For the second time in nine months, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers battled to the bitter end against the Detroit Lions in Ford's Field but this time they were able to escape the Lions' den with the an uplifting victory.

The Buccaneers won, 20-16 scoring the game-winning points in the third quarter on a rousing, 11-yard tackle-breaking designed run by QB Baker Mayfield, who had scrambled for a first down on the previous play. The Lions had taken their only lead of game on a David Montgomery touchdown run on the previous drive but the Bucs answered with a 70-yard drive that proved to be the end of the scoring. Mayfield also hit WR Chris Godwin on a 41-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline in the second quarter after Chase McLaughlin had nailed field goals of 30 and 55 yards on the Bucs' first two possessions.

The Buccaneers improved to 2-0 with the win and are in a tie for first in the NFC South with the New Orleans Saints, who beat Dallas on Sunday. The Buccaneers were also 2-0 last season but then lost seven of their next nine, forcing them to finish the season on a hot streak in order to win a third straight division title.

"We showed a lot of heart," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "That's a great team over there. We know they're a great team. They were a little undermanned, we were a little undermanned. It's a good win but it's 2-0. We won the first two games last year and you see what happened after that."

The outcome was far more satisfying for the visiting team than its last visit in January, a loss that knocked the Bucs out of the playoffs and sent Detroit to the NFC Championship Game. In that one, the two teams took a 17-17 tie into the fourth quarter before the Lions pulled away for a 31-23 win. This time, safeties Christian Izien and Jordan Whitehead stopped RB Jahmyr Gibbs at the Bucs' six-yard line three yards short on a fourth-and-eight with just over a minute left. After the Lions used all their timeouts to force a punt and get one more crack at it, CB Zyon McCollum broke up a pass on third down deep in Bucs territory and OLB Yaya Diaby pressured Goff into an incompletion on fourth down.

"Last year, they made more plays than we did," said Bowles. "This time, we made enough plays to win the game."

Izien also intercepted Goff at the Bucs' nine-yard line midway through the fourth quarter to end another scoring threat. McCollum had intercepted Goff on Detroit's first play of the game, and he finished with four passes defensed. Whitehead collected 11 tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed while Izien had nine tackles and two passes defensed.

Despite missing several key starters, Tampa Bay's defense held up strong against one of the NFL's most explosive offenses, keeping Detroit out of the end zone until late in the third quarter. DL Calijah Kancey (calf) and All-Pro S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) were inactive and DL Vita Vea was lost to a knee injury just after halftime. Izien, who filled in at outside corner in Week One after a rash of injuries at that spot, manned the free safety position against the Lions.

"For starters, having a bunch of guys out and a lot of guys stepping up in a huge way, and for it to come down to critical moments in a really tight ballgame and everybody stepping up is so big for everybody on this team," said Mayfield. "We stick together and obviously had a better outcome than the last time we were here. It's a new season, there are a lot of games left but for us, building chemistry, building resiliency, the culture we want, this is a huge win for us."

Both quarterbacks were sharp for most of the afternoon but the difference in the game almost ended up being the protection they were afforded. Goff was rarely pressured until the Bucs turned up the heat in the fourth quarter, and the Bucs defense did not record a sack. Mayfield was sacked five times – all of them by Pro Bowl DL Aidan Hutchinson – and frequently forced to throw on the run. Mayfield did manage to escape collapsing pockets a handful of times, running five times for 34 yards and an 11-yard touchdown in the third quarter that gave the Bucs a 20-16 lead.

In addition to leading the Bucs in rushing, Mayfield completed 12 of 19 passes for 185 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His favorite target was Godwin, who caught seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half. Mayfield, who threw for four touchdowns and nearly 400 yards in a Week One win over Washington, likely would have produced even more if the Buccaneers could have solved the Aidan Hutchinson problem.

"Aidan Hutchinson has no off switch," said Mayfield. "He never lets up."

Goff threw 55 times, completing 34 of them for 307 yards and two interceptions for a passer rating of 61.7. Detroit finished the day with a 463-216 advantage in yardage as Montgomery and Gibbs led a 139-yard rushing attack, but the Bucs defense got the stops when they needed them.

Tampa Bay went into halftime with a 13-6 lead, though the Lions held a 201-138 yardage advantage. Each team settled for field goals on its first two scoring opportunities – including one each that reached a first-and-goal – before Mayfield broke the tie with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Godwin down the left sideline. Each quarterback was intercepted once, Goff on his first pass of the half and Mayfield on his last. The latter gave Detroit a shot to tie the game in the final minutes of the half, but a rough sequence in the last few seconds left them without any points at all. A 12-men-on-the-field flag as Goff was trying to stop the clock with a spike carried a 10-second penalty with it and the half came to an end with the ball on the Bucs' eight.

The Bucs got the ball to start the game, starting at their 30 after a touchback. Mayfield completed his first two passes to Godwin, the second one an 18-yard in-breaker over the middle. Two plays later, Mayfield went deep to WR Trey Palmer and the play drew a pass interference flag on rookie CB Terrion Arnold, putting the ball at Detroit's five. The Lions' defense kept the Bucs out of the end zone, however, with S Brian Branch breaking up a pass to Cade Otton on second down and Hutchinson sacking Mayfield on third down. Mayfield fumble on the play but T Justin Skule was able to fall on it at the 12 and McLaughlin came in to boot a 30-yard field goal.

The Lions also started at their own 30 after a touchback but their opening possession only lasted one play. McCollum snared a pass intended for Williams near midfield, giving the ball right back to the Bucs' offense at the Detroit 44.

That drive went backward into Bucs territory, however, due to a false start and another sack for Hutchinson. A screen pass to Godwin on third-and-22 nearly got a new set of downs but he was pulled down three yards short of the sticks to McLaughlin came on again and drilled a 55-yarder to double the Bucs' lead to 6-0.

Detroit's second offensive play was much better than its first, as Williams got deep on a corner route and Goff hit him in stride for a 50-yard gain down to the Bucs' 20. A roughing the passer call on a throw against OLB Yaya Diaby cut that distance in half and Montgomery got seven yards on a second-down run to make it third-and-goal at the three. An attempted out along the goal line to Williams was well-covered and out of reach. The Lions cut the lead in half on Jake Bates' 22-yard field goal.

The Bucs were back at their own 30, and two plays into the drive Mayfield somehow split two oncoming pass-rushers and was able to dash all the way to the 42 for another first down. However, after a missed shot deep to Godwin the Bucs faced a third-and-eight and Hutchinson once again flew around the corner to drop Mayfield for a loss of seven. Jake Camarda's first punt bounced to a stop at the Lions' 16.

The Lions faced a third-and-one on their next drive and Goff moved the chains with a 15-yard strike down the middle to St. Brown. Gibbs then broke through for an eight-yard run and Goff found St. Brown again on a rollout to the right sideline for a first down at the Bucs' 48. Those two hooked up again farther down the field for 16 yards on the right sideline two snaps later, then again on a crosser for six more to the 22. The latter play brought the first quarter to a close. Goff threw an outlet to Gibbs for a first down at the 18 to start the second period, but Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Yaya Diaby surrounded Gibbs on the next play for no gain. A Bucs blitz on second down forced a hurried incompletion and the Bucs were all over a third-down screen to Gibbs on third down, forcing the field goal unit onto the field. Bates tied the game with a 35-yard field goal with 13 minutes left in the half.

Two White runs were stopped for no gain at the beginning of the Bucs' next drive but Mayfield escaped a collapsing pocket and threw on the run to Godwin for a gain of 17. That scenario repeated itself two plays later and this time Godwin snagged an 11-yard pass. After using a timeout, the Mayfield hit Godwin streaking down the left sideline all alone and Godwin glided into the end zone for the 41-yard score.

Lions WR Tom Kennedy ran the ensuing kickoff back from the goal line and was flipped at the 22-yard line by CB Tavierre Thomas. Run-blitzing S Jordan Whitehead hit Montgomery in the backfield for a loss of two on first down and CB Jamel Dean closed quickly on St. Brown to break up a second-down curl. Goff tried a deep out to WR Tim Patrick on third down and got it to him but the receiver couldn't get two feet inbounds. That didn't end the drive, however, as the Lions pulled off a fake punt with P Jack Fox lobbing the ball down the middle to RB Sione Vaki for a gain of 17. A pass break-up by Whitehead helped set up third-and-two at the Lions' 45, but Dean broke up a wheel route pass to St. Brown. The Lions went for it on fourth down and Montgomery powered over right tackle to get just enough to move the chains again. Whitehead nearly intercepted Goff two plays later, making it third-and-six. Izien closed quickly on St. Brown to dislodge the football and this time the Lions punted. WR Trey Palmer fair caught it at the Bucs' 13.

An Irving run and a quick pass to Godwin out in the flat gained a total of 13 yards and a first down to open the drive, then Mayfield zipped a 16-yarder to Evans on a curl. Mayfield had to scramble two plays later and absorbed a back-bending tackle as the two-minute warning arrived. The Bucs faced a third-and-seven after the break, and Mayfield was intercepted by Branch when he tried to find Godwin again in heavy traffic.

That gave Detroit the ball at their own 44 with 1:52 to go, and Montgomery got a quick nine going around left end. St. Brown caught a pass over the middle and got around a tackler to get nine more to the Bucs' 38, after which the Lions used their first timeout. Vita Vea broke up a pass at the line but Goff found Patrick over the middle for 10 and the Lions used a second timeout. The Lions were hustling back to the line after a six yard Gibbs run but caught a break when Diaby had to be helped off the field, mandating a timeout by the Bucs. Goff scrambled on the next play and was stopped a the 20 to make it third-and-two. Detroit used its final timeout, stopping the clock with 28 seconds left, and Goff ran again, getting out of bounds at the 17.

That's when disaster struck for the Lions. Goff completed a pass over the middle to St. Brown, who eluded several tacklers to pick up more yardage but then realized he was running out of time and dived to the ground at the eight. Detroit's offense hustled up to try to spike the ball with time left on the clock but its field goal team also came onto the field, leading to a 12-men-on-the-field penalty. Since the Lions were out of timeouts, the penalty included a 10-second run-off, which ended the half.

The Lions got the ball on their own 28 to start the second half and got into Bucs territory with one play. Goff had all day to throw and he found St. Brown for a gain of 20, which had a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty tacked onto the end. An end-around to Williams got 15 more, and two plays later the Lions faced a third-and-six at the 16. A short pass over the middle to Montgomery only got half of it and Bates came out again to hit a 32-yard field goal.

After a touchback, the Bucs opened their first drive of the half with a swing pass to White that was good for five yards, but a second-down handoff ended up as a broken play for a loss of one. Despite getting chipped by RB Rachaad White, Hutchinson once again got to Mayfield for his fourth sack of the game and the Bucs had to punt from their 27.

The Lions' next drive started at their 32 and McCollum made a diving play over the middle to nearly intercept Goff's first-down pass. Goff skipped his second throw in front of St. Brown but Williams caught a pass over the middle and spun away from Izien to get 13 yards and a first down. Gibbs took a handoff and fought through several would-be tacklers to get all the way down to the Bucs' 33. The Lions then faced a third-and-four and Goff's protection was excellent again, giving him time to hit TE Sam LaPorta for a first down at the 20. Whitehead run-blitzed around right end on first down and guessed right, swarming over Gibbs for a loss of four. A swing pass to Gibbs got six back, and St. Brown caught a pass down the right numbers and dashed to the end zone, just getting stopped at the one by Izien. Goff was shaken up on the play but was able to continue, and Montgomery punched it in on the next play to give Detroit its first lead of the day.

The Bucs got six yards on an Irving run around left end on their next play, and a facemask flag tacked on 15 yards. Mayfield then enjoyed a clean pocket that gave him time to find rookie WR Jalen McMillan in a zone hole for a gain of 21. It was third-and-four moments later, and Mayfield bounced around in the pocket for a long time before finally finding a way out as he scrambled for 11 yards to the 11. On the next play, Mayfield took the ball again on a designed keeper and fought his way all the way into the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown.

Montgomery got six yards on a first-down run up the middle and a neutral zone infraction on OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka made it into a first down as the third quarter ended. Montgomery started the fourth quarter with a short catch he turned into a gain of 15 to the Bucs' 44. Two more Montgomery runs gained just three yards, and rookie S Tykee Smith broke up a third-down pass to WR Khalif Raymond to force a punt. The kick went out of bounds at the Bucs' nine.

Mayfield feigned a handoff and then zipped a quick slant to Evans for a gain of 15. Two Irving runs left the Bucs in a third-and-seven and Hutchinson got home for the fifth time for a four-yard sack. Raymond caught Jake Camarda's 42-yard punt on the run and got it all the way back to the Detroit 48 with 10 minutes left in regulation.

Goff was pressured into an errant pass on second down by an Izien blitz, but Gibbs moved the chains and more, gashing over left guard for a 24-yard gain to the Bucs' 22. Two plays later, a holding call on C Frank Ragnow made it second-and-16 back at the 28. On the next play, DL C.J. Brewer hit Goff as he threw, causing an errant throw that Izien intercepted at the nine and returned to the 27 with 7:34 left in regulation.

The Bucs got one first down on a quick 11-yard pass to Evans, but Mayfield was nearly sacked again two plays later and his desperation pitch to TE Cade Otton lost four yards. He tried to go deep down the sideline to McMillan on third down but the pass was broken up. Camarda's punt was fair caught at the Detroit 18.

Goff got 18 yards on a completion to Raymond, then converted a subsequent third-and-nine with a nine-yard pass to St. Brown. Smith dropped Gibbs for a loss of five, helping lead to a fourth-and-one. Gibbs took the handoff heading right, found a seam and dashed all the way down to the Bucs' 16 with 1:17 left on the clock. Tryon-Shoyinka sniffed out a swing pass to Gibbs and dropped him for a loss of five, with the Bucs then burning their first timeout. Two plays later, on third-and-nine, LB SirVocea Dennis got Gibbs down at the 11 to make it fourth-and-eight. Under pressure, Goff threw to Gibbs over the middle but he was stopped short by Whitehead and Izien.

That gave the ball back to the Bucs at their own six but there were 53 seconds left and Detroit still had all three of its timeouts. Two White runs made it third-and-six with the Lions using two of those timeouts. The Bucs tried a fake pitch and a Mayfield quick pass but LB Derrick Barnes saw it coming and leaped to break it up.

Following the punt, Detroit had the ball on Tampa Bay's 44 with 42 seconds left. The Lions used their last timeout after a nine-yard catch by St. Brown. After one more nine-yard completion to Gibbs and a spike to stop the clock, McCollum broke up the pass on third down and Goff's fourth-down attempt to Kennedy hit the turf with two seconds left.