Jahmyr Gibbs With Career High 218 Yards in Detroit’s Win Over Tampa
DETROIT (AP) — Jahmyr Gibbs was offered oxygen on the bench after on a 78-yard run.
He turned it down.
Clearly, he was not out of breath.
Gibbs, who graduated from Dalton High School, scored on a long sprint in the second quarter, a 5-yard spinning plunge in the third and accounted for a career-high 218 yards from scrimmage to lead the Detroit Lions in a 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.
“You felt like this was coming,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “This has been building.”
The Lions (5-2) bounced back from a loss as they have done flawlessly for nearly three years, extending their NFL-long streak of 51 games without dropping two straight in the regular season.
“The guys responded, which I knew they would,” Campbell said.
Tampa Bay (5-2) was outgained by more than 200 yards in the first half, but trailed 14-3 because Detroit had an interception, fumble, turned it over on downs and missed a field goal.
Rookie Tez Johnson had a 22-yard touchdown reception to open the second half, pulling the Bucs within five points, but they could not slow down Gibbs.
On the ensuing drive, Gibbs had a 15-yard run and a 28-yard reception to set up his second touchdown that gave the Lions a 21-9 lead late in the third quarter.
The third-year running back finished with a season-high 136 yards rushing on 17 carries and a season-high 82 yards receiving on three catches, giving him a total that trails just four performances for the franchise this century.
“He’s a very talented running back and when you miss a gap, he can turn it into a big play,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said.
Detroit’s Jared Goff was 20 of 29 for 241 yards with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown on the game’s opening drive. Goff, though, lost a fumble and overthrew rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa on fourth-and-2 on the next two possessions and later threw an interception — all in Tampa Bay territory.
Baker Mayfield was 28 of 50 for 228 yards with one touchdown and one interception against a short-handed defense. Mayfield threw an incomplete pass in the end zone with 4:24 left, ending potential comeback hopes.
“As a skill group, we didn’t connect on a lot of plays,” Mayfield said. “Once the defense knows we are going to have to pass, they can pin their ears back. That’s not a fair situation to the offensive line.”
Gibbs took advantage of a big hole and his speed to score on a careerlong, 78-yard run late in the second quarter to put Detroit ahead 14-0.
“If you can get him to second level, he can do the rest,” Campbell said.
After Detroit’s Jake Bates missed a 54-yard field goal, Chase McLaughlin made a 53-yard field goal to end the half and put the Bucs on the scoreboard.
Bates did connect on a 58-yard field goal early in the fourth, knocking it in off an upright, to give the Lions a 24-9 lead.
“They are a tough matchup for every team right now,” Bowles said. “We know about the loud crowd. We just didn’t execute, but they played a very good game.”
Prime time
The Lions are 13-3 in night games under Campbell and they’ve won five straight on Monday Night Football.
Injuries
Bucs: WR Mike Evans (concussion, broken collarbone) lasted less than a half after returning from a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury.
“He’s going to be gone until toward the last of the season,” Bowles said.
OLB Haason Reddick (knee, ankle) left the game in the second half.
Lions: CB Kerby Joseph, Terrion Arnold and Avonte Maddox were out with injuries, a setback for a secondary without suspended safety Brian Branch. DT Alim McNeill played for the first time since tearing a knee ligament late last season and OT Taylor Decker (shoulder) returned after missing two games.
Up next
Bucs: Visit New Orleans on Sunday.
Lions: Bye week before hosting Minnesota on Nov. 2.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl