The fans waved their white towels The players danced on the sideline.
The owner, Sheila Hamp, clapped her hands. Amon-Ra St.
Brown had just caught a touchdown pass, giving the Lions a two-possession lead Sunday and putting them a few minutes away from glory.
They wouldn’t let it slip through their grasp. Detroit held on for an eventual 31-23 divisional round win over the Buccaneers that served as a moment of redemption for a city and quarterback that were once laughed at.
But who’s laughing now? Jared Goff, traded away from the Rams who drafted him first overall in 2016, was masterful.
The Lions, once winless for an entire season in 2008, were victorious – advancing to the NFC Championship for the first time since the 1991 season.
Tampa Bay gave Detroit all it could handle in a back-and-forth contest.
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield finished 26-of-41 passing for 349 yards and three TDs against two interceptions, while star receiver Mike Evans totaled eight receptions for 147 yards and a clutch TD that made it a one-score game with 4:37 left in the fourth quarter.
But that was as close as Tampa Bay would come on a day that belonged to the Motor City.
On the Buccaneers’ final drive, Detroit linebacker Derrick Barnes intercepted Mayfield to seal the win and put the Lions one victory away from the Super Bowl.
Goff completed 30-of-43 pass attempts for 287 yards and two TDs, rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs added 114 all-purpose yards and one TD and second-year defensive end Aidan Hutchinson chipped in with one sack and two QB hits.
The Lions will play at San Francisco next Sunday, but before Hutchinson – a Michigan native – walked off the turf at Ford Field, he took a moment to truly soak in what he was witnessing.
“It’s amazing and this city deserves it,” Hutchinson said in an NBC postgame interview.
“We’re gonna keep plugging away. It’s win or go home at this point, and we’re all very excited to go to San Fran.”
