Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinch 24-21 victory over the Detroit Lions

Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

It wasn’t always comfortable, and it wasn’t always pretty, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held on to clinch a 24-21 road victory against the Detroit Lions.

The Bucs intercepted Matthew Stafford four times, and also blocked a punt in the win, which moves the team to 3-8 this season.

Mike Glennon was fantastic for the Bucs again, as he completed 14 of 21 passes for 247 yards and two touchdown passes, both of which were caught by Tiquan Underwood.

The Bucs got interceptions from Lavonte David, Leonard Johnson, Keith Tandy and Johnthan Banks. Johnson returned his interception for a touchdown, while Banks’ clinched the win as he caught a loose ball after Kelcie McCray had knocked it away from Calvin Johnson’s hands at the five-yard line.

The Bucs came up big when it mattered most, but they had chances to put the game away. Ryan Lindell missed two field goals in the fourth quarter which would have put the game out of reach and the Bucs also committed nine penalties, a couple of which gave Detroit first downs.

Johnson’s pick six ensured the Bucs had a 17-14 lead at half time, which came after two touchdown passes from Stafford as well as a 5-yard strike to Underwood from Glennon. Lindell had given the Bucs a 3-0 lead early in the game.

The Lions struck in the third, taking the lead on a 18-yard pass from Stafford to Brandon Pettigrew, but the Bucs got the lead back for good in the fourth with an 85-yard bomb to Underwood, which was the fourth longest passing play in team history.

The passing game for the Bucs was lethal as Glennon was effective throughout. Underwood finished with a career high 108 receiving yards on just three catches, while Tim Wright had eight catches for 75-yards.

The running game however was a disaster as the Lions front seven dominated the offensive line and shut Bobby Rainey down, as he finished with 35 yards on 18 carries.

Without starters Dashon Goldson and Mason Foster, the Bucs knew it would be difficult to slow down the elite passing game of Detroit and it only got harder when Darrelle Revis left the game with a groin injury right before halftime.

However, the defense stepped up as a complete unit.

David had 12 tackles to go along with his interception and he also forced a fumble. Johnson had one of his better games as a Buccaneer, while Mark Barron’s presence was felt all game long as he had seven tackles.

Adrian Clayborn was excellent as he was in Stafford’s face for the majority of the game and he racked up five tackles, three for a loss and one sack. Dekoda Watson also had a sack.

Danny Gorrer, in only his second game of the season, blocked a punt and had five tackles, and stepped in admirably to help replace Revis in the second half.