By Darryl Harding Sr
Waking up to below freezing weather to go to work is something that seems normal to somebody who lives in Detroit. The mundane drudgery of clearing off your car and sludging about your day is nothing but ordinary.
Today may have seemed a little different though because today, Detroit’s beloved Lions were waking up to go to work hosting a divisional playoff game versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Two previously number one drafted quarterbacks, who had their shots coming back to show that their past shortcomings do not define their careers.
Despite Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay’s quarterback, having an outstanding game and throwing for 349 yards and three touchdowns, the two interceptions that went along with it would prove to be fatal. Mike Evans’s 147 reception yards could not muster up enough to conquer Detroit’s Motown Mojo.
“I got a lot of really really outstanding people around me…” said Lion’s coach Dan Campbell, “it takes a village.” Jared Goff, Detroit’s new favorite son, threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns but it was the ground and pound with the dual threat of Jamaica Gibbs and David Montgomery, combining for over 100 yards, that kept them in this game and eventually victorious 31-23.
With two interceptions, in the end, it was Detroit’s defense amassing four sacks, that would seal the deal and Tampa Bay would learn a hard lesson that Detroit starts with a D. Looking forward to bringing that hard nose, blue collar, gritty toughness from Detroit to San Francisco for the NFC Championship Game next Sunday at 6:30PM EST, Detroit aspires toward Superbowl ambitions.