Detroit (9-7) at Tampa Bay (10-6)

* The facts: 1 p.m., Houlihan’s Stadium, Channel 11.

* Head to head: They split their regular-season engagements, with each winning on the road. The Lions won the most recent meeting, 27-9, with Barry Sanders running for 215 yards and becoming the first player in NFL history to have two runs of 80 or more yards in a game.

* Storyline: The Pewter Pirates, the feel-good story of the year, are playing their first playoff game since 1982 against the inspired Lions, ignited by Sanders’ great accomplishments and the recent neck injury to linebacker Reggie Brown.

The winner gets the chance to knock off defending champion Green Bay next weekend.

The Buccaneers are hosting their first playoff game since 1980 against the Rams in a stadium that will be torn down as soon as the season ends. A new stadium is being built next door.

Tony Dungy has made a good quarterback out of Trent Dilfer, suggesting he either has a pact with the devil or the expertise to some day turn around Heath Shuler. Dilfer threw 21 touchdown passes, which will be listed as an NFL miracle in all future playoff literature.

The Buccaneers were at their best with running backs Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott using their specialized talents, but both players pulled disappearing acts at crucial times during the season.

The Lions have their own disaster at quarterback in Scott Mitchell, who wastes Sanders’ talents every time he steps back to throw. Mitchell has been bothered by sore ribs, which some have suggested has affected his ability to pass.

The Buccaneers rank No. 3 in the NFL in defense and the Lions stand No. 2 on offense, but Detroit’s ranking is inflated because of Sanders’ game-breaking numbers, while Tampa Bay has shown the consistent ability to choke off the opposition.

* Keys to the game: This is hard to figure: 1) If Sanders runs wild the Lions win; 2) If Sanders doesn’t run wild the Buccaneers win.

The Lions have staged comebacks the past two weeks and have dedicated their postseason efforts to Brown, who remains hospitalized with serious injuries suffered in last week’s victory over the Jets.

“We always have Reggie on our mind,” receiver Johnnie Morton said. “I think if anything, his situation will provide us motivation.”

The Buccaneers played two rousing games in Tampa this season, which were billed as community events, beating Miami on a Sunday night game and losing to Green Bay. They win this one, and the cheering probably will be heard all the way in Miami.

* Now you know: The Lions led the NFL in scoring in the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters with 87 points.

* They said it: Dungy on Sanders: “He’s that nuclear weapon that keeps them in every game.”

* The line: Tampa Bay by 2 1/2.