Jared Goff, Lions vs. Baker Mayfield, Bucs Week 6 Game Flexed to Late Afternoon Slot

The Detroit Lions and the Tampa Buccaneers are each off to impressive 3-1 starts to the 2023 season, and the NFL is rewarding them with a marquee billing in Week 6.

The league announced on Monday that the Oct. 15 matchup between the Lions and Buccaneers has been flexed to the 4:25 p.m. ET slot on Fox.

As NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted, this marks the first flexible scheduling move of the season and it "puts two 3-1 teams into a time slot that'll reach more of the country."

Detroit enters its Week 5 game against the Carolina Panthers in sole possession of first place in the NFC North. The Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-20 on Thursday Night Football to assume supremacy in the division.

Quarterback Jared Goff is off to a strong start to the year, ranking seventh in the NFL with 1,029 passing yards to go with six touchdowns and three interceptions. He's completing 69.5 percent of his passes, improving his efficiency from last year when he finished with a 65.1 completion percentage.

The Lions have also benefitted from a strong run game led by David Montgomery, who's tied for third in the league with five rushing touchdowns.

Detroit's defense has also performed at a high level throughout the year, ranking fourth in the league with an average of 280.5 total yards allowed per game. The team's 60.8 rushing yards allowed is the lowest mark in the NFL.

If the Lions can continue performing like this, they will be legit contenders in the NFC.