Lions vs. Buccaneers preview: 3 key players matchups

A look at the three biggest player-on-player matchups in Lions vs. Buccaneers in Week 2.

After their nail-biting overtime game in Week 1, the Detroit Lions now travel to another 2023 playoffs opponent: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Both of these teams are sitting at 1-0 and currently look like the best teams in their respective divisions. At the same time, both are heading into this game with extensive injury reports .

In Week 1, both the Lions and Buccaneers had some standout players who will now be going head-to-head when the two teams play on Sunday afternoon.

Carlton Davis III vs. Mike Evans

Cornerback Carlton Davis will be lining up across from a familiar face on Sunday. The former Buccaneer will once again face off against Mike Evans, one of the most prolific wide receivers in the league. The two played together in Tampa Bay for six seasons from 2018 to 2023.

Evans is currently coming off of a monster game in Week 1. The 31-year-old caught five of six targets for 61 yards and found the end zone twice. The big-bodied receiver is Tampa Bay’s best and most reliable deep threat.

Davis started at cornerback for the Lions in their first game of the season, where Detroit’s entire secondary did not perform well against the Rams. While he was strong against the run, his coverage skills left a lot to be desired. Davis allowed nine catches for 114 yards and a touchdown to opposing receivers last week. At the same time, he is a sure tackler and can make a play after the catch if needed.

This will not be an easy matchup for Davis, especially when factoring in how the Buccaneers utilize their other weapons on offense like Chris Godwin and Rachaad White. Davis has experience against Evans from years of practicing against the five-time Pro Bowl er. For a Detroit win, they will need to shut down the passing game and that starts with this matchup.

Taylor Decker vs. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka

Now in his ninth season, left tackle Taylor Decker has been tasked to block some of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Now, he goes against Buccaneer’s 2021 first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.

The former Washington Husky isn’t a household name. He’s never made a Pro Bowl. Last season, he only played about half of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps. So why would him versus Detroit’s franchise left tackle be a key matchup for this game?

Tryon-Shoyinka is starting at outside linebacker for the Buccaneers defense and is currently the best pass rusher on their roster. In Week 1 against Washington, he had a sack, beating former Detroit Lion Cornelius Lucas to get to rookie Jayden Daniels and forced a fumble in the process.

Taylor Decker played well overall for Detroit against the Rams, but quarterback Jared Goff faced too much pressure from the opposing defense for most of the game and was sacked twice. While that is not all on Decker, he will likely be the one tasked with keeping Tryon-Shoyinka out of the backfield on most plays. If Decker can keep a clean pocket on the blind side, Detroit’s playbook will be able to open up, especially in the screen game and plays into the flats.

Aidan Hutchinson vs. Tristan Wirfs

A rising star at defensive end versus an All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl left tackle. This game will be the fourth time that Aidan Hutchinson and Tristan Wirfs have gone toe-to-toe. Their first matchup was in their collegiate days, where Hutchinson recorded a sack, six tackles, and a forced fumble. The two then faced off again twice in 2023, once in the regular season and once in the playoffs. Wirfs got the best of Hutchinson the first time around, but the Lions defensive end played much better in the Divisional Round game.

This will be an even matchup between these two talented young players. Detroit’s smartest move would be to use Hutchinson on the other side of the line when possible to avoid this matchup—especially with starting right tackle Luke Goedeke OUT with a concussion. Detroit’s pass rush will be hindered by Marcus Davenport’s ‘doubtful’ status but Detroit is also returning defensive tackle DJ Reader from injury. Given this, more attention on Tampa Bay’s offense will be put on stopping Hutchinson.

As always, putting pressure on Baker Mayfield is what Detroit will need to do to get the upper hand in this matchup. This starts with Hutchinson utilizing his spin move to cut inside of Wirfs and provide pressure from the interior instead of from the edge.