Detroit Lions vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Picks and Predictions September 15th 2024

The Lions are favored at -330 on the money line as they host the Buccaneers at 1:00 ET on Sunday, September 15th at Ford Field in Detroit. The Lions are -7 point favorites, and the over/under line is set at 51 points. This week two NFC matchup is being televised by FOX.

Tampa Bay vs. Detroit Key Information

• Teams: Buccaneers at Lions
• Where: Ford Field Detroit
• Date: Sunday, September 15th
• Betting Odds DET -330 | TB +261 O/U 51

The Buccaneers Can Win If…

The Buccaneers were favored by -4 heading into their most recent game against the Commanders and came out with a 37-20 win, improving their record to 1-0. Tampa Bay’s 56-yard field goal and a 34-yard field goal gave them a 6-0 lead after the 1st quarter. Baker Mayfield’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans and a 29-yard field goal just before halftime extended their lead to 16-7 at the half.

In the 3rd quarter, Mayfield found Chris Godwin for a 4-yard touchdown. Although the Commanders and Jayden Daniels added a late touchdown in the 4th, the Buccaneers also scored twice in the 4th quarter, with Mayfield connecting with Jalen McMillan for a 32-yard touchdown.

In their 37-20 win over the Commanders, the Buccaneers’ offense put up 22 first downs and 280 yards passing on 30 attempts. Baker Mayfield had a big game, completing 24 of 30 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He didn’t throw any interceptions and finished with a passer rating of 146. Tampa Bay also excelled on third down, converting 69.2% of their opportunities.

Bucky Irving led the team in rushing with 62 yards on just nine carries, including a 31-yard run. Chris Godwin was the top receiver, with 83 yards and one touchdown, while Mike Evans also caught a touchdown and finished with 76 yards receiving. The offensive line allowed just one sack in the game.

In their 37-20 win over the Commanders, the Buccaneers’ defense allowed just 161 passing yards on 17 completions. Washington managed only a 25% third-down conversion rate. However, Tampa Bay did struggle against the run, giving up 138 yards on 4.6 yards per attempt. They also allowed two sacks and had a negative tackles for loss differential of -5.

• Tampa Bay has put together a record of 2-1 over their past three games. In addition, their ATS record over this stretch is 2-1 while posting a 2-1 over-under mark.
• Across Tampa Bay’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 7-3. The team’s record vs the spread was just 6-4, in addition to an over-under mark of 6-4.

The Lions Can Win If…

Despite being down 3-0 after the 1st quarter, the Lions came back to take a 10-3 lead at halftime and eventually won 26-20 in overtime over the Rams. Detroit, who was favored by -5.5, also improved to 1-0 against the spread. The combined 46 points was short of the over/under line of 53.5 points. The Lions needed a late field goal from Jake Bates to force overtime, and David Montgomery’s two rushing touchdowns in overtime sealed the victory.

The Lions initially led 17-10 in the 3rd quarter after a 48-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Jameson Williams. However, the Rams fought back and tied the game at 20 to force overtime. In overtime, the Lions outscored the Rams 6-0. Cooper Kupp and Kyren Williams each found the endzone for the Rams in the 3rd quarter. Detroit’s David Montgomery sealed the win in overtime with two rushing touchdowns.

The Lions’ offense put up 26 points in their 26-20 overtime win over the Rams. Detroit had 21 first downs and 163 rushing yards on 31 attempts. Jared Goff completed 18 of 28 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown, finishing with a passer rating of 84. He was sacked twice and threw one interception.

Jameson Williams led the receiving corps with 121 yards and a touchdown. Goff’s touchdown pass went to Williams, who had a 52-yard reception. David Montgomery, filling in for the injured D’Andre Swift, rushed for 91 yards, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt, and scored one touchdown on a 21-yard run.

In their 26-20 overtime win over the Rams, the Lions’ defense gave up 304 passing yards on 34 completions. Despite this, they still managed to come out on top. The Lions’ run defense was solid, allowing just 83 yards on 23 attempts (3.6 yards per attempt). They also picked off one pass and held the Rams to a 41.7% third-down conversion rate.

Detroit’s defense put pressure on the quarterback with two sacks and won the QB hit differential by seven and the tackles for loss differential by four. The Rams finished with 387 total yards in the game, but the Lions did enough to help secure the win.

• The Lions have posted a 3-0 record in their previous three games. This also includes going 2-1 ATS and an over-under mark of 1-2.
• Across Detroit’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 9-1. In these matchups, they ended with an ATS record of 7-3 and an over-under mark of 6-4.

The Lean

Our model has the Lions pulling off the upset over the Buccaneers, with a final score prediction of 28-18 in favor of Detroit. If you are looking to bet this week two matchup between the Buccaneers and Lions, we’d recommend taking Detroit to cover the spread at home.

As for the point spread lines, the Lions are currently +7 point underdogs at home. With this line, we are backing the Lions to cover as our best bet. For the over/under, with the line sitting at 51 points, we are leaning towards the under, with a projected combined score of 46 points.

Lions Host Buccaneers in Another Playoff Rematch

The Detroit Lions welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Ford Field on Sunday for a Week 2 clash, revisiting their playoff history after Detroit’s dramatic victory over the Los Angeles Rams last week. The Lions eliminated the Buccaneers from the postseason last year with a 31-23 win in the NFC Divisional Round, and both teams enter this matchup with momentum from Week 1 victories.

Jared Goff’s Mindset

Lions quarterback Jared Goff is approaching this matchup like any other, despite the playoff history between the teams. Goff acknowledged that there are lessons to be learned from last season’s meeting, but he’s staying focused on preparation.

“You can look at it. You can play the game all day long of, ‘OK, we did this, and they did that,’” Goff said. “But you just try to prepare for it like it’s another game.”

In Detroit’s Week 1 overtime win against the Rams, the Lions’ offense was held in check for much of the game. Goff threw for 217 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams, while Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta combined for just 58 yards.

Dan Campbell’s Perspective

Head coach Dan Campbell is well aware of the Buccaneers’ capabilities, especially after their convincing Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders.

“They are certainly going to be competitive and be right there in the race,” Campbell said. “If you can put some money in the bank early in the season, it will pay big dividends for you down the road.”

Buccaneers Ready for a New Challenge

Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles and his team are not dwelling on last year’s playoff defeat, instead focusing on building momentum.

“That was last year in the playoffs. They knocked us out,” Bowles said. “We’re 1-0, and we’re trying to win a ballgame to go 2-0.”

Baker Mayfield was dominant in Week 1, throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-20 victory over Washington. Wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans combined for 144 yards and three touchdowns.

Godwin, who caught eight passes for 83 yards, is excited about the atmosphere at Ford Field:

“The fans, in that last game, they were rocking. They’re very excited about how good that team is… As a competitor, it’s really fun to go into places like that,” Godwin said.

Key Injuries for Both Teams

Buccaneers Injuries: Tampa Bay will be without several key players, including safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle/foot), defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (calf), and right tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion). Cornerback Josh Hayes (ankle) has also been ruled out, while Zyon McCollum (concussion) and defensive end Logan Hall (foot) are questionable.

Lions Injuries: For Detroit, safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle) and wide receiver Isaiah Williams (abdomen) will miss the game, while defensive end Marcus Davenport (groin) is doubtful. Jameson Williams and tackle Penei Sewell are questionable with ankle injuries, while safety Kerby Joseph is dealing with a hamstring issue.

Outlook

With both teams riding the wave of Week 1 victories, Sunday’s game promises to be an intense battle. The Lions will aim to extend their home dominance over the Buccaneers, while Tampa Bay looks to prove they can compete with Detroit in what could be a key matchup with playoff implications later in the season.