Did the Lions Win Last Night? Score, Highlights & Playoff Impact

Detroit Lions fans asking “Did the Lions win?” got the answer they wanted on Monday night, as Detroit powered past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-9 at Ford Field. First Monday Night Win Since 2023 Detroit (5-2) snapped a two-game skid and stayed atop the NFC North by dominating both sides of the ball. Tampa Bay (5-2) never found the end zone, settling for three Chase McLaughlin field goals. Jahmyr Gibbs’ Breakout Night • 218 total yards (140 rushing, 78 receiving) • 2 touchdowns, including a career-long 78-yard dash that put Detroit up 14-0 late in the second quarter. The rookie back consistently gashed a Bucs defense that entered the week ranked fourth against the run. Defense Slams the Door Aaron Glenn’s unit limited Baker Mayfield to 192 passing yards and picked him off twice. Aidan Hutchinson registered 1.5 sacks while rookie corner Ennis Rakestraw Jr. iced the game with a late fourth-quarter interception. Key Turning Point With 0:59 left in the first half and Detroit leading 7-3, Gibbs took an inside zone handoff, cut left behind Frank Ragnow, and outran everyone for 78 yards. The play flipped momentum, forced Tampa to abandon the run, and the Lions never looked back. Stat Box • Total Yards: DET 379, TB 251 • Third-Down Efficiency: DET 7-14, TB 3-12 • Time of Possession: DET 33:18, TB 26:42 • Turnovers: DET 0, TB 2 What the Win Means The Lions hold the NFC’s No. 2 seed behind Philadelphia and own the conference’s best point differential (+62). Dan Campbell’s group also proved it can respond after losses, a trait Detroit lacked in past seasons. Quote of the Night “Felt like the whole city was running with me on that 78-yarder,” Gibbs said. “We’re built to finish, and that’s what we did tonight.” What’s Next Detroit visits the Chicago Bears in Week 8, aiming for its first 6-2 start since 2014. Tampa Bay heads home to host the surging Atlanta Falcons. So, did the Lions win? Absolutely—and in convincing fashion.