Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions predictions: National pundits are backing Lions to reach NFC Championship

Published

2 years ago

January 20, 2024

Detroit Lions predictions: National pundits are backing Lions to reach NFC Championship

The Detroit Lions broke their 32-year playoff win drought last week after beating the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 at home in the wild-card round.

The Lions, no longer the bearers of the longest active playoff drought in sports, are now in the divisional round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions are at home again in front of an ear-splitting Ford Field crowd, thanks to a loss by the No. 2 seed Dallas Cowboys in the first round, looking to win two playoff games in the same season for the first time in the Super Bowl era.

The Lions beat the Buccaneers in the first matchup between the teams in Week 6 of the regular season. Detroit’s defense was able to contain Tampa’s offense and quarterback Baker Mayfield, holding them to just six points and zero touchdowns. Offensively, the running game was held in check, in part due to injuries to Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, while Jared Goff threw for a season-high 353 yards and two touchdowns.

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The Buccaneers rallied to win five of the final six games of the season to win the NFC South with a 9-8 record. Tampa dominated the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round for a 32-9 win to book the trip to Detroit. Lions coaches and players are preparing for a “better” Bucs team in the second matchup after showing growth on both sides of the ball late in the year.

The Lions opened as a six-point favorite and that number has grown slightly to 6½ during the week, according to BetMGM. Here is a look at how some national reporters covering the NFL are predicting the game.

USA TODAY: 5 writers predict a Lions win

The five-writer panel for USA TODAY that gives predictions for NFL games is in lockstep this week, predicting a Lions victory and trip to the NFC championship. Three of the writers are predicting a double-digit Lions victory, while two are predicting a one-score margin in a close game.

Tyler Dragon, who predicted a 26-14 Lions win, wrote “Detroit was electric last week in its first home playoff game in 30 years. The Lions ended their playoff win drought. Now the Lions can play loose and focus on everything between the white lines. The Lions defeated the Bucs 20-6 in Week 6. That game wasn’t a fluke. Detroit is simply a better football team than Tampa Bay. Expect the Lions’ physicality to overwhelm the Bucs. Plus, the Detroit crowd will be rockin’ again.”

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ESPN: Lions

Stephen A. Smith, one of the co-hosts of ESPN’s morning show “First Take”, believes there is no way Mayfield and the Buccaneers will be able to take down the Lions in front of the frothing Ford Field crowd.

“(Detroit fans) were so hyped and can you imagine how they are 60 minutes away from a trip to the NFC Championship game?” Smith said. “That crowd, that environment is going to be bananas, ready, hyped and I think it is entirely too much to expect Baker Mayfield to overcome.”

Two writers for ESPN, Seth Walder and Eric Moody, both sided with the Lions when giving their picks for all divisional-round games this weekend. Moody predicted a 28-21 Lions win while Walder predicted a 34-17 Lions win. ESPN’s FPI analytics gives the Lions a 62.5% chance of winning, which is equal to 4.5 points according to their numbers.

CBS Sports: Split between Lions and Buccaneers

CBS Sports writer Pete Prisco predicted a 30-28 Buccaneers win when giving out his picks for the divisional round, while his colleague Tyler Sullivan predicted a 30-17 Lions victory.

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Explaining the Bucs pick, Prisco wrote, “Detroit played well on offense, but the defense showed some flaws. That could lead to another good day by Mayfield and his receivers. I think Jared Goff will also play well, especially if he can handle the Bucs blitz. Ben Johnson will have a plan for that. The Lions beat the Bucs earlier this season in Tampa, but it was close. This will also be close, but I think this time Tampa Bay gets payback and advances to the title game. Mayfield will keep it rolling. Upset.”

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NFL.com: 4-to-1 in favor of Lions

NFL.com had five editors give predictions for the divisional round, and four of them backed the Lions while one predicted a 23-22 Buccaneers win. Tom Blair, who predicted a 27-22 Lions win said the Lions offense should continue playing well while the defense could find a way to get pressure on Mayfield.

“Presuming the Lions can handle their business on offense, this comes down to Baker Mayfield’s ability to keep up,” Blair wrote. “And while he could make things interesting against a defense that ranked 27th against the pass in the regular season, I think Detroit’s knack for heating up opposing quarterbacks (they posted a pressure rate of 39.2 percent, seventh-best in the NFL, per NGS) could make the difference.”

The Athletic: NFL employees expect Lions win

The Athletic anonymously interviewed nine coaches and executives around the NFL to give their playoff picks, and eight of the anonymous people in the NFL predicted a Lions victory, while one chose Tampa.

“I went back and forth (with my pick),” an executive told The Athletic. “I ultimately picked Detroit because they’re the more complete team and have home-field advantage. I am curious to see how Goff plays this weekend because I do think Tampa can get pressure on him. And historically, when you can get hits on Goff, you can get him out of rhythm.”

Sporting News: Lions 27-24

Sporting News writer Vinnie Iyer predicts a close victory for the Lions and said the Lions’ pass rush will be a key in the victory.

“The concern for Mayfield will Aidan Hutchinson and the Lions’ pass rush, containing the big plays,” Iyer wrote. “His counterpart Jared Goff will feel a little more comfortable at home and also get more help from an efficient rushing attack.”

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Detroit, MI

Videos show standing water inside Detroit elementary school, as source reports sewage smell

Published

36 minutes ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Videos show standing water inside Detroit elementary school, as source reports sewage smell

Several parents said they were unaware of any problems at the school

DETROIT – Videos and photos sent to the station show standing water and buckets inside Carleton Elementary School on Detroit’s east side, and an anonymous source says students were expected to attend class even as the water pooled in hallways.

The source also said the water smelled like sewage.

Several parents said Wednesday they were unaware of any problems at the school, though one said the building flooded last week and that students were given the day off.

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department said it received a complaint of water backing up at the school last Friday and determined the problem was private.

Crews were seen working at the school on Wednesday (March 11) afternoon.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) was contacted for comment; the newsroom is awaiting a response.

The school’s principal said the district is working on building issues, but there was no flood on Wednesday.

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Detroit, MI

4Warn Weather Alert issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit — What this means

Published

13 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

4Warn Weather Alert issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit — What this means

A 4Warn Weather Alert has been issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit following overnight thunderstorms.

A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. on March 11, prompting a 4Warn Weather Alert as rounds of rain and storms move across the region during the morning commute and through midday.

Full forecast –> Wild weather: Heavy rain leading to flood concerns in Metro Detroit

What is a 4Warn Weather Alert?

We issue a 4Warn Weather Alert when we’re expecting weather conditions that will be inconvenient to our viewers.

Why did we issue an alert for Wednesday morning?

Early Wednesday morning, thunderstorms were rolling through Metro Detroit. While severe weather was a possibility overnight, most storms in Southeast Michigan remained below severe limits. Stronger storms developed across West Michigan earlier, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for the Saginaw area.

Meanwhile, parts of the Thumb and Mid-Michigan are dealing with freezing rain and icy conditions, while Northern Michigan is under Ice Storm Warnings, including Alpena.

The biggest concern in Southeast Michigan Wednesday morning is heavy rainfall.

Several rounds of rain could produce localized flooding, especially in areas that typically collect water, such as low-lying neighborhoods, underpasses and roads with poor drainage.

A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (WDIV)

Flood safety tips

Drivers should be cautious of standing water on roadways. Even shallow water can hide hazards or stall vehicles Here is an important rule during flood events: Turn around, don’t drown.

Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road.

Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road. (WDIV)

Heavy rain can also lead to basement flooding in some homes. Residents are encouraged to check sump pumps, clear nearby drains if possible and monitor lower levels of their homes for water intrusion during prolonged rainfall.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions Sign QB Teddy Bridgewater To Backup Jared Goff in 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Lions Sign QB Teddy Bridgewater To Backup Jared Goff in 2026

The free agency tampering period has begun for the NFL, and the Detroit Lions are among the active teams acquiring players as they try to get back to the playoffs after they did not meet their own standard for last season.

On Monday, it was revealed that 2025 Lions backup quarterback Kyle Allen was heading to Buffalo, leaving another hole in the roster to fill. Nearly 24 hours later, that hole has been filled, as veteran quarterbackTeddy Bridgewater is heading back to Motown.

Bridgewater spent the 2023 season with Detroit, in what initially was going to be his final season in the league.

However, after coaching Miami Northwestern Senior High School to a state championship in Florida during the 2024 season, he announced he was planning to unretire, and Detroit picked him up for their push towards the top seed in the NFC.

Bridgewater then resigned as head coach at Miami Northwestern and signed with Tampa Bay to backup Baker Mayfield last season.

He appeared in four games last season, throwing 15 passes for the Buccaneers, which were his first NFL pass attempts since 2022.

Bridgewater is a safe option at backup quarterback in Detroit, as the former Rookie of the Year has had a steady career since entering the league with Minnesota out of Louisville in 2014.

Bridgewater returns to back up Jared Goff under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, as this is a situation where Detroit stuck with a player they knew. For Petzing, this is not the first time coaching Teddy Bridgewater, as he was an offensive assistant with Minnesota when they drafted Bridgewater in 2014.

A leg injury derailed his career after a Pro Bowl season in 2015, but he has started 37 games since the injury as a journeyman. Bridgewater left Minnesota and Drew Petzing and would overlap with Dan Campbell when the quarterback played for New Orleans in 2018 and 2019. In addition to Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, Bridgewater has also played for Carolina, Denver, and Miami.

Detroit stuck with a safe and familiar option in Bridgewater, as a majority of their offense, alongside most of their offensive staff, have worked with the quarterback before. If Bridgewater is turned to in any situation, there will be full confidence in the Louisville product to make the right play.

NFL Draft Implications

This puts Detroit in a unique position when looking ahead towards the NFL Draft, as a popular mock draft pick for Detroit was taking a quarterback, with Cole Payton, Luke Altmyer, and Taylen Green all being among the names mentioned.

Bridgewater is an excellent mentor alongside Goff, but having three quarterbacks on the Lions roster after injury-riddled campaigns in the last two seasons may not be the wisest allocation of a roster spot.

For the time being, Detroit has their backup quarterback for the season, and there is not a better option than Bridgewater when it comes to familiarity and adaptability. While the former Pro Bowl quarterback has yet to throw a pass in Detroit, he has the familiairity and trust of the coaching staff to be a backup entering a pivotal year.

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