Tampa Bay 16
Detroit 23
 

SCORING

Tampa Bay 16

Detroit 23

	Final 1 2 3 4 T  Buccaneers 0 7 0 9 16  Lions 10 3 3 7 23

October 21, 2007	Ford Field-Attendance: 60,442 (65,000)	Time: 3:01

Scoring Summary

FIRST QUARTER

TB

DET

DET	FG	9:53	Jason Hanson 34 yard field goal attempt is good.	0	3
DET	TD	2:51	Kevin Jones rush to the right for 1 yard for a touchdown.	0	9
DET	PAT	2:51	Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.	0	10

SECOND QUARTER

TB

DET

TB	TD	12:48	Jeff Garcia pass completion to the right to Ike Hilliard for 5 yards for a touchdown.	6	10
TB	PAT	12:48	Matt Bryant extra point attempt is good.	7	10
DET	FG	0:05	Jason Hanson 42 yard field goal attempt is good.	7	13

THIRD QUARTER

TB

DET

DET

FG

4:17

Jason Hanson 32 yard field goal attempt is good.

7

16

FOURTH QUARTER

TB

DET

DET	TD	6:28	Calvin Johnson rush to the right for 32 yards for a touchdown.	7	22
DET	PAT	6:28	Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.	7	23
TB	TD	2:03	Jeff Garcia pass completion to the middle to Maurice Stovall for 4 yards for a touchdown.	13	23
TB	2PT	2:03	Jeff Garcia 2-pt conversion pass attempt failed.	13	23
TB	FG	1:09	Matt Bryant 48 yard field goal attempt is good.	16	23

Statistics

Tampa Bay Passing   C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT  J. Garcia 37/45 316 7 2 0  Team 37/45 316 7 2 0  Detroit Passing   C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT  J. Kitna 16/20 147 7.4 0 0  Team 16/20 147 7.4 0 0  Tampa Bay Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD LG  E. Graham 19 92 4.8 0 14  J. Garcia 6 10 1.7 0 7  M. Bennett 3 22 7.3 0 18  Z. Crockett 1 0 0.0 0 0  Team 29 124 4.3 0 18  Detroit Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD LG  K. Jones 15 76 5.1 1 17  J. Kitna 4 9 2.3 0 9  T. Duckett 4 30 7.5 0 12  C. Johnson 1 32 32.0 1 32  Team 24 147 6.1 2 32  Tampa Bay Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD LG  E. Graham 13 99 7.6 0 15  I. Hilliard 9 92 10.2 1 38  J. Galloway 5 46 9.2 0 16  J. Stevens 4 19 4.8 0 8  B. Askew 4 36 9.0 0 11  M. Clayton 1 20 20.0 0 20  M. Stovall 1 4 4.0 1 4  Team 37/45 316 7 2 0  Detroit Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD LG  K. Jones 6 34 5.7 0 14  R. Williams 3 23 7.7 0 9  C. Johnson 2 37 18.5 0 19  M. Furrey 2 24 12.0 0 18  S. McDonald 2 17 8.5 0 17  C. FitzSimmons 1 12 12.0 0 12  Team 16/20 147 7.4 0 0  Tampa Bay Tackles   TKL SOL AST SK-YD  D. Brooks 8 6 2 0-0  J. Phillips 7 6 1 0-0  P. Buchanon 3 3 0 0-0  K. Carter 4 3 1 0.5-2  B. Ruud 4 2 2 0-0  R. Barber 3 2 1 0-0  J. Haye 4 2 2 1-3  T. Jackson 2 2 0 0-0  S. Davis 2 2 0 0-0  T. Cox 2 2 0 0-0  J. Garcia 2 2 0 0-0  C. June 1 1 0 0-0  W. Allen 1 1 0 0-0  J. Trotter 1 1 0 0-0  G. Spires 1 1 0 0-0  G. White 1 1 0 1-9  E. Graham 1 1 0 0-0  Q. Black 2 0 2 0-0  C. Hovan 5 0 5 0.5-2  Team 54 38 16 3-16  Detroit Tackles   TKL SOL AST SK-YD  T. Fisher 9 8 1 0-0  E. Sims 13 8 5 0-0  D. White 8 7 1 3-18  P. Lenon 9 6 3 0-0  K. Kennedy 6 5 1 0-0  F. Bryant 5 4 1 0-0  G. Alexander 5 4 1 0-0  A. Lewis 5 3 2 0-0  K. Edwards 3 3 0 0-0  L. Moore 3 3 0 0-0  B. Bailey 3 3 0 0-0  R. Robinson 2 2 0 0-0  S. Rogers 2 1 1 0-0  T. Lehman 2 1 1 0-0  T. Beckham 1 1 0 0-0  C. Redding 1 1 0 0-0  K. Smith 1 1 0 0-0  I. Bashir 1 0 1 0-0  Team 79 61 18 3-18  Tampa Bay Interceptions   INT YDS AVG LG TD  Team 0 0 0  Detroit Interceptions   INT YDS AVG LG TD  Team 0 0 0  Tampa Bay Punting   TOT YDS AVG -20  J. Bidwell 1 47 47 0  Team 2 47 23.5 0  Detroit Punting   TOT YDS AVG -20  N. Harris 2 92 46 0  Team 2 92 46.0 0  Tampa Bay Punt Returns   TOT YDS AVG LG TD  P. Buchanon 1 6 6 6 0  I. Hilliard 1 2 2 2 0  Team 2 8 4 6 0  Detroit Punt Returns   TOT YDS AVG LG TD  Team 0 0 0  Tampa Bay Kickoff Returns   TOT YDS AVG LG TD  T. Cox 1 27 27 27 0  M. Jones 2 44 22 26 0  Team 3 71 23.7 27 0  Detroit Kickoff Returns   TOT YDS AVG LG TD  T. Walters 2 45 22.5 27 0  Team 2 45 22.5 27 0  Tampa Bay Fumbles   FUM LOST REC YDS  J. Garcia 2 2 0 -10  Team 2 2 0 -10  Detroit Fumbles   FUM LOST REC YDS  S. Rogers 1 0 1 0  Team 1 0 1 0  Tampa Bay Missed Field Goals   YDS/MFG  M. Bryant 40  Detroit Missed Field Goals   YDS/MFG  NONE        -

Team Stat Comparison

	TB	DET
1st Downs	27	17
3rd down efficiency	8-14	3-8
4th down efficiency	1-1	0-0
Total Yards	422	278
Passing	298	131
Comp-Att	37-45	16-20
Yards per pass	6.2	5.7
Rushing	124	147
Rushing Attempts	29	24
Yards per rush	4.3	6.1
Penalties	7-60	4-23
Sacks against	3-18	3-16
Turnovers	2	0
Fumbles-lost	2-2	1-0
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Possession	35:50	24:10

RECAP: A snap slipped through Jeff Garcia's hands, and a handoff ended up on the turf. The Detroit Lions took advantage of both uncharacteristic miscues with touchdowns to beat their former quarterback and another NFC team with a winning record. Calvin Johnson scored on a 32-yard run midway through the fourth quarter after Garcia's second fumble, and the spectacular play proved to be the difference in a 23-16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. ''We were our own worst enemy at crucial times,'' said Garcia, who hadn't turned the ball over in his first six games with the Bucs. ''That's disappointing because in a game like this, it definitely came back to haunt us.'' The Lions used to hurt their chances with untimely mistakes, but seem to be turning things around in Rod Marinelli's second year as coach and Matt Millen's seventh season as an executive. Detroit (4-2) pulled within a game of idle Green Bay in the NFC North, improving to 3-0 at home. ''We have the pieces to win,'' said quarterback Jon Kitna, who said he would be disappointed if the Lions didn't win at least 10 games. ''We just had to put it altogether.'' Against the Bucs, the Lions did. Detroit ran the ball effectively and threw it efficiently. Defensively, a bend-but-don't-break defense worked well. Jason Hanson rounded out the all-around performance by making all three of his field goals. The players passed the credit to Marinelli, giving him the game ball after he led them to a win against the team he spent a decade with as an assistant. ''He was quiet,'' said defensive end Dewayne White, a former Buc, who handed the game ball to Marinelli. ''He accepted it, and said 'Thank you.''' Marinelli downplayed his emotions about playing the Bucs, who gave him his first NFL job in 1996. ''Honestly, my only focus is getting the franchise turned around,'' he said. ''That's what I'm locked in on.'' Tampa Bay (4-3) lost a chance to move past idle Carolina in the NFC South, drawing the ire of Ike Hilliard. ''There's not a team that's established itself as the team to beat in the NFC,'' Hilliard said. ''We dropped the ball on this one.'' In fact, Garcia dropped two. Garcia, who played in Detroit for one forgettable season two years ago, botched a handoff in Detroit territory in the first quarter. He also mishandled a snap on a first-and-goal when the Bucs were a yard away from pulling within two points early in the fourth. ''Those were two critical errors on my behalf that hurt,'' Garcia said. Capping a 93-yard drive, Johnson broke a few tackles on an end-around to give the Lions a 23-7 lead with 6:28 left. ''That's why he was drafted No. 2 overall,'' Kitna said. ''He stiff-armed one of the best linebackers in the league (Cato June); made another guy (Tanard Jackson) miss; and then dragged one of the NFL's leading tacklers (Barrett Ruud) into the end zone.'' But the Bucs hung around. Garcia connected with Maurice Stovall on a 4-yard pass, then after the 2-point conversion failed, Tampa Bay got the ball back on a unique onside kick. The Bucs bunched up near the hash marks and Matt Bryant's low kick ricocheted off Jared DeVries, and Torrie Cox recovered it. Bryant's 48-yard kick with 1:04 to go pulled Tampa Bay within seven, but its rally ended when Casey FitzSimmons recovered an onside kick. ''I'm proud of the team with the way they competed until the end of the game,'' Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. Garcia finished 37-of-45 for a season-high 316 yards with two TDs and kept his streak alive without an interception, dating to last season when he was playing for Philadelphia. Kevin Jones, getting his first start of the season, ran for 76 yards and a TD after Garcia's first fumble. Kitna was 16-of-20 for 147 yards without a score or a turnover. His chances to make plays were limited by Tampa Bay's methodical offense. Garcia completed 18 straight passes in the first half, setting a franchise record for consecutive completions in a game, and running back Earnest Graham had career highs with 99 yards receiving and 92 yards rushing. He has thrown 270 passes without an interception, including attempts in the postseason last season for the Eagles, for the longest active streak. Notes: Overturned calls helped both QBs in the first quarter, negating fumbles, including Kitna's that was returned for a score. ... The last time the Lions started 4-2 was 2004, when they finished with six wins - the most since Millen took control of the franchise. ... Garcia broke Steve DeBerg's franchise record for consecutive completions in a game, and tied the mark Brad Johnson set spanning two games Scott's Game Commentary: It sure was an ugly win, but that has been how the Lions win games this season. Once again, it was the other team making the miscues and blunders the honolulu blue and silver have been making throughout the years. Jeff Garcia had two costly miscues - both which resulted in touchdowns. The Defense had no answer for Garcia's dump passes, but they only gave up seven points until Tampa got 10 mop up points late in the game. The Offense once again struggled but it was good to see Kevin Jones make regular contributions. The Lions had to run the ball more and they did just that. This was a game they had to win heading into Soldier Field next week where they have been blown out the past two years. Although every one of their wins this year has been ugly, the bottom line is the Lions are 4-2 like they were a few years ago. Hopefully this time around they don't fall apart. Grades: Offense: --- B-. The Offense has been disappointing given all the pre season hype for them. Kitna had a quiet day but at least he didn't throw any interceptions. The Offensive Line did a better job and it was great to see Kevin Jones heavily contributing to the Offense. If he can get back to where he was before he broke his foot, the Offense is going to be in great shape. Roy Williams had another quiet game and has been non-existant the past two games. Calvin Johnson's 32 yard touchdown run was the icing on the cake and showed why he is going to be one special player for the Lions for years to come. Defense: --- B-. The Defense gave up over 400 yards but held their own thanks to Garcia and all the miscues. If it was not for the Bucs blunders, the Defense would have cost the Lions the game. But, Dwayne White - playing against his old team, had three sacks and was a force to be wrecken with. The Defense played a bend but don't break game and waited for the Bucs to make the miscues. It worked this week, but they better figure out how to stop the dump pass or else. Special Teams: --- B. Hanson made all his field goals.Coverage was good for the most part although the return game is nothing like it was in years past. Coaching: --- B. The Calvin Johnson run was a great call and it was great to see the Offense run the ball more. Overall: --- B. It might not have been the prettiest game but the Lions won. At 4-2, they have a great chance at turning the page but first things first - a visit to Soldier Field against the Bears. Although I have attended the last three, I decided to pass on the game this year. The last two were two of the worst experiences i've ever had at a football game and I have a bad feeling it may get ugly again. Until the Lions can gain some consistency on the road, they will never get over the hump. A win against Chicago would go a long way of doing that, but don't count on it. Click HERE to go back to my LIONS page!!