The Detroit Lions shut down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7’s NFC heavyweight clash. The Bucs came into the Monday Night Football showdown on a roll. Tampa Bay had scored at least 30 points and racked up at least 352 total yards of offense in back-to-back wins. But the Lions’ defense dominated, holding Baker Mayfield and company to nine points on 251 total yards.
Detroit’s 24-9 win is even more impressive given the team’s banged up secondary. The 5-2 Lions were missing four starters in Week 7. And Dan Campbell expects the team to improve as it gets closer to full strength.
“Good news is, we're gonna get a lot of players back… that's encouraging. While we're only getting better and better, we're gonna get some of our players back, too,” Campbell said, per The Detroit News’ Nolan Bianchi.
Dan Campbell expect Lions to improve when injured DBs return
While the Lions were missing multiple starters against the Buccaneers, Detroit got a key defender back Monday. Alim McNeill was activated from IR and made his 2025 debut in Week 7. The veteran DT suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 15 last year.
McNeill’s presence on the interior of the line should help the Lions better contain the run while opening up additional pass rushing opportunities for DE Aidan Hutchinson.
Marcus Davenport’s eventual return will also give the D-line a boost. Davenport landed on IR with a pectoral strain prior to Week 3. The veteran defensive end will likely rejoin the team after the Lions’ Week 8 bye.
However, Detroit was thinnest at defensive back in Monday's matchup. Safeties Kerby Joseph and Brain Branch both sat in Week 7 against the Bucs. While Kerby has a knee injury, Branch’s absence was self-inflicted.
The Pro Bowler got into a brawl with JuJu Smith-Schuster after a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The melee led to a one-game ban. Branch’s Week 7 suspension was upheld after he appealed.
The Lions’ top two cornerbacks were also sidelined Monday. Terrion Arnold has been out since injuring his shoulder in Week 4. Arnold did return to practice recently. The former first-rounder should rejoin the Lions for Week 9’s divisional clash with the Minnesota Vikings.
D.J. Reed landed on Injured Reserve after Week 4 with a hamstring strain. The Lions’ free agent addition is first eligible to be activated in Week 10 when Detroit plays the Commanders in Washington.
