The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 10 games in 2024, including the postseason, yet none of those wins came against the Detroit Lions.
Despite not getting one, but two, chances to take them down. In the regular season and the postseason.
And, as we all know, the 31-23 defeat in Motown bounced the Bucs out of the playoffs and sent them packing. It was a tough loss in which the Bucs fought hard and had a chance to force overtime at the end. Ultimately, they couldn't get it done.
That kind of loss is a lot harder to forget than a blowout. At least in a blowout, one team just never stood a chance. Whether it was because of its own shortcomings or the other team simply being better on that day - the loser was meant to go down, and they were meant to go down, harsh.
On the flip side, it's so easy to second-guess every decision in a close loss. What if we converted that third down instead of having to kick a field goal? What if we completed the overthrown pass on 2nd and 9 that subsequently led to a failed third down conversion attempt and then punt? What if we don't get called for holding on that big run?
Those are just a few of the many, many thoughts that can run through someone's head after a tough loss. The only cure is to go out there and beat that team when the next opportunity is received.
And for the Bucs, specifically starting running back Rachaad White, they'll get that opportunity for revenge against the Lions in Week 2 of the 2024 season - and sure enough, he has that date circled on his calendar.
"The Lions [are] a big game, obviously, of course," White told reporters during mandatory minicamp. "Coming off the NFC Championship game - [they] had a chance to go win it all. Obviously, [they] beat us twice last year. That's huge and the crushing loss that we had. So, yeah, you don't forget those teams or those games. Obviously, you know, it's early in the year, so it's good to like, you know, see where you're at and things like that.
"So, I mean, I have a good amount of games circled, man."
Are we heading back to the old NFC Central days?
Before the NFL realigned divisions in 2002, the Bucs and Lions used to be pretty big rivals in the old NFC Central division. The Lions held a 26-23 edge before 2002 and they are 7-6 against the Bucs, since. These teams have played each nine times since 2010 - with five contests occurring since 2017.
That doesn't include this year's matchup, which offers Tampa the opportunity to even the post-NFC Central score and represents the sixth matchup over the last seven years. In all, it looks like the old days of the Black and Blue division are well and alive, in this context, and considering the state of both rosters, we should be in for a treat when these two teams get together.
