In a showdown of elite NFC teams, Bucs fall woefully short of Lions Apparently, there are limits to Baker Mayfield's magic. After four fourth-quarter comebacks in the season's first five weeks, Mayfield could not come up with another clock-defying effort in a 24-9 loss to the Lions in Detroit Monday night. Mayfield threw for 228 yards but repeatedly missed open receivers. The game essentially ended when Mayfield missed Emeka Egbuka in the end zone from the Detroit 12 on fourth down in the final five minutes. Of course, it didn't help that the Bucs were missing Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving, and Mike Evans left in the first half after hitting the turf hard on his left shoulder. The Bucs still lead the NFC South at 5-2 but have come up short against two of the conference's elite teams. Detroit outgained the Bucs 379 to 251, but the reality was much worse. The Bucs made up ground in the fourth quarter while the Lions were merely guarding against the big play. The Lions had 275 yards of total offense in the first half, while the Bucs were held to 58. Tampa Bay was fortunate to still be in the game thanks to two Detroit turnovers, a missed field goal and a failed fourth-down attempt. Play of the day A miracle comeback was a lot less likely once a Bucs first down was overturned on video review in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay gambled on fourth and 4 from its own 37, and Cade Otton caught a pass that officials on the field determined reached the first-down marker. The Lions challenged whether it was a completed pass, and video review upheld the catch. However, the league then determined that Otton was down before reaching across the necessary distance. It was likely the correct call, but it's hard to justify that it was "clear and obvious" evidence to overturn. Game ball Not sure anyone in the Bucs locker room deserves a game ball. Keep an eye on For six weeks, injuries had been irritating and concerning. Now, they have officially crossed over to panic level. The broken collarbone suffered by Evans could be a game-changer for the Bucs. There's no official timetable for either Chris Godwin or Jalen McMillan to return, Evans will now miss most of the season. The Bucs have a serious shortage of experienced receivers, along with their greatest downfield threat. NFC South update Who had the Panthers on a three-game winning streak and in second place seven weeks into the season? It's not really a huge stretch considering the Saints were near-locks for last place, but it's been a long time since Carolina had a winning record in October. Chances are, it won't last. The Panthers have the Bills and Packers in the next two weeks, with the 49ers and Rams coming up in November. Up next Of their first seven opponents, the Bucs have faced five teams with a positive point differential. In other words, they are due next Sunday against the Saints. At 1-6, New Orleans has the worst record and the worst point differential (minus-61) in the NFC. John Romano, Tampa Bay Times, published 21 October 2025