NFL Week 7: Detroit Lions Keys To The Game Vs. Tampa Bay Bucs
The Lions will be tested, the secondary is depleted, but the Detroit Lions stand on GRIT!
It is week 7 already and the Detroit Lions (4–2) return to the national stage in Week 7, hosting the NFC‑leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5–1) under the bright lights of “Monday Night Football.” Ford Field will be rocking with 65,000 strong as Detroit looks to rebound from last week’s stumble and head into the bye with momentum.
This matchup pits one of the league’s most balanced offenses against a Buccaneers defense that thrives on chaos — blitzing at one of the highest rates in football and forcing quarterbacks into mistakes. For Jared Goff and the Lions, the challenge is clear: protect the pocket, stay efficient on the ground, and punish Tampa’s aggression with precision in the passing game.
If the Lions want to reassert themselves as a top contender in the NFC, they’ll need to execute the offensive keys to victory laid out in this week’s keys to the game.
The Fight Is Bigger Than The Game
This week’s Keys to the Game is brought to you by the Rocked On Cancer Foundation. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for so many of us, this fight is deeply personal. We all know someone — a mother, sister, daughter, friend, or teammate — whose life has been touched by this disease. Their courage, resilience, and determination remind us that football isn’t the only battle worth fighting.
At Rocked On, we believe in using our platform to raise awareness, support families, and honor the warriors who continue to inspire us every day. So as we break down this week’s matchup, we also pause to recognize the bigger picture: standing together, lifting each other up, and pushing forward until victory is won — on the field and in life.
Keys To The Lions Offense vs Bucs Defense
Key Matchup: Dan Skipper vs. Buccaneers’ Right-Side Rush
If Taylor Decker can’t go and Dan Skipper starts again at left tackle, the Lions’ blindside protection calculus changes dramatically. Decker’s veteran consistency in handling speed-to-power rushers is a stabilizing force; Skipper, while serviceable, is more vulnerable to quickness off the edge and inside counters. That’s a problem against Tampa’s right-side rushers — primarily Haason Reddick and rotational looks from Yaya Diaby. Reddick’s first-step explosiveness and ability to bend the corner make him the single biggest worry for Detroit on that side.
Pass Protection Adjustments:
Expect Detroit to slide protections left more often, giving Skipper inside help from the guard and forcing the back or tight end to account for the widest rusher.
Chip blocks from Sam LaPorta or Jahmyr Gibbs can slow Reddick’s get-off, but that comes at the cost of delaying routes. Look for Detroit to mix in motion-to-chip alignments to disguise help.
Max-protect play action is a must when taking deep shots, ensuring Skipper isn’t left isolated against Reddick in obvious passing downs.
Impact on Jared Goff:
Goff thrives when clean, but his efficiency plummets under pressure. If Skipper struggles early, Tampa will overload blitzes to that side, forcing Goff into hurried throws. Detroit must neutralize this by leaning on quick-game concepts and hot reads to Amon-Ra St. Brown and LaPorta.
Run Game Implications:
Decker’s absence also affects the Lions’ bread-and-butter outside zone and duo runs to the left. Skipper doesn’t generate the same movement at the point of attack, which could limit Montgomery’s downhill efficiency. Expect Detroit to shift more runs right behind Sewell or use Gibbs on perimeter tosses and motion looks to stretch Tampa horizontally.
Bottom Line: If Decker sits, the blindside becomes Tampa’s pressure trigger. Detroit must counter with protection slides, chips, and a heavier right-side run emphasis to keep balance and protect Goff’s rhythm.
Jared Goff vs The Bucs Aggressive Style Of Defense
Jared has to see the field on Monday night making the right calls quickly. If I am John Morton I am playing to Jared’s strengths to help my QB evade pressure and make big plays count.
Neutralize The Blitz With Movement
Context: The Buccaneers blitz 35.5% of the time (4th-highest), registering pressure more than half the time when blitzing (56.6%, 2nd-highest). Their 47 pressures when blitzing lead the league, along with their 26 unblocked pressures – 7 more than any other team.
Why it matters: Jared Goff excels against the blitz, recording the highest passer rating (137.1) and completion percentage (77.1%) of any qualified quarterback. However, when he is pressured by blitzes, Goff’s passer rating (120.6 / season) and completion percentage (75.9% / season) both drop to below league average (72.1 passer rating and 40% completion respectively).
Why It Works
Move the launch point away from predictable spots.
Force edge rushers to hesitate, respecting the run fake.
Simplify Goff’s reads—half-field progressions fit his rhythm passing style.
Quick Screens To Gibbs & St. Brown
Context: Bucs lead the league in unblocked pressures (26).
Punish over-aggressive blitzers by throwing behind them.
Get Gibbs in space vs linebackers—Tampa allows 6.2 YAC per reception to RBs.
St. Brown’s blocking + vision makes WR screens an extension of the run game.
Tempo & Rhythm Passing
Context: Goff has the highest passer rating vs the blitz (137.1) and 77.1% completion rate when kept clean. But when pressured, his rating drops to 72.1.
Quick-game concepts (slants, sticks, hitches) to stay ahead of the chains.
Use tempo to prevent Tampa from disguising exotic blitz looks.
Attack the Middle of the Field
Context: Tampa’s safeties are aggressive downhill, leaving seams open.
LaPorta on crossers and digs.
St. Brown working option routes vs nickel defenders.
Use motion to identify coverage and isolate mismatches.
Heavy Play-Action & Naked Boots
Context: Detroit’s run game forces defenses into heavier boxes.
Play-action slows down Tampa’s linebackers (David, Whitehead).
Naked boots create easy dump-offs to LaPorta or Gibbs in the flat.
Keeps Goff in rhythm while cutting the field in half.
Jared Goff utilizes play action on 29.9% of pass attempts, a drop from his career-high last season (36.6%), but still the 6th-highest mark among quarterbacks this season. When doing so, Goff has 40 completions for 556 yards and 5 touchdowns, posting the 2nd-highest passer rating among quarterbacks (134.8).
*Note: stats are subjective in nature depending on what sites are used
Key Matchups For Detroit’s Offense vs Tampa Bay’s Defense
Amon-Ra St. Brown vs Press Coverage & Tampa’s Outside corners
Why it matters: St. Brown has faced press on 17.0% of routes (career-high), yet he’s produced 9 receptions on 11 targets for 91 yards and 2 TDs against press. Tampa presses at the 10th-highest rate (25.5%) and allows 7.8 yards/target when doing so, below league average. Lean on option routes, slants, pivots, and condensed splits to beat jams and punish off-leverage.
Sam LaPorta vs Tampa’s Second level (Winfield, David, Dennis)
Why it matters: LaPorta’s a YAC engine this year: career-low 6.0 air yards/target, but a career-high 56.8% of yards after the catch with 184 YAC and 6 forced missed tackles. Tampa’s blitz rate (35.5%) and frequent pressure create vacated windows; use drags, sticks, crossers, and screens to LaPorta to beat the rush and leverage his tackle-breaking.
Penei Sewell vs Haason Reddick/Yaya Diaby
Why it matters: Sewell has allowed 9 pressures on 186 pass blocks (4.8% rate), with 1 pressure or fewer in 5 of 6 games, tied for 5th-most such games at RT since 2021. With Tampa leading the league in blitz pressures and unblocked pressures, Sewell’s ability to win 1-on-1 is pivotal to keep protection slides and RB insert pickups clean.
Gibbs/Montgomery vs Vita Vea & Interior Fits
Why it matters: Lions RBs average 1.6 yards before contact (3rd-highest), but the explosive run rate is at a low (9.6%). Tampa allows the 8th-most yards before contact (1.1) yet the 11th-lowest explosive rate (7.3%). Use Montgomery on efficient downhill zone/duo and Gibbs for perimeter speed, motions, and misdirection to turn light boxes and flow into steady gains.
Jameson Williams vs Depth Manipulation
Why it matters: Williams shifted to underneath usage last week (five of six receptions under 10 air yards), dropping to 4.6 air yards/target. Mix that short-game reliability with periodic shot plays off max protect to force Tampa to defend both levels and back off aggressive press/jam tendencies.
Updated injury report (10/17–10/19/25)
Detroit Lions Injuries / Availability
Secondary Absences: Kerby Joseph (knee) OUT, Avonte Maddox (hamstring) OUT, Terrion Arnold (shoulder) LP but expected OUT; Brian Branch suspended one game OUT.
Other Updates: Zach Cunningham no injury designation expected to play, DJ Reader (back) upgraded to LP expected to play, Alim McNeill (knee) FP questionable but expected to play, Taylor Decker (shoulder) LP questionable to play, Sione Vaki OUT, Kalif Raymond no injury designation DNP Saturday unknown.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Injuries / Availability
Late-week statuses: Mike Evans (hamstring) listed questionable but trending to play; Lavonte David (knee/rib) questionable; Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) questionable; Chris Godwin (fibula) ruled OUT, Luke Haggard (shoulder) OUT, Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) OUT, Josh Williams (concussion) ruled OUT; Teddy Bridgewater (illness) questionable. Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison off the report.
Scheme: How Detroit Can Attack Tampa’s Aggressive Defense
Beating The Blitz Without Inviting Pressure
Context: Tampa blitzes 35.5% (4th-highest), generates pressure on 56.6% of blitzes (2nd-highest), leads in blitz pressures (47) and unblocked pressures (26). Goff owns the league’s best passer rating vs blitz (137.1) and top completion rate (77.1%), but his numbers dip below average when the blitz actually gets home (72.1 rating, 40.0%).
Protection rules: Slide to Reddick, make the back responsible inside-out, and train hot replacements vs inside fire zones.
Quick game and choice routes: St. Brown as the primary blitz beater with pivots, slants, and glance.
Max-pro shot sequencing: Use 7-man protections off hard run looks to take selective deep shots to Williams.
Play Action, Motion, Condensed Formations
Context: Detroit remains top-5 in under center, condensed splits, motion, and play action under John Morton, mirroring Ben Johnson’s core tendencies. Goff’s play action passer rating is elite (134.8), with strong TD production.
Condensed splits: Reduce corner leverage and force Tampa to declare pressure.
Jet and orbit motion: Stress ILBs David/Dennis, widen edges, and manufacture free access for LaPorta and St. Brown.
Under-center PA: Hit crossers behind aggressive run fits.
Run game sequencing: duo/zone with Montgomery, edge/perimeter with Gibbs
Context: Detroit’s high yards before contact meets Tampa’s willingness to concede early yards but limit explosives.
Montgomery: Duo and inside zone to grind, control tempo, and keep Tampa out of exotic third-and-long packages.
Gibbs: Toss, pin-pull, RPO bubbles, and angle routes to test Lavonte David’s range if limited, and force open-field tackles by nickel and safeties.
Middle-of-field exploitation
Context: Tampa’s blitz vacates MOF windows; Winfield can erase mistakes, but hooks/seams are available if the ball is out fast.
LaPorta/YAC: Drags, sticks, seams off PA; make Tampa tackle.
St. Brown glance/RPO: Punish ILB over-commitment and keep Goff on rhythm.
Formation and personnel answers to injuries
If Evans plays and David is limited: Expect Tampa to lean coverage help on St. Brown; counter with 12 personnel and motion to force base and create LaPorta as the free runner.
With Godwin out and Haggard out: Tampa may compensate with more pressure and nickel aggression—use screens to Gibbs and LaPorta to tax pursuit and steal explosives via YAC.
Call Sheet Highlights
St. Brown vs press: Heavy option/choice from condensed splits; glance/RPO on early downs.
LaPorta as the blitz valve: Drags, sticks, TE screens; force missed tackles for chunk YAC.
Sewell as the anchor: Trust him vs Reddick/Diaby; slide help elsewhere to pick up exotics.
Montgomery/Gibbs sequencing: Duo/zone to control tempo; perimeter and motion to punish over-pursuit.
Max-pro shots to Jamo: Off successful run looks and PA; keep them honest vertically.
Bottom line, if Detroit’s offensive line protects Jared Goff, stays balanced, and turns Tampa’s aggression into opportunities, they can head into the bye at 5–2 with momentum and a statement win under the lights.
Week 7 Stats Predictions | Updating Monday
Jared Goff:
Amon-Ra St.Brown:
Jameson Williams:
Sam LaPorta:
Isaac Teslaa:
Brock Wright:
David Montgomery:
Jahmyr Gibbs:
Rock’s Lock - Lions win: 35-23
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