OK, so I was wrong. I didn't think the Lions could beat the Bucs at their own game. But they did. Jon Kitna played conservatively, not completing a pass over 20 yards. They ran it 24 times for 147 yards, including 76 yards, 5.1 yards a carry, and a touchdown for Kevin Jones. And the defense stepped up with timely turnovers. It was anti-Martz football. And it won.Jeff Garcia, returning to Detroit for the first time since taking no responsibility for anything bad, completed 82.2% of his 45 pass attempts for two touchdowns, showing some Brady-esque precision. But Tom Brady actually produces points and doesn't typically fumble twice, as Garcia did, both of which led to Lions touchdowns. Both teams also had fumbles overturned, one of which would have given the Bucs another touchdown on the return.
But the most exciting play of the game might have come early, as Shaun Rogers and Jeremy Trueblood got into what some might call a "tussle." The second: Calvin Johnson's 32-yard touchdown on an end-around, where he made Cato June, Tanard Jackson, and Barrett Ruud his prags. Get on it, Tubers.
This was undoubtedly the most convincing win of the Lions' season. They played outside of their comfort level and won convincingly. They showed the ability to do things playoff teams do. And they're -- gasp -- 4-2, close to taking over the NFC North.
