It came down to the wire again, but the Detroit Lions came up with clutch plays again on Sunday to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 in the Divisional Round. Linebacker Derrick Barnes clinched the victory with an interception with less than two minutes to go.
Checkmate. pic.twitter.com/LiU8y34CwG
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) January 21, 2024
Quarterback Jared Goff went 11-for-12 for 141 yards with a touchdown in the fourth quarter on Sunday. Via ESPN's Eric Woodyard, that is tied for the third-best fourth quarter completion rate in a playoff game since 2000. Overall, Goff went 30-for-43 for 287 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 103.5 passer rating.
Running back Jahmyr Gibbs had 115 total yards and a fourth quarter rushing touchdown. Tighr end Sam LaPorta had nine catches for 65 yards, and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had what proved to be the game-winning touchdown among his eight catches for 77 yards.
On the defensive side, the Lions sacked Baker Mayfield four times and hit him eight times, including 1.5 sacks from late-season breakout star safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. C.J. Gardner-Johnson had an interception early in the game.
How many conference championship games have the Lions been in?
The Lions are headed for their second NFC Championship Game. They previously went to the conference title game in 1991, a 41-10 loss on the road to the Washington Redskins.
When and where is the NFC Championship game?
The San Francisco 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers in their Divisional Round game Saturday night, so the Lions will travel to take on the NFC's No. 1 seed in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday night. The 49ers, on the other hand, are headed for their NFL record 19th conference championship game and they have made the NFC title game in four of the last five years.
The 2024 NFC Championship game will be on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. ET., at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The game will air on FOX.