Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett highlights the best and worst performances from the Detroit Lions' 31-23 divisional-round playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Ford Field

Game balls

LB Derrick Barnes

THE GAME: Dan Campbell paints masterpiece as Detroit Lions advance to NFC title game: 'Life's good'

Of all the role players who came up big for Lions on Sunday, none was more important than Barnes.

The third-year linebacker, a member of coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes’ first draft class, made four tackles and had the game-clinching interception when he dropped into coverage and snared a Baker Mayfield pass intended for tight end Cade Otton over the middle with just over a minute to play.

Barnes wasn’t just a one-trick pony Sunday. He also pressured Mayfield into a third-and-5 incompletion with a blitz up the middle just before Chase McLaughlin missed a 50-yard field goal off the left upright, and he deserves a tip of the cap for playing well enough all season to stay in the playing rotation at linebacker despite the presence of first-round pick Jack Campbell.

“I’m proud of Derrick,” Dan Campbell said. “What a huge play."

RB Jahmyr Gibbs

Gibbs missed the first Lions-Bucs game in mid-October with a strained hamstring, then said last week he was looking forward to playing against one of the NFL’s best rush defenses.

The Lions didn’t give him much work early — only four carries in the first half — but they rode him hard on their most important drive of the game. Gibbs had runs of 6, 8 and 31 yards, caught a 12-yard pass and scored what proved to be the game-winning touchdown on the Lions’ five-play, 75-yard drive early in the fourth quarter. He had a big crease up the middle on his TD run, and nearly shook a Bucs safety out of his shoes with his cutback in the open field.

Gibbs is the most electric player on the Lions’ offense, Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson would be wise to give him more touches in next week’s NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.

C Frank Ragnow

Ragnow had the key block on Craig Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal late in the third quarter, and played a key role in keeping Jared Goff upright most of the day against a tricky Tampa defense that has one of the highest blitz rates in the NFL.

More than that, Ragnow played through a knee injury in the first half, once again showing the toughness that has endeared him to Campbell and his teammates. He didn’t miss a snap, though he appeared to be in substantial pain at various points throughout the game.

“Frank’s a stud,” Campbell said. “That’s what he does and he just — he’s willing to lay it on the line and he’s not going to miss it.”

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions' Derrick Barnes makes game-clinching play on big day