Week 1-Detroit Lions 27 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-September 11,2011

[Colts01]

1pm ET
Line-Tampa Bay -2

Weather-http://www.weather.com/weather/today/USFL0481

*Lions lead all-time series 28-25

*-Tampa Bay has won 5 out of the last 7 meetings since 2001 with the Lions winning last year
23-20.
*Detroit and Tampa Bay were both residents of the NFC Central from 1977-2001, before the current four-division format was instituted.


TAMPA, Fla. -- Matthew Stafford threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns Sunday to help the Detroit Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-20 for their fifth consecutive victory dating to the final month of the 2010 season.


Stafford completed 24 of 33 passes, including TD throws of 36 and 1 yards to Calvin Johnson and 11 yards to Tony Scheffler. The only interception he threw glanced off the hands of intended receiver Will Heller and was returned 28 yards by Aqib Talib for the only touchdown Tampa Bay managed until Josh Freeman threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Mike Williams with less than two minutes to go.


Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

[FessJL0861]

This is the matchup of two teams that may be Superbowl contenders in 3 years. I like Tampa in a shootout.

[ReaderM]

Buc just got outplayed today Plain and Simple. The offense couldn't get anything moving and the defense got gashed. The final score doesn't indicate how much in control the Lions were this game. Lions fans should have hope for the year.As for Bucs fan, let's hope they rebound next week against Vikings

[darvon]

Lions were in control first half. Second half Bucs were hanging around waay too much. And Lions D looked a little gassed in the 4th.

[ReaderM]

And Lions D looked a little gassed in the 4th.

It's was the Tampa Heat getting to them which is why I wished Bucs had gone hurry up from the start. Everyone seemed to know the Heat was going to be factor in the game from the beginning except for the Buc Coaches it seems

[Colts01]

I have to admit when Stafford had the leg cramp in the 4th I was like Noooooooooooo...

[GoBigOrGoHome]

Little known trick for Florida teams: opt to wear your white uniforms as the home team in September so as to make your northern/indoor (or both in this case) opponents wear their their non-whites in the wicked heat/humidity of the Sunshine State (dark colors absorb more heat). Bastards.

[RSConn5]

I picked Stafford as my starter in ALL of my fantasy leagues. Through week 1, so far so good.

[FessJL0861]

Lions fans should be happy. Bucs fans shouldn't be depressed either. They could have been blown out the way they played at times, but stayed in it.