DETROIT – Quarterback Matthew Stafford passed for 311 yards and three touchdowns while running back Joique Bell had a rushing and receiving touchdown to lead the Detroit Lions to a 34-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Ford Field.

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson caught eight passes for 158 yards and a touchdown for Detroit (9-4), which moved within a half-game of Green Bay for the NFC North lead.

Bell gained 83 yards on the ground and 50 yards on five receptions. Running back Reggie Bush, who was sidelined for the fifth time in seven games with an ankle injury, gained 26 yards on eight carries.

Rookie wide receiver Mike Evans caught two touchdown passes from Josh McCown for Tampa Bay (2-11). Evans caught four passes for 45 yards and wide receiver Vincent Jackson had 10 receptions for 159 yards. McCown passed for 250 yards but was intercepted twice.

Evans scored on a 5-yard catch with five seconds left in the first half, to bring the Bucs within 17-10 by halftime. A face-mask penalty against Lions defensive end Jason Jones on the previous play extended that drive.

Detroit was in control most of the first half. Johnson caught a 6-yard scoring pass from Stafford to open the scoring. Following a 54-yard field goal by Tampa Bay’s Patrick Murray, Bell scored on a 1-yard run.

Matt Prater kicked a 46-yard field goal after a Tampa Bay fumble for Detroit’s final points of the half.

Prater’s 23-yard field goal and Stafford’s 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Joseph Fauria gave Detroit a 27-10 lead during the third quarter.

Evans’ 10th touchdown reception of the season, a juggling 26-yard grab, made it 27-17 early in the fourth.

Stafford caught a break on his last touchdown toss, as the ball was deflected into the hands of Bell, who scored from 5 yards out with 5:01 remaining.

NOTES: Tampa Bay LB LaVonte David, the team’s leading tackler, suffered a concussion during the third quarter. He took a knee to the helmet while trying to make a tackle. David had five tackles before he departed, giving him 121 for the season. … Lions starting LT Riley Reiff and RG Larry Warford returned to action after missing the 34-17 Thanksgiving win over Chicago with knee injuries. DT Nick Fairley (knee) was inactive for the fifth consecutive game. … Tampa Bay’s offense was depleted by the absences of TEs Brandon Myers (calf) and Austin Seferian-Jenkins (back), LT Anthony Collins (elbow) and RB Bobby Rainey (ankle). … Jim Caldwell became the first Lions coach to post a winning record in his first year since Bobby Ross went 9-7 in 1997. … FS Glover Quin is the first Lion safety to have five or more interceptions since 2000, when Kurt Schulz had seven. … The Lions had lost their last nine games in December.