Bucs at Lions: Pewter Predictions For Week 2

You’ve heard the term “drinking the Kool-Aid,” right? Well, I’m not drinking Kool-Aid this week. I’m drinking some Pirate Punch – and I am punch drunk on these 37-point-scoring Buccaneers. So much so that I am picking them to upset the Lions in Detroit. This pick makes no sense given the fact that Todd Bowles didn’t have an answer for Jared Goff and the Lions offense last year in two losses. Throw in the fact that All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and pass-rushing defensive tackle Calijah Kancey are out and I may be really dumb for missing the easy lay-up and predicting another Lions win.

Also notable – and perhaps even more important – is that the Bucs offense will be without right tackle Luke Goedeke, who has a concussion. Lions Pro Bowl defensive end Aiden Hutchinson could have a field day against Justin Skule, or Robert Hainsey if he replaces Goedeke, instead. Yet I’m going to trust new offensive coordinator Liam Coen to figure this out. The Bucs have enough weapons on offense to put up points on the Lions defense, especially attacking cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and rookie Terrion Arnold if Baker Mayfield has time to throw.

I’m also going to trust Bowles and a host of young players like Yaya Diaby, Logan Hall, Chris Braswell and SirVocea Dennis in the front seven to join the likes of veterans Lavonte David, Vita Vea and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to finally get to Goff and affect him enough to pull off the upset. Good coaching by Bowles and Coen wins this game. Either that or I’m really stupid. We’ll find out come Sunday at 4:00 p.m. when this game’s over. The Bucs were awfully confident this week in the locker room and have revenge on their mind, and I’m buying into it. A Chase McLaughlin field goal is the difference as Tampa Bay improves to 2-0.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Lions 24
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-0

Matt Matera: Bucs Still Can’t Get The Better Of The Lions

There was plenty to like about the Bucs’ offense a week ago scoring 37 points that should be able to translate to this game against the Lions on the road. What’s concerning is how much of a factor the absence of Luke Goedeke will be if he’s unable to go with a concussion. The Lions defense, led by Aidan Hutchinson, is a tougher front for Tampa Bay to handle. Baker Mayfield already had to make plays with his legs to help the Bucs out, he may have to again.

If the Bucs can get through the defensive line and linebackers, they have spot in which they can get the better of the Lions’ secondary. Detroit is playing rookie Terrion Arnold at corner, who certainly has a good chance of being a great player, but in his second career game, Tampa Bay has to attack him. Expect a big game from Chris Godwin playing in the slot and having a similar role that Cooper Kupp had for the Rams in Week 1 against Detroit. The Bucs don’t have to take deep shots to be successful, they just need to continuously get first downs and keep drives going.

Injuries are a big issue on the defensive side for the Bucs, too. It looks like no Calijah Kancey again and no Antoine Winfield Jr. either. While I don’t mind Christian Izien as a backup at safety, getting pressure has always been an issue for the Bucs against Jared Goff. Can Yaya Diaby get to him? Will Tampa Bay have to send the house? I hope Todd Bowles doesn’t worry about allowing the big play and tries to continuously get in the face of Goff.

What’s scary was that Amon-Ra St. Brown was quiet in Week 1, so Detroit may try to get him involved early. This could be a big opportunity for Tykee Smith in the slot if he can shake his illness and play. Overall, it’ll be tough for the Bucs to slow down the Lions with the players they’re missing, so Detroit makes it three games in a row against Tampa Bay.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Lions 31, Bucs 23
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 1-0

Bailey Adams: Injuries Too Much For The Bucs To Overcome

If the Bucs were fully healthy, I’d feel better about their chances of going into Ford Field and coming away with a revenge game victory over a very good Lions team. But the secondary is suddenly very thin, with All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. out for a few weeks, No. 2 cornerback Zyon McCollum in concussion protocol, No. 3 cornerback Bryce Hall on injured reserve and No. 4 cornerback Josh Hayes in a walking boot.

Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey’s calf will keep him out again, and right tackle Luke Goedeke missed the last two practices of the week in concussion protocol. All of those injuries have me concerned for Tampa Bay’s ability to keep this one interesting.

With that said, though, I think Baker Mayfield and the offense will do their very best to keep the Bucs afloat for much of the game. Tampa Bay needs to run the ball better early on this week and do its best to grind out some drives and help keep the defense off the field. The fact that I don’t think the Lions really have the pieces in their secondary to really contend with what the Bucs have in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan could help the upset bid, too.

But I think in the end, the injuries will be too much for the Bucs to overcome. The Lions have too much firepower on offense to not expose how short-handed Tampa Bay will be, especially when you consider the fact that Todd Bowles has yet to figure out Jared Goff. As much as I like the chances for Mayfield and the offense to do some more impressive work in Week 2, I don’t think it’ll quite be enough as Detroit pulls away yet again.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Lions 33, Bucs 24
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 1-0

Josh Queipo: Circumstances Prevent Bucs From Toppling “New Eagles”

During the offseason I made the case for the Lions being the “new Eagles” as they have become the playoff team that Tampa Bay often faced but could never quite figure out, much like the Eagles teams of the early-aughts were the Achilles heel of those Bucs squads. That is until they weren’t. And if this Bucs team was fully healthy, I genuinely think I would have seen a path to victory. But the injuries on the defensive side of the ball are more than worrisome.

Without Calijah Kancey I have major concerns about how effective the Bucs’ pass rush will be against a formidable Lions offensive line. And head coach Todd Bowles can make the potentially necessary, and predictable, decision to send the house to compensate. But Lions quarterback Jared Goff has shown he throughout his career that he can play well in the face of a blitz and often times has made defenses pay for trying to send extra defenders after him. Perhaps no other quarterback embodies the boom-or-bust nature of biting-outcomes than Goff.

And with a banged-up secondary that could feature a heavy dose of undrafted free agent Tyrek Funderburk, who has played all of 16 preseason snaps in the NFL and no Antoine Winfield Jr. to try and turn the tide with highlight reel turnovers it will be a tall task for the Bucs defense to keep an impressive Detroit offense, that is starting to unlock yet another weapon in Jameson Williams, in check.

If there is any hope for Tampa Bay, it is in their offense. Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen is going to have to have another impressive gameplan to win a track meet and the run game is going to have to be a bigger first-half contributor to keep the ball out of Detroit’s hands. And backup tackle Justin Skule is going to have to have the game of his life against Lions star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Otherwise, the Lions will continue to show Eagles-like problems for this version of the Bucs.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Lions 28, Bucs 27
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 1-0

Adam Slivon: Lions Take Advantage Of Wounded Bucs’ Prey, Win At Home

The Bucs head back to the Motor City in Week 2 looking to exact revenge on a Lions team that has built a solid foundation for lasting success over the past couple of seasons. With a revved-up offense led by Jared Goff, they have two talented running backs in David Montgomery and Jahymr Gibbs, one of the best wide receivers in the game in Amon-Ra St. Brown, and a talented young tight end in Sam LaPorta.

Detroit will be hosting a Tampa Bay squad that has already been beaten and battered by injuries a week into the regular season, especially on the defensive side of the football. Without All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and two cornerbacks (Bryce Hall and Josh Hayes) this week, and with the statuses of Zyon McCollum and Tykee Smith up in the air, the Lions offense is set up for success on their home turf. 

What will be critical for the Bucs this week is that their offense can keep up. After Baker Mayfield had a big, award-winning Week 1, he will need to lead the charge again this week in getting the ball to his own weapons. The Lions secondary has a lot more talent than the Commanders did last week, and Mike Evans will be covered by his longtime teammate Carlton Davis III. That may set up Chris Godwin to have another big game, but both of them will need to repeat their Week 1 performances – and then some. Without Luke Goedeke, the run game has another tough test to get going. Aidan Hutchinson may take Justin Skule to “school,” and Liam Coen will need to game plan his offense around protecting Mayfield and creating sustained holes for Rachaad White and Bucky Irving to hit.

It was primed to be a big early-season challenge even before all of the Bucs’ injuries, but being without some key players will be too much to overcome. After finishing 0-2 against the Lions last year, Tampa Bay is licking too many wounds and the Lions are set up to pounce again and win at home.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Lions 27, Bucs 20
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 1-0