Lions move within one win of first Super Bowl

The Detroit Lions held off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win 31-23 and move within one game of the team's first Super Bowl.

Detroit hosted its first play-off game in 30 years last week and the long-suffering Lions fans celebrated a first play-off win in 32 years.

That secured another home game in the divisional round against an in-form Buccaneers team that just would not go away.

The Super Bowl 55 winners drew level at the end of the second quarter and the third and, although Detroit scored back-to-back touchdowns in the final quarter, the Bucs again hit back to cut the deficit.

Tampa Bay got the ball back with two minutes left but Detroit linebacker Derrick Barnes intercepted Baker Mayfield to secure a trip to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Conference Championship game next Sunday.

The Lions are one of just four teams never to play in the Super Bowl as although they have won four NFL championships, they all came before the first Super Bowl in 1967.

Defences were on top for most of another electric evening in the Motor City, with Cade Otton's touchdown for Tampa Bay cancelling out a Josh Reynolds score to make it 10-10 at half-time.

The third quarter started with three punts before quarterbacks Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield, both former number one draft picks, finally got some offence going.

Craig Reynolds crashed into the end zone from a yard for the Lions, before the Bucs replied with Mayfield sending Rachaad White over for a 12-yard score.

Jahmyr Gibbs charged into the corner from 31 yards to put Detroit back in front at the start of the fourth quarter, before Amon-Ra St Brown's touchdown gave them breathing space.

Again Tampa Bay hit straight back with Mayfield finding Mike Evans to keep the game alive, but the Tampa QB's second interception got the party started in Detroit.

Goff, who finished with 287 passing yards and two touchdown passes, now has the chance to reach a second Super Bowl having led the Los Angeles Rams to the big game in 2019.