DETROIT — Jahmyr Gibbs was offered oxygen on the bench after a 78-yard run. He turned it down. Clearly, he was not out of breath.
Gibbs scored on a long sprint in the second quarter, followed by a 5-yard spinning plunge in the third. He 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 regular-season games.
“The guys responded, which I knew they would,” Campbell added.
Tampa Bay (5-2) was outgained by more than 200 yards in the first half but trailed only 14-3. Detroit’s early turnovers—including an interception, a fumble, a turnover on downs—and a missed field goal kept the score close.
Rookie Tez Johnson opened the second half with a 22-yard touchdown reception, pulling the Bucs within five points. However, they could not slow down Gibbs.
On the ensuing drive, Gibbs broke free with a 15-yard run and followed it up with a 28-yard reception, setting 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. His total of 218 yards from scrimmage ranks among the best performances for the franchise this century.
Gibbs became the first NFL player since Chris Johnson in 2009 to have at least 135 yards rushing, 80 yards receiving, and two rushing touchdowns in a single game.
“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, including a 27-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown on the game’s opening drive. However, Goff also lost a fumble, overthrew rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa on fourth-and-2, and threw an interception—all in Tampa Bay territory.
Baker Mayfield completed 28 of 50 passes for 228 yards with one touchdown and one interception facing a short-handed Lions defense. Mayfield’s incomplete end-zone pass with 4:24 remaining ended any potential comeback hopes for Tampa Bay.
“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 for the offensive line.”
Gibbs took advantage of a huge hole and his blazing speed to score on a career-long 78-yard run late in the second quarter, extending Detroit’s lead to 14-0.
“If you can get him to the second level, he can do the rest,” Campbell said.
After Detroit’s Jake Bates missed a 54-yard field goal, Tampa Bay’s Chase McLaughlin made a 53-yard kick to end the half and put the Bucs on the scoreboard. Bates redeemed himself early in the fourth quarter with a 58-yard field goal, 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 Success**
The Lions are now 13-3 in night games under Coach Campbell and have won five straight on Monday Night Football.
**Injuries**
– **Bucs:** Wide receiver 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. Outside linebacker Haason Reddick (knee, ankle) left the game in the second half.
– **Lions:** Cornerbacks Kerby Joseph, Terrion Arnold, and Avonte Maddox were sidelined with injuries, a setback for a secondary already missing suspended safety Brian Branch. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill played for the first time since tearing a knee ligament late last season. Offensive tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder) returned after missing two games.
**Up Next**
Tampa Bay Buccaneers will visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/20/detroit-lions-tampa-bay-buccaneers-jahmyr-gibbs/
