A 24-9 final looks tidy on a scoreboard, yet the real story of the last Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions match player stats sits underneath it. Detroit won Monday Night Football in Week 7 of 2025 by turning one running back into a one-man offense, while Tampa Bay threw the ball 50 times and still could not find a rhythm.
This guide walks through every number that mattered: the quarterback duel, the rushing gap, the receiving lines, the situational stats, and a head-to-head comparison of both teams. You will also find the freshest 2026 news, including the rematch that is now on the calendar.
Match Player Stats at a Glance
Before the deeper analysis, here are the headline individual lines from the 2025 meeting at Ford Field.
| Player | Team | Key Stat Line |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | Lions | 17 carries, 136 yards, 2 rushing TDs; 3 catches, 82 yards |
| Jared Goff | Lions | 20/29, 241 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 91.3 rating |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | Lions | 6 catches, 86 yards, 1 TD |
| Baker Mayfield | Buccaneers | 28/50, 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 66.1 rating |
| Cade Otton | Buccaneers | 7 catches, 65 yards |
| Rachaad White | Buccaneers | 10 carries, 38 yards |
| Tez Johnson | Buccaneers | 22-yard touchdown reception |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions Match Player Stats: Team Head-to-Head Comparison
Team totals set the scene for every individual performance. The gap in rushing production is the first thing that jumps out.
| Category | Buccaneers | Lions |
| Final Score | 9 | 24 |
| Total Yards | 251 | 379 |
| Net Passing Yards | 210 | 215 |
| Rushing Yards | 41 | 164 |
| First Downs | 15 | 17 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Sacks Taken | 4 | 4 |
| Third Downs | 4 of 16 | 3 of 13 |
| Fourth Downs | 2 of 5 | 1 of 2 |
| Penalties | 6 for 35 yards | 6 for 50 yards |
Passing yardage was nearly identical once sacks were subtracted, which tells you the game was decided elsewhere. Detroit out-gained Tampa Bay by 123 rushing yards, and that margin became the whole contest.
Quarterback Stats: Jared Goff vs Baker Mayfield
Both passers arrived in Detroit with MVP chatter attached to their names, and both had been written off by former teams earlier in their careers. Only one of them looked comfortable.
Jared Goff’s Efficient Night
Goff completed 20 of 29 attempts for 241 yards, a 69 percent completion rate and 8.3 yards per attempt. His first drive ended in a 27-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, which set a calm tone. He did lose a fumble and throw an interception in the first half, yet Detroit never let those mistakes snowball because the defense and the run game kept control.
Goff also absorbed four sacks for 26 yards. The final passer rating of 91.3 undersells how clean the offense felt, mainly because Detroit asked him to manage the game rather than chase explosive throws.
Baker Mayfield’s Difficult Evening
Mayfield finished 28 of 50 for 228 yards, one touchdown and one interception, good for a 66.1 rating. The offense was clearly nickel-and-diming its way across the field rather than creating chunk plays, as evidenced by the mere 4.6 yards per throw created by fifty attempts.
Context matters here. Mayfield lost Mike Evans to a concussion and a right shoulder injury during the first half, so he was working with a thinner group of pass catchers. Four sacks, credited to Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Tyrus Wheat and Al-Quadin Muhammad, kept drives from developing. Mayfield’s final incompletion in the end zone with just over four minutes left ended any comeback hope.
Quarterback Head-to-Head Table
| Metric | Goff | Mayfield |
| Completions/Attempts | 20/29 | 28/50 |
| Passing Yards | 241 | 228 |
| Yards Per Attempt | 8.3 | 4.6 |
| Touchdowns | 1 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks | 4 (26 yards) | 4 (18 yards) |
| Passer Rating | 91.3 | 66.1 |
The statistic that most accurately describes the scoreboard is the yards-per-attempt split, which is 8.3 against 4.6.
Jahmyr Gibbs Takes Over: Rushing Stats That Decided the Match
If a single player defined these match player stats, it was Gibbs. He totaled 218 yards from scrimmage, a career high, and found the end zone twice on the ground.
Gibbs by the Numbers
His 136 rushing yards came on 17 carries, an 8.0-yard average. The signature play was a 78-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter that pushed Detroit to a 14-0 lead. He added a five-yard scoring run in the third quarter, and a 28-yard reception on the following drive helped set that second touchdown up. In the passing game he caught three balls for 82 yards, including a long of 30.
The performance carried historical weight too. Gibbs became the first NFL player since Chris Johnson in 2009 to combine at least 135 rushing yards, 80 receiving yards and two rushing touchdowns in a game. He also became the first Lion since Kevin Smith in 2011 to post 200-plus scrimmage yards with two rushing scores.
Running Back Comparison
| Player | Carries | Rush Yards | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Scrimmage Yards |
| Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) | 17 | 136 | 3 | 82 | 218 |
| David Montgomery (DET) | 13 | 21 | 2 | 18 | 39 |
| Rachaad White (TB) | 10 | 38 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Montgomery’s 1.6 yards per carry would normally raise concerns, but Detroit barely noticed. With Gibbs producing explosive gains, the Lions could absorb a quiet night from their power back.
On the other side, Tampa Bay finished with 41 rushing yards on 12 carries, a 3.4-yard average. The longest run of the game for the Buccaneers went for only seven yards, and the ground game never forced Detroit to respect it.
Receiving Stats: St. Brown, Otton and the Supporting Cast
Passing numbers for both teams were spread across several targets, but a few names stood out.
Detroit’s Receivers
St. Brown caught six passes for 86 yards and the opening-drive touchdown, with a long catch of 27 yards. He again served as the quarterback’s safety valve, though this time Gibbs also gave Goff a dangerous outlet. Beyond those two, Detroit’s targets were modest: one receiver caught three passes for 23 yards, and tight end Sam LaPorta added three catches for 15 yards.
Tampa Bay’s Receivers
Tight end Cade Otton led the Buccaneers with seven catches for 65 yards and a 20-yard long reception. Rookie Tez Johnson supplied Tampa Bay’s lone touchdown on a 22-yard strike, though the team missed the two-point conversion that followed. With Evans sidelined after the first half, the passing attack leaned on short, high-volume throws that rarely stretched the field.
Situational Stats That Explain the 24-9 Result
Raw yardage only tells part of the match story. Situational football adds the rest.
Third and Fourth Down
Tampa Bay converted just 4 of 16 third downs, a 25 percent rate that killed drives before they could grow. Additionally, the Buccaneers were 2 of 5 on fourth down, demonstrating how frequently the offense was thrown into dire circumstances. Detroit went 3 of 13 on third down and 1 of 2 on fourth.
Red Zone and Special Teams
Tampa Bay reached the red zone once and left without a touchdown. Detroit also got a boost from kicker Jake Bates, who drilled a 58-yard field goal off an upright early in the fourth quarter to stretch the lead to 24-9. That kick effectively ended the game as a contest.
Defensive Pressure
Both defenses recorded four sacks, but Detroit’s pressure arrived at moments when Tampa Bay needed to move the chains. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill also returned to action that night for the first time since tearing a knee ligament the previous season, giving Detroit’s front a welcome lift.
The Lions did all of this while short-handed in the secondary. They were missing multiple defensive backs, which makes Tampa Bay’s inability to create explosive plays through the air even more telling.
Latest Updates: What Has Changed Since That Game
Rosters, coaches and expectations have shifted a great deal since that Monday night. Here is the most current context for both sides as the 2026 season unfolds.
Detroit Lions Update
The Lions finished 2025 at 9-8 and missed the playoffs after a rash of injuries and a late slide, despite opening 5-2. Goff still posted 4,564 passing yards and 34 touchdowns with only eight interceptions, while St. Brown finished with 117 catches for 1,401 yards and 11 scores.
For 2026, the offense has a new voice. Drew Petzing took over as offensive coordinator after John Morton was let go, and Mike Kafka joined as passing game coordinator. The offensive line was rebuilt, with Penei Sewell moving to left tackle, first-round pick Blake Miller stepping in on the right side, and Cade Mays arriving at center.
Perhaps the biggest personnel move involved the backfield. David Montgomery was traded to Houston, and Isiah Pacheco signed as Gibbs’ new running mate. Pacheco has since landed on injured reserve after back surgery, which leaves even more responsibility on Gibbs.
Early results suggest Gibbs is thriving. Detroit beat the Saints in overtime in Week 1, with Gibbs carrying the offense late. In Week 3 against the Jets he scored two rushing touchdowns, passing Billy Sims for second place on the franchise rushing touchdown list behind only Barry Sanders. Analysts have also pointed to a Goff touchdown-to-interception ratio of 12-to-0 so far this year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Update
The Buccaneers have faced a bumpier start. Mayfield turned the ball over three times in a Week 1 loss at Cincinnati, and he struggled in Week 3 against Minnesota, finishing 17 of 34 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception. A dislocated thumb on his throwing hand then sidelined him for three games, and rookie Jalon Daniels took snaps in his absence.
Mayfield was reported to be on track to return for the Week 7 game at Carolina, though receiver Emeka Egbuka was ruled out. Tampa Bay also has a new offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson, and has emphasized a stronger ground attack this season.
Roster crossover adds spice to the next meeting. Linebacker Alex Anzalone and edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad, both former Lions, now play for Tampa Bay. Safety Christian Izien went the other direction and joined Detroit.
The Rematch Is Set
The two teams meet again in Week 11 on Sunday, November 22, 2026, with a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff at Ford Field. It arrives right after Tampa Bay’s Week 10 bye, so expect the Buccaneers to be rested and, ideally, healthier. Check official injury reports in the days before kickoff, because both rosters have been changing quickly.
Head-to-Head Comparison: Lions vs Buccaneers Going Into the Rematch
Here is a side-by-side view of the most important factors, blending the 2025 match data with the current 2026 picture.
| Factor | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Detroit Lions |
| Quarterback | Baker Mayfield (recovering from thumb injury) | Jared Goff |
| Featured Back | Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell | Jahmyr Gibbs |
| Top Receivers | Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson | Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams |
| Offensive Coordinator | Zac Robinson | Drew Petzing |
| Defensive Star | Vita Vea | Aidan Hutchinson |
| 2025 Result vs Each Other | Lost 24-9 | Won 24-9 |
| 2025 Season Finish | Reached 5-2 before facing Detroit | 9-8, missed playoffs |
| Rematch | Week 11 at Detroit | Week 11 vs Tampa Bay |
Detroit holds the edge in star power on offense and in the clarity of its identity, which revolves around Gibbs and an efficient Goff. Tampa Bay’s path to victory runs through health at quarterback and receiver, a functioning run game, and pressure on Goff.
All-Time Series and Recent Meetings
These teams’ recent past has been erratic. Tampa Bay crushed Detroit 47-7 in 2020 during its Super Bowl season. The Lions answered in 2023 with a 20-6 regular-season win in Tampa, where Goff threw for 353 yards, and followed it with a 31-23 playoff victory. Tampa Bay then won the 2024 game 20-16 at Ford Field, before Detroit’s 24-9 win in 2025.
Detroit holds a narrow overall series edge, but results have swung back and forth in recent years, so nothing is guaranteed in the rematch.
Fantasy and Betting Takeaways From These Stats
Fantasy managers should treat the 2025 box score as a template rather than a promise. Gibbs remains a premier fantasy back because he produces as both a runner and a receiver. Goff offers a safe weekly floor in an offense that protects the football. Mayfield’s high-volume, low-efficiency night is a reminder that attempts alone do not equal fantasy points, and his health will shape his value. St. Brown remains a dependable weekly option thanks to his consistent target share.
Analysts who study these two teams usually watch three signals: rushing yards per attempt, third-down conversion rate, and sack totals. It is exceedingly hard to defeat Detroit while they are in possession of the ground. When Tampa Bay cannot run, its offense gets pushed into a pass-heavy script that favors the defense.
Final Verdict on the Match Player Stats
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions match player stats reveal a game that was far less close than 24-9 suggests. Detroit earned it with a dominant rushing performance from Gibbs, calm efficiency from Goff and a defense that disrupted Tampa Bay at the right moments. Tampa Bay’s 50 pass attempts, 4.6 yards per attempt and 41 rushing yards describe an offense that was always playing from behind.
Looking ahead, the rematch brings new coordinators, new linemen, former teammates on opposite sidelines and plenty of uncertainty at quarterback. If you want a smart read on the next meeting, bookmark this page and compare the next box score to the 2025 numbers above. The same few stats, rushing efficiency, yards per pass attempt and third-down success, will probably tell you who wins.
