The Detroit Lions host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football in a matchup of NFC powerhouses that could have playoff seeding implications come January.
Here are five things to watch out for in tonight's contest:
1. BATTLE OF THE QUARTERBACKS
Since 2023, the top two players in passing yards and touchdown passes in the NFL are Detroit's Jared Goff (10,594 passing yards and 81 touchdown passes) and Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield (10,083 and 81). Goff leads the NFL with 14 touchdowns passes on the season and ranks second with a 120.6 rating. Mayfield is tied for third in touchdown passes (12) and sixth in rating (108.5). Mayfield has four game-winning fourth quarter drives this season.
Goff and Mayfield have followed similar career paths, both being former No. 1 overall picks who were let go by the teams that drafted them only to thrive in new situations in Detroit and Tampa Bay.
2. MCNEILL RETURN
Alim McNeill (knee, questionable) should be back for the first time since tearing his ACL Dec. 15 last year in a loss to Buffalo. McNeill is one of Detroit's leading pass rushers from the interior, recording 45 pressures in 14 games last season with 3.5 sacks. The duo of McNeill and edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson will be a big boost for Detroit's defensive line and a lot for Tampa Bay's offensive line to handle.
"The standard that I expect Alim to come back and play at is a high one, is one that he set for himself as a player," Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said Friday. "It's not one that I'm putting on him or outsiders are putting on him. I expect Alim to come in and show what he's shown the last two weeks on the practice field. Like I said, it's like he didn't miss a beat."
3. DB DEPTH VS. WR DEPTH
An important matchup in tonight's game will be Detroit's secondary against Tampa Bay's receiver corps. Both units are dealing with injuries. Detroit will be without cornerbacks D.J. Reed (hamstring), Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and Avonte Maddox (hamstring) as well as safety Brian Branch (suspension) and safety Kerby Joseph (knee).
Tampa Bay will be without wide receiver Chris Godwin (fibula). Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) is questionable, as is wide receiver Mike Evans, who has been out since Week 3 with a hamstring injury.
Which team's depth at those two spots will prevail?
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Thursday, October 16, 2025.
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Grant Stuard (15) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Graham Glasgow (60) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Pat O'Connor (95) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Oct. 16, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
4. HANDLING THE BLITZ
Offensive coordinator John Morton said during the week watching Tampa Bay's defensive tape was like watching a 'blitz fest.' The Lions have to be ready for a Bucs' defense that ranks third in the NFL in blitz percentage at 32.6. Morton mentioned how facing Detroit's defense in camp and the multitude of blitz packages Sheppard deploys has helped prepare them. Goff is second in the NFL with a 129.9 passer rating against the blitz this season with a 78 percent completion percentage.
5. ST. BROWN VS. BUCS
Amon-Ra St. Brown is the first Lions receiver to post at least 40 receptions, 450 receiving yards and six touchdowns through the first six games of any season. He's currently tied for third in the NFL in receptions (44), sixth in receiving yards (452) and tied for first in receiving touchdowns (6).
Tonight's matchup with the Bucs might be a great opportunity for St. Brown to significantly add to some or all of those totals. In his last three games vs. Tampa Bay, St. Brown has been targeted 37 times and has 31 receptions for 320 yards and two touchdowns.
