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Every NFL game comes with a least a little bit of controversy, and that was certainly the case when the Detroit Lions took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, October 20, during Monday Night Football. One of the most controversial moments happened in the beginning of the fourth quarter, when the Buccaneers’ fourth down conversation was overturned. Lions head coach Dan Campbell used a challenge on the fourth down, and it was deemed unsuccessful, but the referees checked the video to determine where the ball was set. After reviewing the video, the officials decide that Tampa Bay tight end Cade Otton put the ball short of a first down. Then, Campbell’s challenge and the timeout were both given back to the Detroit Lions, and the Lions even picked up the ball in Tampa Bay territory. Ford Field exploded with excitement at the news, but those in Tampa Bay’s camp pretty much dropped their jaws. The call was a turning point in the game and put Detroit in charge. Even after the game, people were talking about that moment. Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Followers Voice Their Thoughts After the refs started looking at that first down from the Bucs, the Lions posted on X, “second opinion,” with a thumbs up. The post got attention, with Lions followers happy about the second look and final decision. “We got a call benefitting us?” one follower said in all caps. “Chiefs inbred fans suddenly don’t like NFL refs,” another one said, joking. “Looks good to me,” another said. Some seemed a bit more skeptical. “Nice break,” one follower said. “After a second look? I’ve never heard that in my life,” another stated. “Didn’t know it was legal to challenge two parts of a play at the same time but whatever,” one more said. “Rules don’t apply for Lions,” one more stated. So, the call went the way of the Lions, and it was a massive moment in a tough game. The Detroit Lions took home the win at Ford Field with the final tally of 24-9. In a piece published right after the game, Ryan Heckman of The Pewter Plank even said that the “refs royally screwed the Buccaneers on a late Lions challenge during MNF.” Detroit Lions Running Back Jahmyr Gibbs Makes History It was a big game for the Lions and an even bigger one for running back Jahmyr Gibbs. He made NFL history as the 10th player in NFL history to produce a game with at least 135 rushing yards, 80 receiving yards and two rushing TDs, according to the official Lions’ account. The last player to do that was Chris Johnson in 2009. Gibbs reached that milestone with 4:39 left in the third quarter. Heading into the matchup, quarterback Jared Goff led the NFL with 14 pass touchdowns and a 75.9% completion percentage, according to Christian Gonzales of CBS Sports in a feature published on Sunday, October 19.
