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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6). Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Who Holds Edge in Lions-Buccaneers Matchup?

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By Christian Booher | Last updated Oct 19, 2025 2:33 PM ET

The Detroit Lions are looking to rebound from a loss on Sunday with another primetime showdown.

This time, the Lions will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in what should be a raucous environment at Ford Field. These two teams are considered among the top contenders in the NFC, and as a result this game should be a tight one. Both teams will be nursing significant injuries, though, and the advantages could come in the margins.

Here’s a breakdown of how the Buccaneers and Lions match up in Monday’s game, as well as analysis on who holds the edge.

Lions’ offense vs. Buccaneers’ defense

The Lions regressed somewhat last week against the Chiefs, though it wasn’t of a lack of effort or poor performance necessarily. Jared Goff was pretty efficient, completing over 75 percent of his passes yet again.

However, small things like a fourth down drop from wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown hindered them from gaining further momentum. Ultimately, the Lions should still feel good about where they stand on offense.

Jameson Williams was a bigger part of the offense after a couple of quiet games, and his presence could certainly stretch the Buccaneers’ defense. Tampa Bay has its share of playmakers defensively, though, and this will be another good test particularly for Detroit’s interior offensive line.

Battling with Vita Vea will be a good test for Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge, depending on which gaps he’s attacking. Safety Antoine Winfield also plays a big role, and the team has a strong linebacking corps.

This won’t be an easy one for Detroit’s offense, but ultimately their firepower should allow them to move the ball consistently. The key will be for the team to not have self-inflicted mistakes, as those doomed them against the Chiefs.

Edge: Lions

Buccaneers’ offense vs. Lions’ defense

Injuries put this specific matchup in a unique spot. Tampa Bay has endured injuries to its top four wide receivers, though All-Pro Mike Evans returned to practice Thursday and could be lined up to play Monday if everything progresses well.

Evans and rookie Emeka Egbuka could be active despite dealing with injuries, which could be difficult to manage for Detroit's banged up secondary. However, Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving and wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. were both ruled out.

Detroit’s defense has had no shortage of injuries as well. Namely, both D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold are currently sidelined, with Reed being on injured reserve. Additionally, both Brian Branch (suspension) and Kerby Joseph (knee) will be out.

On the bright side, defensive tackle Alim McNeill is questionable but lined up to play for the first time this season. His presence alone would bring a spark, and he's a multidimensional talent for the defense with his ability to stifle the run and rush the passer.

Thanks to quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers were able to beat the previously 4-1 49ers even without their top wideouts. With Detroit having a patchwork secondary that added another piece in Jammie Robinson earlier in the week, Mayfield could thrive by taking chances.

Edge: Buccaneers

Quarterbacks

Goff and Mayfield are two quarterbacks who have been linked due to their trajectories for much of the last three seasons, specifically. Both are former top picks, both were cast aside by teams of their past and now both have starred in their new locations. For Goff, the trade from Los Angeles to Detroit has been a catalyst in his career revival. For Mayfield, there were more stops along the way but the same end result in Tampa Bay.

Both play different styles, with Goff being a surgical pocket passer and Mayfield taking more chances as a runner. Despite the differences in their games, both have been exactly what their team has needed them to be.

Mayfield can be more mistake prone, while Goff is at his best in a clean pocket. THey’ll both face strong pass rushes in Monday’s game, and the quarterback that doesn’t make the mistake is the one who will emerge victorious.

Edge: Even

Special teams

Both the Lions and the Buccaneers have reliable kicking options, with Chase McLaughlin handling these duties for Tampa Bay and Jake Bates for Detroit. Riley Dixon and Jack Fox are also both well-experienced punters for their respective teams. McLaughlin has already proven to be very clutch, as he’s drilled multiple game-winners at the horn for Tampa Bay.

In the return game, the Lions seem to be on the verge of breaking a big return. When it comes to kickoffs, Jacob Saylors has shown some natural ability and had multiple strong runbacks. Kalif Raymond has already returned one punt for a score, and has come close to breaking multiple others. If Sione Vaki is able to return, he will also give the team a boost. Meanwhile, Kameron Johnson has done most of the work on both kicks and punts for the Buccaneers.

Detroit gets the overall edge on special teams because of their ability to cover on kicks, as the coverage teams have been solid for most of the season.

Edge: Lions

Coaching

Dan Campbell and Todd Bowles’ matchup offers a clash in styles. Both rose up the ranks in different ways, Campbell on the offensive side and Bowles on defense. As a result, both of their teams embody the creativity learned by their head coaches in their respective areas of expertise.

For Campbell and offensive coordinator John Morton, the key will be to establish the run efficiently against Tampa Bay’s stout front. An unexpected advantage in this area could be current Lions’ defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, who came to Detroit this offseason after several years working with Bowles and the Buccaneers in the same capacity.

Tampa Bay’s offense will be working against a beat up Lions’ secondary, but coordinator Kelvin Sheppard could make things difficult for Mayfield with well-designed pass-rush schemes. Detroit had chances to get to Mahomes last week, but his escapability proved to be a problem. Mayfield has a similar element of his game, and thus Detroit will be challenged again.

Ultimately, Campbell has held serve against Tampa Bay in two of their three meetings in his tenure as head coach. The team has had strong offensive plans for Bowles’ defense, save for last season when red zone struggles doomed them. Campbell has had the answers in the past, and gets the advantage this time around in a primetime environment that he will certainly have his players motivated for.

Edge: Lions

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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