The Detroit Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round to advance to the NFC Championship to face the 49ers.
The NFC Championship Game is officially set.
One day after the San Francisco 49ers sealed their spot, the Detroit Lions joined them with a 31-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The NFC North champion Lions clinched the win with an interception by Derrick Barnes -- the first of his career -- with less than two minutes to play.
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Here are five winners and losers from Sunday's Bucs-Lions game:
Winner: Jared Goff continues his revenge tour
Many considered Goff a thrown-in when the Lions traded Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams three years ago. But he's erased that narrative to help lead Detroit to its second ever NFC Championship Game (first since 1991).
Goff finished Sunday's game going 30 of 43 for 287 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. On the fourth quarter drive to put the Lions up by two scores, Goff converted a third-and-15 at mid-field and then lobbed a touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown. And that came a week after another flawless performance in the wild card round against his former team.
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Now just one win away from his second Super Bowl appearance, Goff and the Lions have proven to be a perfect pair.
Loser: Bucs' defense falls apart in the second half
On the other side of the ball, Todd Bowles' defense came up short in the final frame.
The unit surrendered three straight touchdown drives after Baker Mayfield and Co. tied the game up at 10, failing to get off the field on multiple key third- and fourth-downs.
It started with a 10-play drive where the Lions scored on fourth-down from the goal line. Then it was a quick-hitting five-play drive where the Lions marched down the field and the aforementioned 10-play, nearly six-minute drive that Goff orchestrated. Tampa Bay's defense got off the field on Detroit's final drive, but at that point it was just too late.
Winner: Lions rookies step up again
The Lions' rookie class has been a central reason for their success all season -- and Sunday was no different.
Early on, it was second-round safety Brian Branch with a key sack and then a tackle for loss to halt Tampa Bay's offense. With the game tied late, it was first-round running back Jahmyr Gibbs taking over a drive to give Detroit the lead.
Branch finished with a team-high nine tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Gibbs had 74 rushing yards, four catches and a touchdown. Elsewhere, second-round tight end Sam LaPorta had nine receptions and first-round linebacker Jack Campbell had three tackles. An elite group of young players have the Lions in position to succeed both now and in the future.
Loser: Baker Mayfield doubters
Even in defeat, the former No. 1 overall pick proved plenty of people wrong this season.
Mayfield went 26 of 41 for 349 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions on Sunday, doing all he could to keep the Bucs alive. Coming up short on the final drive will be Mayfield's lasting memory from this season, but it shouldn't be. He led the Bucs to a division title and playoff win after starting the season 4-7 -- something that few thought was possible around Thanksgiving.
Mayfield, on his fourth team in three years, appears to have finally found his long-term home.
