Detroit Lions embraced their inner Eminem in 31-23 win over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eminem was wearing a grey Barry Sanders T-shirt, and he started screaming: “Let’s go!”

The fans in Ford Field went crazy, as Eminem’s music blared over the loudspeaker — lyrics that seemed so fitting:

“Look, if you had one shotOr one opportunityTo seize everything you ever wantedIn one momentWould you capture itOr just let it slip?”

That was the big question about these Detroit Lions, right?

Would they seize the moment?

Um, heck yes they did, with a wild, dramatic, ear-shattering 31-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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A win that propels the Lions into unknown territory.

At least in this century.

The Lions will play at San Francisco in the NFC championship on Sunday, the first time they've made it that far since the 1991 season, and they have now won back-to-back playoff games for the first time since 1957, when two wins gave them the NFL championship.

“Snap, back to reality, ope, there goes gravity.”

Gravity?

Heck no. This is no time for gravity.

This is an entire city floating in the joy. This is an entire fan base waving towels and screaming until their voices go hoarse. This is delicious and wonderful and the end of all those struggles and frustrations.

Yeah, it was scary

"His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy."

Yes, that’s what it felt like.

For an entire game.

Back and forth it went, as Baker Mayfield kept the Bucs in it.

Early in the third quarter, the Lions and Bucs were locked in a tie game, 10-10, and the Buccaneers had the ball.

Brian Branch came on a blitz, got himself under control — no easy thing — and swallowed up a running back.

Then, Kerby Joseph jarred the ball loose.

"Ope, there goes gravity.”

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The Lions' defense — yes, the defense was the gravity, pulling Tampa back to earth. All these small plays add up.

“We need a three and out and we need a takeaway,” coach Dan Campbell said to NBC at halftime.

OK, it wasn’t a three-and-out but it was a stop.

Then, the fans took matters into their own hands, willing this win.

“Jared Goff," they chanted. “Jared Goff.”

It was like they were trying to speak it into existence.

Goff was not having his best game, and Mayfield was outplaying him.

But the Lions found some plays to work. Which means, Brock Wright.

Wait, Brock Wright?

He faked a block and then snuck through the Bucs' defense, wide-open.

“Jared Goff!” the fans chanted, when the Lions got into the red zone. "Jared Goff!"

Can you imagine what that feels like?

Yes, Goff rarely shows emotion and rarely gets rattled.

But the fans were trying to give him a boost, if he needed it or not.

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If ever there was an example of a team and a city coming together, this was it.

Now, the biggest moment of the season.

Fourth and goal from the 1-yard line, of course, Campbell went for it.

The surprise ended up being who ran it.

The Lions gave the ball to Craig Reynolds, who plunged in for the touchdown.

A backup running back working behind a banged-up center, a backup guard and Taylor Decker.

OK, didn’t see that coming.

But man, Frank Ragnow is one tough son of a gun.

“Ope, there goes gravity.”

Plunk. Momentum bounced back and forth, gravity playing all kinds of havoc, as the Buccaneers kept answering, kept finding answers, hanging around.

Then, the Lions turned to the guy who practically defies gravity – Jahmyr Gibbs, who seems to hover and zoom like a spacecraft.

In the fourth quarter, Gibbs screamed through a massive hole, went left, cut right, cut left, hyper-speed activated.

Zoom, and he was gone.

Ope, there goes gravity.

For everybody but Gibbs.

Here came Goff, throwing a rainbow to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the corner of the end zone. A rainbow that ended in pure gold — touchdown Lions.

This was a moment Lions fans have waited for forever.

This was yet another validation of this organization.

But the Lions needed one last stop when the Buccaneers got the ball back. Two minutes to play.

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Ball on the 10.

Palms sweaty? Yes.

Until Derrick Barnes reached up and snagged an interception, snatching this win; Lions coaches were hugging and pumping fists and the fans were screaming their hearts out.

It was joy. Pure joy.

Gravity?

Heck no. This defied gravity. Goff took a knee and another, as fireworks went off, confetti rained down, and Ford Field felt like it was floating.

On to San Francisco.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.

To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions embraced their inner Eminem in 31-23 win over Buccaneers