(Detroit) Jared Goff threw two touchdown passes and the Detroit Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 Sunday in the second round of the NFL playoffs to advance to the National Finals for the first time in 32 years old.
The Lions (14-5) will be making only their second appearance in the Association final. They hadn’t won two games since 1957, when they last won the NFL championship.
They will now cross swords with the 49ers in San Francisco – the highest ranked club in the National – with the objective of taking part in a very first Super Bowl in their history.
Jahmyr Gibbs broke the tie by taking advantage of a huge gap in the Buccaneers defense (10-9). He ran 31 yards for the touchdown in the fourth quarter. Goff then connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for nine yards for another touchdown with 6:22 remaining.
Baker Mayfield had three touchdown passes, including a 16-yard touchdown pass that allowed Mike Evans to close the lead with 4:37 to play.
The Lions were then unable to run out the clock, giving the Buccaneers one last opportunity to come from behind. Mayfield, however, suffered his second interception of the game, this time made by linebacker Derrick Barnes.
The Lions then took a knee to end the game in front of a delirious crowd in Detroit.
PHOTO PAUL SANCYA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jared Goff
Goff finished the game completing 30 of 43 passes for 287 yards. He allowed his team to score three touchdowns during three long consecutive offensive sequences in the second half.
St. Brown caught eight balls for 77 yards, his touchdown capping a 10-play, 89-yard possession.
Gibbs, an electrifying rookie whom the Buccaneers had not faced in the regular season, rushed nine times for 74 yards and had four catches for another 40 yards.
Mayfield connected with his receivers 26 times on 41 attempts for 349 yards. The first interception at his expense jumped into the hands of Evans. The latter accumulated 147 yards on eight receptions.
The Lions now hope that this second Association final will be more favorable to them. They were defeated 41-10 by Washington on January 12, 1992.