Bucs keep Lions winless despite slow start

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11/23/2008 - Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Garcia threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers downed Detroit, 38-20, to keep the Lions winless on the season.

Warrick Dunn had 14 carries for 90 yards and a score while Ronde Barber had two interceptions and returned one of them for a touchdown for the Buccaneers (8-3), who are just one-half game back of Carolina for first place in the NFC South.

Carolina is currently battling the Falcons in Atlanta.

Ike Hilliard had two catches for 51 yards and a score, while Cadillac Williams saw his first action since suffering a torn patellar tendon on September 30, 2007 and had 16 carries for 27 yards for Tampa Bay, which has won its last three games.

Daunte Culpepper started his third straight game and went just 8-for-20 with 121 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while Calvin Johnson had three catches for 66 yards and a score for the Lions (0-11), who are faced with the prospect of becoming the first team since the league went to a 16-game format to finish a full season without a win.

Tampa Bay went 0-14 in its inaugural year of 1976 while the Colts finished 0-8-1 during the strike-shortened 1982 season.

The Lions next play on Thanksgiving when they will host the Tennessee Titans, who suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday against the Jets.

After exchanging punts to start the game, the Lions took the lead thanks to Johnson. With the ball near midfield, Culpepper threw up a pass down the left sideline that Johnson came down with in double coverage for 41 yards. Three plays later, Johnson leaped up just inside the goal line and came down with the ball on a 15-yard score and a 7-0 lead with 6:07 left in the first.

On Tampa's next drive, Garcia and Williams collided in the backfield and Garcia fumbled the ball. Daniel Bullocks picked up the loose ball and took it into the end zone from 44 yards out for a 14-0 lead.

Detroit forced the Buccaneers to punt on their next touch and got a 26-yard run from Kevin Smith to get the ball into scoring position, but had to settle for a 38-yard field goal from Jason Hanson to take a 17-0 lead into the second quarter.

Tampa, though, scored on its ensuing possession that spanned the first and second quarters. Clifton Smith returned the kickoff 49 yards to put the ball at midfield. Using the short field, Garcia quickly took his team down the field and at the 13-yard line handed the ball off to Dunn, who ran up the middle and spun around a defender on his way into the end zone.

The Bucs made it a three-point game on their next touch as Garcia found Hilliard for a 36-yard score to cap a nine-play, 69-yard drive with 4:40 to play in the first half.

On Detroit's next possession, Barber picked off Culpepper and on the next play, Garcia found Jerramy Stevens wide open over the middle for a 24-yard score and a 21-17 lead going into the break.

Tampa's special teams got in on the scoring in the third quarter. Detroit was held to a three-and-out and had to punt the ball away. Clifton Smith fielded the boot at his own 30 and raced up the middle and into the end zone for a 28-17 lead with 11:31 left in the third.

Just 2 1/2 minutes later, Tampa made it a 35-17 game as Barber stepped in front of a Culpepper pass and raced into the end zone from 65 yards out.

Later in the third, Hilliard muffed a punt and Detroit recovered deep in Tampa territory, but the team was unable to move the ball and Hanson's 40-yard field goal made it a 35-20 game with 2:43 left in the third.

However, Matt Bryant later countered with a 48-yard field goal a bit over two minutes into the fourth to make it a 38-20 contest.

Game Notes

Hanson's second field goal was the 400th of his career...The Buccaneers host New Orleans next Sunday...Kevin Smith finished the game with 86 yards on 16 carries...Tampa Bay has won five of its last six games against Detroit... Johnson has caught a touchdown in six of his last seven games.