It's the end of an era .
In the first game of what could be the last Monday night doubleheader for the foreseeable future, the Detroit Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-9. Here are our initial takeaways from the game between top NFC contenders.
Key takeaway: The NFC might run through Detroit
The Lions looked like the conference's best as they dominated the Buccaneers from the start. Detroit scored an opening-drive touchdown and forced a three-and-out — one of four in the game — on Tampa's first offensive series. It out-gained the Bucs 379-251, holding Tampa to 3.8 yards per play, while producing several of its own explosive plays.
While many expected the Lions to decline after losing both coordinators to head coaching opportunities during the offseason, they're as well-oil