The Detroit Lions have reached the NFC championship game for the first time in 32 years after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 on Sunday.
The Lions advance to play the San Francisco 49ers, with the winner headed to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
It will be Detroit’s second trip to the NFC championship game. The 1991 Lions, with running back Barry Sanders, lost to the Washington Redskins 41-10.
The team last won the NFL championship in 1957, before the Super Bowl era.
Detroit ended Tampa Bay’s hopes of a comeback when linebacker Derrick Barnes intercepted a pass from Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield.
DETROIT CAN FEEL IT. #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/3h31FBHtKV
— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024
The team soon celebrated its second playoff victory in more than 30 years.
Michigan born and raised. Aidan Hutchinson takes it all in. #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/GUy51qx19Z
— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024
“I knew it would be the last one in front of our home fans this year, and I took it all in,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said, according to The Associated Press.
Goff finished 30 of 43 for 287 yards with two touchdown passes.
If I said I wasn’t crying I’d be LION!! LETS GOOOO. CONGRATS ON ANOTHER WIN DETROIT! Flawless game by JG! @Lions #wenotdone
— Golden Tate (@ShowtimeTate) January 21, 2024
“I envisioned that we would have a chance to compete with the big boys, and that’s where we’re at,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said after the game.
Congrats to the Detroit Lions.
Jared Goff reminds Frank Ragnow to take off his helmet. Funny pic.twitter.com/DsVmv5MVxe— Rougarou ?? ???? (@Chill_Flag) January 21, 2024
Detroit took a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter when Jahmyr Gibbs ran 31 yards for a touchdown and Goff followed that up by hitting Amon-Ra St. Brown for a second score.
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“Goff in that fourth quarter, he really showed up and made some big throws,” Campbell said.
Tampa Bay refused to go quietly, however. Mayfield pulled the Bucs to within one score with a pass to Mike Evans for a touchdown with 4:37 left.
A dart to Mike Evans! Bucs make it a one-possession game.
?: #TBvsDET on NBC
?: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/frRD38ClOq pic.twitter.com/TwzZwoODTh— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024
But then came the interception by Barnes with 1:35 to play.
“It comes down to minimizing mistakes, and I didn’t do that,” Mayfield said afterward.
He threw for 349 yards and three scores in the loss.
The winner of the Lions-49ers will play the winner of Sunday’s AFC championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.