A week ago, the Detroit Lions helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' playoff prospects. Now they'll try to spoil them.
The Bucs stayed in the thick of the NFC playoff picture last week - thanks in large part to Detroit's win against fellow wild card contender Green Bay - but if they want to stay there another week, they'll need to hand the Lions their 27th consecutive road loss Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
Tampa Bay (8-5) has little margin for error if it wants to sneak into the last wild card spot. The Bucs are tied with the Packers and a game behind the Giants and Eagles. Either New York or Philadelphia will take control of the NFC East when the teams square off Sunday, meaning the Bucs and Packers can pull even with the loser if they win this week.
The Bucs are still alive by virtue of escaping with a 17-16 win last week against Washington when holder Hunter Smith couldn't hold onto a high snap on what would have been the tying extra point.
Close games are nothing new for the Bucs, nor is having success pulling them out. Tampa Bay is 5-0 in games decided by three points or less.
The Bucs are 8-0 against teams with losing records and 0-5 against opponents with winning records. If they can continue that trend with home wins against the Lions this week and Seattle next week, they could head to New Orleans to close the regular season with a shot at a playoff spot.
Detroit (3-10) doesn't have any playoff prospects to play for at this point, but ending the 26-game road losing streak - the longest in NFL history - gives the Lions an attainable goal. The Lions' last road win was Oct. 28, 2007, against the Chicago Bears, and many of the losses along the way have been lopsided - 18 of the 26 were decided by 10 or more points.
The Lions snapped one embarrassing streak last week, ending their 19-game skid against NFC North opponents with a 7-3 home win against Green Bay.
They did so despite starting third-string quarterback Drew Stanton for a second consecutive game, and Stanton could get the nod again Sunday. Matthew Stafford (shoulder) is expected to be out at least another week, but Shaun Hill returned to practice on a limited basis this week as he works his way back from a broken right index finger.
Whoever starts under center will face a Bucs defense that has been decimated by injuries the past two weeks. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and linebacker Quincy Black went on injured reserve this week, a week after cornerback Aqib Talib was lost for the remainder of the season. Center Jeff Faine also was placed on IR two weeks ago.
The Bucs do have plenty of prowess on offense, though, and it's a unit headlined by young players. Second-year quarterback Josh Freeman orchestrated the seventh fourth-quarter comeback of his career - and his fifth of the season - last week against Washington. He has thrown 17 touchdowns and only six interceptions after throwing 18 picks last year.
Freeman has a pair of solid rookie receivers in Mike Williams, who leads NFL rookies with 784 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches, and Arrelious Benn, who had four catches for a career-high 122 yards last week.
And Tampa Bay has found a hidden gem in rookie running back LeGarrette Blount, who ranks second among NFL rookies with 667 rushing yards and five touchdowns despite having just 10 carries through the season's first five games.
It will be the 53rd regular-season meeting between the teams. The Lions hold a 27-25 advantage in the series, but the Bucs have won five of the past seven meetings. Detroit hasn't won in Tampa Bay since 2000.