Goff threw two touchdowns and the Lions will compete for the NFC championship, beating the Bucs 31-23

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DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff threw two touchdown passes and the Detroit Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 on Sunday in the divisional round game of the postseason, sending the long-suffering franchise to the championship game. NFC for the first time in 32 years.

The Lions (14-5) won two playoff games this season for the first time since 1957, the last year they won the NFL title. They will face San Francisco, the NFC’s top seed, next Sunday for a berth to the Super Bowl – a game they have never played in.

Jahmyr Gibbs drove through a gaping hole for a 31-yard score that broke the tie early in the fourth quarter, and Goff turned it into a two-touchdown difference when he connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for a score on a nine-yard pass with 6 left. :22 to the game.

Baker Mayfield had three touchdown passes for Tampa Bay (10-9), including a 16-yarder to Mike Evans that brought the Bucs within a score with 4:37 left. Detroit couldn’t run out the clock on its possession, giving Tampa Bay one last chance, but Mayfield’s pass up the middle ended up intercepted by linebacker Derrick Barnes, the second pass stolen from him of the day.

The Lions took a knee to run out the clock as their fans stood up, shouted and waved their white towels.

“They are the best. Look around right now. They won’t be leaving here for a while,” Goff said. “It’s also our last game against them and they were very special today like last week. But they deserve this. They deserve to enjoy it and I hope to give them much more as we move forward.”

Goff completed 30 of 43 passes for a total of 287 yards and efficiently led the Lions’ offense in the second half, who had long touchdown possessions on three consecutive drives. St. Brown received eight passes for a total of 77 yards, and his score capped a masterful 10-play, 89-yard possession.

Mayfield completed 26 of 41 passes and accumulated 349 yards. His early interception slipped through Mike Evans’ hands, and the second was a botched pass. Evans had eight receptions for a total of 147 yards, along with a touchdown.

The Lions and their success-hungry fans hope their second appearance in the NFC title game goes better than their first, when Washington swept them 41-10 on Jan. 12, 1992.