by Ray GlierFiled under: Buccaneers, Lions, NFC South
If that was Drew Brees on the Detroit sideline ready to lead a Lions' rally with under two minutes to play, Tampa Bay should have gone for more than a field goal and a 20-17 lead Sunday over Detroit.But that was Drew Stanton, a third-stringer, who was in the huddle for the Lions. He is a decent quarterback, a professional, but he can be stopped. The Bucs made the right call to go for three in a tight game and lead 20-17 and not 24-17 and make Stanton take his team for a touchdown.
The Bucs called three runs and kept the ball centered for the winning points.
Those were the Lions on that sideline with Stanton. They had lost 26 straight on the road, an NFL record.
But then Stanton brought his team down the field. Calvin Johnson, the gifted Lions' receiver, made a terrific grab on the sidelines on third-and-eight for a first down to set up the tying field goal. The Lions got the ball back in overtime and kicked another field goal to win.
The three points the Bucs settled for weren't enough. Tampa Bay slipped to 8-6
"I thought we played it right, honestly," Freeman said. "If we would have tried to throw the ball, and they would have broken it up or something else would have happened, we would have kicked a field goal. They would have gotten to the 2-minute drive with a little more time on the clock, and with the timeouts
Six weeks ago, when his defense was together, and not in shambles, it might have seemed obvious for Raheem Morris, the Tampa coach, to settle for three. But this defense is missing starters Aqib Talib, Cody Grimm, Quincy Black, and Gerald McCoy because of injury.
The Bucs' playoff hopes hang by a thread. Even if they win out against Seattle and New Orleans, Tampa Bay still might not get in the postseason.
Extra Points:
o. There was another injury issue on the battered offensive line. Right tackle James Lee left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury and did not return.
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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/20/bucs-play-it-safe-with-calvin-johnson-drew-stanton-before-getti/
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