Lions...23 Buccaneers...16
DETROIT -- Jeff Garcia suddenly had trouble protecting the football, and the Detroit Lions took full advantage.
The Lions scored touchdowns after Garcia’s two fumbles, including wide receiver Calvin Johnson’s 32-yard run in the fourth quarter, to beat their former teammate and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 23-16.
Detroit (4-2) pulled within a game of idle Green Bay in the NFC North, while Tampa Bay (4-3) lost a chance to move past idle Carolina in the NFC South.
Garcia, who played in Detroit for one forgettable season two years ago, didn’t have a turnover in his first six games with the Buccaneers.
However, he botched a handoff in Detroit territory in the first quarter. He also mishandled a snap on a first-and-goal when Tampa Bay was a yard away from pulling within two points early in the fourth.
Garcia did finish 37 for 45 for a season-high 316 yards with two touchdowns.
Quoteworthy: “We were our own worst enemy at crucial times.” -- Jeff Garcia, Buccaneers quarterback
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