the game was a lost fumble on a punt return.
| WR Michael Clayton |
Clayton started the game but was not targeted.
| WR Joey Galloway |
Galloway played in the game but was not targeted.
| TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 2 - 29 - 1 (3 targets) |
Stevens was targeted three times and came down with two receptions for 29 yards, including a 24 yard touchdown reception.
| PK Matt Bryant 1 - 1 FG, 5 - 5 XP, 8 points |
Bryant made good on a 48 yard field goal and added five extra points to finish with eight points in the game.
| TB Rush Defense |
The Buccaneers allowed 108 rushes on 22 attempts for a 4.9 ypc average and had just one tackle for loss in the game. It was good for them that they came back quickly in the second quarter and did not allow Detroit to sustain drives and eat up clock with a running game that was eating up nearly five yards a carry.
LB Derrick Brooks led Tampa Bay with five solo tackles and Barrett Ruud added four solo tackles and two assists.
| TB Pass Defense |
The Buccaneers allowed a first quarter score through the air, but after that, really buckled down and made plays when they had to. They finished with four sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble that came in the passing game. Tampa Bay also made nice adjustments in coverage on WR Calvin Johnson, who burned them on the scoring drive, as they made sure a safety rolled over to his side in passing situations.
DB Ronde Barber finished with four solo tackles and two interceptions that included a 65 yard INT return for a touchdown. DL Jimmy Wilkerson had two sacks up front for the Buccaneers.
| QB Daunte Culpepper, Pass: 8 - 20 - 121 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 |
Daunte Culpepper started and finished eight of 20 for 121 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His score came in the first quarter, where he hit WR Calvin Johnson from 15 yards out to cap off a 71 yard drive for the first score of the game. After that, however, the game went south for Culpepper. Detroit finished just four of 14 on third downs, and one Culpepper pick was returned by Tampa Bay DB Ronde Barber for a touchdown. At one point, Culpepper was replaced by youngster Drew Stanton, then had to re-enter the game after Stanton left with a concussion.
| QB Drew Stanton, Pass: 2 - 6 - 13 - 0 TD / 0 INT |
Stanton entered the game after the Buccaneers jumped out to their big lead and completed two of six attempts for 13 yards before he left the game with an apparent concussion.
| RB Kevin Smith, Rush: 16 - 86 - 0 |
Smith was off to a nice start with ten rushes for 62 yards in the first half, and looked on his way to a 100 yard game, but was slowed in the second half to finish with 16 attempts for 86 yards. He left the game on a few occasions with injuries, but returned each time. He was not targeted in the passing game.
| RB Rudi Johnson, Rush: 4 - 16 - 0 |
Johnson was used sparingly, and he finished with four rushes for 16 yards. He was not targeted in the passing game.
| WR Calvin Johnson, Rec: 3 - 66 - 1 (7 targets) |
Johnson was targeted seven times; five on third downs, and came down with three receptions for 66 yards and a 15 yard touchdown. It's a shame the Lions can't get him more targets, because he looks unstoppable in coverage on balls he has a chance on.
| WR Shaun McDonald, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (9 targets) |
McDonald led the team in targets with nine, but finished with just two receptions for 21 yards. Two passes thrown his way were picked off.
| TE John Owens (1 targets) |
Owens started at tight end and had just one target, but did not record a reception.
| PK Jason Hanson 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points |
Jason Hanson connected on field goal attempts from 38 and 40 yards out and added two extra points, finishing with eight points in the game.
| DET Rush Defense |
The Detroit defense allowed 119 yards on 32 attempts, for a 3.7 ypc average and allowed one rushing score on a play where they missed numerous tackles. They did finish with four tackles for loss, but they're overall numbers were helped by predictable rushing offense by Tampa Bay late in the game.
LB Paris Lennon led the club with five solo tackles and two assists.
| DET Pass Defense |
The Lions gave up 165 passing yards and two scores to QB Jeff Garcia and looked lost in coverage throughout the game, specifically on the two scoring plays. They held Tampa Bay to five of 13 on third downs, and did register five sacks.
DL Corey Smith led Detroit with two sacks and added four solo tackles.