Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs Wow NFL Fans as Lions Beat Bucs to Advance to NFC Title Game

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The Detroit Lions’ storybook 2023-24 season will continue for another week.

The Lions entered the fourth quarter of Sunday’s divisional-round game knotted at 17 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and needed some explosivity in order to secure a second playoff victory.

Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs and the rest of the Detroit offense did just that.

The Lions hung 14 points on the board in the final quarter and outlasted a determined Buccaneers team in order to win the game and advance to the NFC title game for the first time since the 1991-92 season.

This is just the second time in the Super Bowl era that the Lions have reached the championship round in the postseason. It is also the first time the Lions have won multiple playoff games in a season ever.

The first half was not very explosive for Detroit, with the offense managing just a single touchdown and Goff going throwing for just 99 yards. However, this changed in the second half, specifically the final quarter, and the Lions looked like the team that ranked ninth in the league in offense during the regular season.

Goff finished 30-of-43 for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Amon-Ra St. Brown was the top receiver, making eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. Josh Reynolds had the other Lions receiving touchdown.

Gibbs was the top rusher for Detroit, having nine carries for 74 yards and a touchdown. David Montgomery had 10 carries for 33 yards while Craig Reynolds had the other rushing touchdown.

Tampa Bay had an opportunity to tie the game up at the end but the Lions defense stepped up as Brian Branch snagged a clutch interception to put the game away. It was the second forced turnover of the game for the Lions defense.

Fans on social media praised Goff, Gibbs and the entirety of the Lions team for the accomplishment.

The Lions’ run has been magical this season, but there is still plenty of work to do.

Detroit will be on the road for the Conference Championship and face the No. 1 seed San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers franchise represents quite the contrast from Detroit, as the franchise has won five Lombardi Trophies and has advanced to the Conference Championship in four of the past five seasons.

Still, Detroit will look to continue to roll and attempt to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.