How long ago was that? The Tigers were coming off an 66-win season, the Pistons were starting a 17-win campaign and the Wings, at 4-2-2, were making us ask: Hey, is this the year they return to the playoffs?
I think these are the two best teams in the NFC right now, not just by record but by the way both are playing football. Baker Mayfield has led the Bucs to four late-game comebacks and three wins against NFC playoff contenders. Jared Goff is captain of the NFL’s best offense, last week’s hiccups against Kansas City aside.That’s good news for the Lions, who — you may have heard — are coming off a 30-17 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City. Will the Lions repeat their bounce-back habits against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Six Free Press sports writers have some thoughts.The Lions have lost to the two best teams on their schedule and are severely shorthanded in their secondary. Tampa has its own injury concerns at the offensive skill positions. I think the Bucs still will put up plenty of points, but playing at home, after a loss and with some extra motivation for Brian Branch, I think the Lions win a shootout and head into the bye in control of the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The pick: Lions 35, Buccaneers 31.The Lions bounce back well from big-time letdowns and they’ll only get more help doing so at home for the first time in three weeks. And let’s be real, it’s Monday night at Ford Field. That’s a huge advantage that even the Baker Mayfield X-factor can’t overcome against the Lions’ depleted secondary. The pick: Lions 31, Buccaneers 26.
How long ago was that? The Tigers were coming off an 66-win season, the Pistons were starting a 17-win campaign and the Wings, at 4-2-2, were making us ask: Hey, is this the year they return to the playoffs?
