The Detroit Lions will be looking to get back in the win column on Monday Night Football. The Lions still licking their wounds after losing 30-17 against the Chiefs last week. But they don't have time to feel sorry for themselves, as one of the NFC's best teams comes to town in Week 7.
Buccaneers vs. Lions has become a great rivalry over the past few seasons. Detroit won the first round, beating Tampa in the playoffs back in 2023. But then Tampa Bay got revenge in Week 2 of the 2024 season, handing Detroit one of their two regular-season loses.
And the Lions will be treating it like a rivalry game.
Detroit will be wearing their color rush uniforms for Monday Night Football, which always makes the crowd a little bit louder.
But which team will come out on top? And could this be a preview of this year's NFC Championship Game?
Below we will explore three bold predictions ahead of the Lions' important Monday Night Football game against the Buccaneers.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)*
Sonic and Knuckles pound Buccaneers defense for 200+ yards
The dynamic duo of Sonic and Knuckles did not play very well in Week 6.
Gibbs could not shake loose in the runnin game, only managed 65 rushing yards on 17 attempts. He added only one reception for two yards in the receiving game.
Meanwhile, Montgomery only had four carries for 24 rushing yards. He also had a beautiful touchdown pass to Jared Goff, but it was called back on a penalty.
It should be no surprise that the Lions lost against the Chiefs as a result.
I am 100% certain that the Lions will focus on establishing their running game against the Buccaneers on Monday night.
But that could be difficult against a stout Buccaneers run defense unit.
Tampa Bay ranks among the best defenses in the NFL when it comes to stopping the run. They've allowed 88.2 rushing yards per game at 3.7 yards per carry.
That could spell some problems for Detroit. But perhaps the Lions have learned from their last game against the Buccaneers where Goff threw the ball 55 times.
Either way, I am predicting that Detroit's dynamic duo will combine for over 200 all-purpose yards against Tampa Bay.
But how bold is that? How often has that happened over the past few years?
This has happened fives times dating back to 2024, with the most recent being Detroit's huge win against Baltimore in Week 3.
Detroit unleashes Isaac TeSlaa on Monday Night Football
Detroit's rookie receiver has made a name for himself for his circus catches. The first two catches of TeSlaa's career were acrobatic one-handed receptions.
Unfortunately, that's about all that the rookie has added to the Lions' offense.
TeSlaa only has three receptions for 54 yards and two touchdowns to start his career. He is being used as a tertiary weapon, at best, in Detroit's star-studded offense.
But Lions fans should not worry about him. TeSlaa has already already earned the trust of Detroit's front office.
The TeSlaa selection was controversial around draft time after the unheralded player went in the third round. However, that did not stop Lions GM Brad Holmes from calling TeSlaa his favorite receiver of the draft.
“The pick that was probably the most questioned, I would say, was Isaac TeSlaa. I can say that he was my favorite wide receiver in this draft,” Holmes said, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “I’m not saying he was the best wide receiver in the draft. But favorite wide receiver in the draft? Yes.”
As for this game, what does “unleashed” mean for a player with only three catches on the season?
I believe that Detroit will prioritize getting TeSlaa additional targets against Tampa Bay.
I'm predicting that the Lions will give TeSlaa at least five targets on Monday Night Football. That would match all of the targets he's received up until this point.
If TeSlaa does get five targets, I imagine he'll score at least one touchdown.
Lions allow 300+ passing yards to Baker Mayfield, still win game
The Lions are dealing with several defensive injuries, most of which are in their secondary.
Both Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed are out with serious injuries. Detroit was also without backup Avonte Maddox in Week 6. It should be no surprise that Patrick Mahomes shredded the Lions last week.
To make matters worse, Brian Branch is out for one game with a suspension after striking JuJu Smith-Schuster in Week 6.
All of this comes at the worst possible time, as the Lions go up against the mighty Baker Mayfield.
Baker is playing like a league MVP right now. He has 1,539 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and only one interception through six games.
I am confident that Mayfield will have a great game, even if Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin do not play.
I'm predicting that Mayfield will throw for over 300 passing yards for the second time this season. However, I also think the Lions will force Baker to make one critical mistake that could shift the balance in their favor.
The Lions win an incredibly close game against the Buccaneers by one score.
