Sunday, January 21, 2024

Divisional Predictions

SN Iyer (No. 4 Buccaneers at No. 3 Lions (-6, 48.5 o/u):  The Buccaneers couldn't get any offense going into the Week 6 matchup against the Lions at home, losing 20-6 in Week 8. They should be more game for the rematch with Baker Mayfield red-hot after ripping the Eagles all over the field in the passing game. The concern for Mayfield will Aidan Hutchinson and the Lions' pass rush, containing the big plays. His counterpart Jared Goff will feel a little more comfortable at home and also get more help from an efficient rushing attack. Pick: Lions win 27-24 but fail to cover the spread.):  https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-picks-predictions-against-spread-divisional-playoffs/fe64c6ee9ce2a38de3ccb7c5

SN Bender (Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions (-6):  Who knew this would be the playoff matchup between a pair of former No. 1 picks? These teams met in Week 6, and the Lions won 20-6 on the road. This will be an even tougher task for Tampa Bay at a revved up Ford Field, especially if Jared Goff repeats what he did in the first matchup. Goff had 353 passing yards and a pair of TD passes, and Amon-Ra St. Brown had 12 catches for 124 yards and a TD. That duo was better than good in the wild-card victory against the Rams. Goff had a 107.9 passer rating at home this season. Baker Mayfield will be fired up, too, and the Bucs will have a chance if Mike Evans goes off against the Lions' secondary. That could happen either way. Yet Tampa Bay could not run the ball in the first matchup. If that trend repeats itself, then a Detroit pass rush led by Aidan Hutchinson will eventually get home. Tampa Bay is 8-3 ATS as an underdog, so be careful.   Pick: Lions 24, Buccaneers 19):  https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-picks-predictions-playoffs-49ers-packers-bills-chiefs/6a5fbda19cea8df993a26b86

CBS Breech (No. 4 Tampa Bay (10-8) at No. 3 Detroit (13-5):  The most famous movie ever set in Detroit is definitely "Robocop," which is kind of fitting this week, because that movie is about a guy who gets a second chance and this game is going to feature two quarterbacks who are both making the most of a second chance (And just so we're all on the same page: Getting shot and almost killed and then getting turned into a robot police officer counts as a second chance, right? Right. Glad we cleared that up).   On one side, we have Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who was selected by the Rams with the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, but they decided they didn't want him, so they traded him away to Detroit. On the other side, we have Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, who was selected by the Browns with the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but they decided they didn't want him, so they traded him to a spot where QB careers go to die (Carolina).   Both quarterbacks were vindicated over the weekend: Goff got revenge on his old team by beating the Rams and Mayfield has now advanced farther in the playoffs this year than the Browns, who got beat down in the wild-card round.   One of these two quarterbacks will be playing in the NFC Championship game and I'm starting to think it's going to be Goff. The problem for the Buccaneers is that they gave up the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL during the regular season. That didn't really hurt them in the wild-card round, because they were facing an Eagles team that couldn't take advantage of that because they forgot how to play football at some point in December. This week, though, they'll be facing a Lions team that averaged the second-most passing yards in the NFL this year.   Goff averaged 269.1 yards per game on the season, which was second in league behind only Tua Tagovailoa. Goff was even better at home, where he averaged 280 yards per game. He also threw 19 of his 30 TD passes at Ford Field. I think what I'm trying to say here is I feel like the Lions are going to light up the scoreboard and I have a hard time seeing the Buccaneers keep up.  Since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966, the Lions have NEVER won two playoff games in the same postseason, but after watching them end their 32-year drought without a playoff win, it's starting to feel like they're going to be ending a few droughts this year.  If the Lions win this game, the city of Detroit might need to put Robocop on duty just to make sure things don't get out of hand while the city celebrates.  The pick: Lions 31-17 over Buccaneers):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-divisional-round-playoff-picks-bills-beat-chiefs-in-thriller-texans-shock-ravens-49ers-top-packers/

Biglead (DETROIT (-6) over BUCCANNERS:  The Lions couldn't have taken a seat the kitchen table and schemed up a better scenario. They've stumbled into a second home playoff game in front of that group of insane maniacs. They've drawn the Bucs, a team that they previously beat by two touchdowns down in Tampa. They go from worrying about Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams doing big things to just needing to stop Mike Evans. And the dirty little secret about Detroit is that their much-maligned defense is actually solid. Opponents are averaging a shade over 20 points over the past five weeks and that's more than enough to complement an offense that's going to get to 30 most times they play indoors. Any lingering tighntess will be gone. Sam LaPorta will be healthier, and Jared Goff will play with earned confidence. The Lions are going to the NFC Championship Game and fans will get to enjoy a laugher. Can you even believe it? Lions 34, Bucs 18):  https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/nfl-playoffs-predictions-picks-spread-lines-01hm9k8m5fpj

Walter football (Week 20 NFL Pick: Lions 34, Buccaneers 17):  https://walterfootball.com/nflpicks2023_20late.php

CBS Sullivan (Buccaneers at Lions:  Cards on the table, this is the game I'm least confident in. I'm laying the six-point spread with the Lions, but bettors should proceed with caution as the Bucs were the best road team in the NFL this season, owning an 8-1 ATS record. However, my gut says that Detroit rolls in this spot. The Lions got the monkey off of their back, earning their first playoff victory since 1991 and doing so in an emotional back-and-forth against Matthew Stafford. The Lions defense was stellar in the red zone in that winning effort, not allowing the Rams to score a touchdown on any of their three red zone trips. And there's reason to believe that'll continue here against Tampa Bay after the Bucs were the third-worst red zone offense in the league this year, scoring touchdowns on just 44.9% of their trips. Going on the road in what is likely going to be a bonkers environment at Ford Field and facing a highly motivated team in the Lions is effectively the polar opposite of what the Buccaneers faced this past week at home against Philadelphia, and I believe that will be extremely apparent. Projected score: Lions 30, Buccaneers 17):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-divisional-round-playoff-picks-patrick-mahomes-bests-josh-allen-yet-again-packers-cover-vs-49ers/

Buccaneers vs. Lions preview | Divisional Round (All 10 pick the Lions to win by scores of 28-21, 27-24, 33-24, 24-19, 37-11, 34-22, 27-13, 23-20, 27-20, 28-23):  https://www.nfl.com/videos/buccaneers-vs-lions-preview-divisional-round

O'HARA'S DIVISIONAL ROUND PREVIEW: Goff, Lions keeping calm as pressure ramps up (My pick: Lions 23, Bucs 21.):  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/o-hara-s-divisional-round-preview-goff-lions-keeping-calm-as-pressure-ramps-up

CBS Dajani (Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions:  These two NFC foes faced off in Week 6, with the Lions winning handily, 20-6. It was actually the fewest points the Buccaneers scored in any game this season, but maybe they created some momentum for themselves with that huge win over Philly. In that game, Baker Mayfield became the third quarterback to throw three or more touchdowns and zero interceptions in a playoff victory for two different teams. The other two quarterbacks? Brett Favre and Tom Brady.  As for the Lions, they just snapped the longest losing streak in playoff history against the Los Angeles Rams, while Jared Goff misfired on just five passes vs. his former team. Amon-Ra St. Brown is nearly impossible to stop and Sam LaPorta is probably feeling healthier after injuring his knee in Week 18. Stopping the loaded Lions offense is the key for the Bucs. Since Week 13, Tampa Bay's defense has allowed 15.3 points per game, and 86.7 rushing yards per game. Both rank second in the NFL in that span. The Lions are the better team on paper, but Mayfield may be creating a bit of a narrative for himself. He's 3-0 ATS in the playoffs in his career. I'm not bold enough to call for an upset like I did last week, but I'll take the 6.5 points. The pick: Buccaneers +6.5.  Projected score: Lions 24-23):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-playoff-bracket-projection-49ers-edge-ravens-in-super-bowl-lviii-predictions-for-every-game/

Buccaneers at Lions: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL playoff game (All 5 pick the Lions to win by scores of 26-14, 26-21, 30-20, 26-17, 23-20):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2024/01/18/tampa-bay-buccaneers-detroit-lions-playoff-game-predictions-picks-odds/72244961007/

Pro picks (TAMPA BAY at DETROIT - Line: Lions minus 6 1/2.  Mayfield followed up his best season with an excellent performance in a 32-9 victory over Philadelphia. But Gardner-Johnson, a Lions cornerback, wasn’t all that impressed. He praised the Buccaneers’ wide receivers this week and added they’d be even better with a good quarterback. Mayfield responded by questioning whether Gardner-Johnson has watched any film because he mentioned Bucs receiver Russell Gage as one of the dangerous playmakers even though he’s been injured all season.  The trash talk on the field should be fun.  Jared Goff led the Lions (13-5) to a 24-23 win over the Rams last week after Detroit’s offense opened with three straight touchdown drives.  Tampa Bay’s defense shut down Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia but now faces a tougher challenge. The Lions cruised to a 20-6 road win over the Buccaneers (10-8) in Week 6.  LIONS, 23-20):  https://apnews.com/article/nfl-pro-picks-divisional-round-10d0deeb1695edf66ca2295c134ca31f

PFT’s 2023 NFL divisional round picks, Florio vs. Simms (Florio: Lions, 24-13., Simms: Lions, 27-24.):  https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/pfts-2023-nfl-divisional-round-picks-florio-vs-simms

Our guide to the NFL divisional round: Picks, predictions and stats to know for all four matchups (Moody's pick: Lions 28, Buccaneers 21.  Walder's pick: Lions 34, Buccaneers 17):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/nflviewguide011924/nfl-divisional-round-playoff-schedule-game-guide-odds-injuries-stats-2023

Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers divisional round: Prediction, odds, picks (Prediction: Detroit 26 - Tampa Bay 19):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/detroit-lions-vs-tampa-bay-buccaneers-divisional-round-prediction-odds-picks


Yardbarker (Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-8) at Detroit Lions (13-5) | 3 p.m. ET NBC/Peacock:  The Lions won the first meeting 20-6 in Week 6, but Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles doesn't believe that game has any bearing in the divisional round.  "We're a different team now. We're mentally tougher. I think we've gotten stronger from it, and we learned some things" Bowles told Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud.  The Bucs offense should produce more points. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was excellent against the Eagles and can pick up where he left off against a Lions secondary that is the weak link of the defense.  Mayfield must be better than in the first game because Tampa is unlikely to succeed running the ball. The Bucs gained the same amount of rushing yards (1,509) as the Lions allowed, making them the worst rush offense and the Lions the second-best rush defense.  Edge Aidan Hutchinson could also be a problem lined up against right tackle Luke Goedeke, who allowed 40 pressures during the regular season, the second-most on the team.  Lions quarterback Jared Goff also has a favorable matchup against the Bucs defense which finished 29th in passing yards allowed (248.9 yards per game). The offensive line should be able to protect Goff so that he can get the ball to Detroit's superior playmakers.   PREDICTION: Lions, 26-20):  https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/nfc_divisional_round_predictions_can_the_49ers_stop_jordan_loves_run/s1_13132_39830655

Divisional round: Five things to watch as Lions host Bucs; plus prediction (PREDICTION: Lions 31, Bucs 17. The Lions are the better team since they first met.):  https://lionslowdown.com/2024/01/20/divisional-round-five-things-to-watch-as-lions-host-bucs-plus-prediction/



Lions vs. Buccaneers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction (Lions 31 Buccaneers 23):  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/lists/lions-vs-buccaneers-last-minute-thoughts-game-preview-final-score-prediction/

SI All Lions (All 5 pick the Lions to win by scores of 24-16, 27-16, 24-17, 27-17, 27-17):  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/predictions-buccaneers-lions-playoffs

Bucs Wire staff picks for Tampa Bay's NFC Divisional matchup against the Lions (All 3 pick the Lions to win by scores of 27-17, 31-20, 31-28):  https://bucswire.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-playoffs-picks-bucs-predictions-tampa-bay-buccaneers-detroit-lions-divisional-round/


NFL Divisional Round game picks: Ravens and 49ers unanimous winners! Chiefs or Bills on Sunday night? (Buccaneers 23-22, Lions 26-22, Lions 27-23, Lions 31-17, Lions 27-22):  https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-picks-divisional-round-2023-nfl-season

NFL playoff predictions: Can 49ers, Ravens ride No. 1 seeds to title games? Who wins Chiefs-Bills showdown? (2 pick the Lions to win by scores of 31-28, 28-20.  1 picks the Bucs to win 27-26):  https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/01/19/nfl-playoff-predictions-can-49ers-ravens-ride-no-1-seeds-to-title-games-who-wins-chiefs-bills-showdown/

Bucs-Lions preview, predictions: Everything you need to know about battle of underdogs (1 picks the Lions to win 37-34.  1 picks the Bucs to win 29-27):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/bucs-lions-preview-predictions-everything-you-need-to-know-about-battle-of-underdogs

BucsGameday Staff Score Predictions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers At Detroit Lions (6 pick the Bucs to win by scores of 17-16, 31-24, 28-25, 27-24, 24-23, 28-27.  4 pick the Lions to win by scores of 27-20, 27-23, 30-27, 28-20):  https://www.si.com/nfl/buccaneers/news/bucsgameday-staff-score-predictions-tampa-bay-buccaneers-at-detroit-lion-playoffs-2024

CBS Prisco (Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6.5) at Detroit Lions:  Both these teams are coming off big home victories, with the Lions earning another home game. The Bucs blew out the Eagles as Baker Mayfield came up big. The Lions had to hold on against the Rams. Detroit played well on offense, but the defense showed some flaws. That could lead to another good day by Mayfield and his receivers. I think Jared Goff will also play well, especially if he can handle the Bucs blitz. Ben Johnson will have a plan for that. The Lions beat the Bucs earlier this season in Tampa, but it was close. This will also be close, but I think this time Tampa Bay gets payback and advances to the title game. Mayfield will keep it rolling. Upset.  Pick: Bucs 30, Lions 28):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/priscos-nfl-playoff-picks-for-divisional-round-2-underdogs-win-outright-while-a-third-nearly-shocks-top-seed/

Non-Score Predictions:


ESPN (8 pick the Lions to win):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/picks




'GMFB' makes game picks for Bucs-Lions NFC Divisional Playoff Game (All 4 pick the Lions to win):  https://www.nfl.com/videos/gmfb-makes-game-picks-for-bucs-lions-nfc-divisional-playoff-game



SI (5 pick the Lions to win.  2 pick TB to win):  https://www.si.com/nfl/2024/01/18/nfl-divisional-round-staff-expert-picks

114 pick the Lions to win.  17 pick the Bucs to win.  The Average Predicted Score is (2028-1547/74):  Lions 27 Bucs 21
Posted by LionsFan at 9:10 AM

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