Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: How to watch and 3 things to watch in the Week 7 matchup

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● What: Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

● When: Oct. 20, 7 p.m.

● Where: Ford Field, Detroit

● How to watch: ABC/ESPN (Buck/Aikman/Salters/Rutledge)

● How to listen: 97.1-FM The Ticket in Metro Detroit or any number of network affiliates around the state.

● Line: Lions -3.5

● Injury report: The Lions ruled out four players over the weekend, including starting safety Kerby Joseph, who has been battling a knee injury since training camp. Also out Monday night are cornerback Terrion Arnold, defensive back Avonte Maddox and running back Sione Vaki.

Three other Lions are questionable for the contest, including offensive tackle Taylor Decker, who has missed the past two games with a nagging shoulder injury.

For Tampa Bay, the team will be without starting running back Bucky Irvin and speedy receiver Chris Godwin. Two more receivers, Mike Evans and rookie Emeka Egbuka, are questionable. Evans is expected to play after missing the past three weeks, while Egbuka is reportedly a game-time decision with the hamstring strain he suffered last week.

● Officiating assignment: John Hussey’s crew. Promoted to referee in 2015, this will be his 13th Lions game in that role. He handled two games last year, the blowout in Dallas and a close home win over the Packers.

● Last meeting: The Lions dropped a Week 2 matchup to the Buccaneers last season, 20-16, despite racking up more than twice as many yards in the contest.

Three things worth watching

● The injuries continue to be the story for Detroit, particularly given their concentration in the secondary. With DJ Reed on injured reserve and Brian Branch serving a one-game suspension, only slot cornerback Amik Robertson is left standing from the team’s season-opening defensive backfield setup.

Robertson has shifted to the outside and will be paired with veteran Rock Ya-Sin for the second straight week. Thomas Harper is expected to make his first start with the Lions at one of the safety spots after providing 10 quality snaps in place of Joseph a week ago. The rest of the mix isn’t clear, but we’ll probably have a better idea when the team announces its alloted practice squad elevations Monday afternoon (4 p.m.).

My best guess? Erick Hallett fills the second safety spot, veteran Arthur Maulet gets elevated off the practice squad to fill the nickel role, and Loren Strickland also gets elevated to provide some safety depth. Both Hallett and Strickland have a leg up on Jammie Robinson, who was signed off Kansas City’s practice squad this week, because of their experience in the scheme.

Godwin’s absence helps counterbalance Detroit’s shifting pieces in the secondary, and if Egbuka is held out, it would really level the playing field. Evans is still the top dog, but Robertson and Ya-Sin should be able to handle his size and keep his production in check, forcing the Buccaneers’ other weapons to shoulder a healthy chunk of the load.

Aside from the perimeter battles, we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge Alim McNeill’s upcoming season debut, 10 months after tearing his ACL. The defensive tackle is expected to provide a big boost to Detroit’s interior pass rush. He’s projected to play 20-25 snaps in this game.

● The deciding factor in last year’s matchup was Detroit’s inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

Despite finishing the season as one of the league’s best in the red zone, they were out of sorts against Tampa Bay, scoring just one touchdown on seven trips. On other trips, they had a turnover on downs, an interception, and a clock management issue that resulted in time expiring without so much as a field-goal attempt to end the first half.

The biggest problem was the Lions getting into third-and-long and not having an answer for Tampa’s smothering zone defense, which swallowed up the checkdown throws it forced.

This season, Detroit is back near the top of the charts in red-zone efficiency, translating 74.1% of its early-season trips into touchdowns. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is struggling to keep opponents from crossing the goal line, ranking 28th by surrendering sixes nearly 70% of the time.

If those trends continue, with the Lions reversing last year’s woes, it could be tough for the Buccaneers to keep pace with their missing offensive pieces.

● Defensive tackle Vita Vea gave the Lions fits last season, and that was with All-Pro center Frank Ragnow drawing the assignment. This year, the responsibility of slowing the two-time Pro Bowler will fall on Graham Glasgow and the roster’s two young guards, Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge.

Asked about the challenge this week, Dan Campbell said the blocking would have to be on point, particularly with the double-teams, because of Vea’s ability to split them and wreck the pocket.

Offensive line coach Hank Fraley was a little more humorous when talking about the obstacle, saying he gave Glasgow a bit of advice this week: “Put two back braces on.”

“It’s impressive, the first step he has, the quickness he has, the moves, the agility for being such a big man,” Fraley said. “He has it all. It’s rare to have that type of ability. You would never say he’s a true pass rusher, but he can push the pocket and become a true pass rusher. That’s what makes him special, that quick first step. Being that big, he can do a little bit of everything.

“Jokingly, definitely put the back braces on,” Fraley said. “Because he’s a load in there, he’s a force. He’s a very good player. We have a lot of respect for him and, really, this whole defense.”

Listed at 6-foot-4, 347 pounds, Vea racked up a career-high 7.0 sacks and 53 quarterback pressures last season. He’s not far off that pace to begin the 2025 campaign, with 2.5 and 16 pressures through six games.