But when the Lions host the Bucs on Sunday, they will be simply trying to get their first victory against a good team. The Lions are 0-10. The Bucs are 7-3.

Marinelli was not interested in walking down memory lane when asked about his Tampa Bay days after practice Wednesday. He didn't want to talk about any deeper meaning to the game.

"Not really," Marinelli said. "At this time, I'm just interested in this team practicing, getting ready to go. I'm telling you, they're resilient. They come out here, and they practice again. I take my hats off to them. The only thought I have is helping these guys get a win."

Marinelli didn't talk about the Bucs much before the teams met last year, either. But the coaches and players knew how much the game meant to him, and after the Lions' 23-16 victory, they dumped a Gatorade cooler on him and gave him a game ball in the locker room.

"It was an important game for us because we were just trying to get over that hump," Marinelli said. "I think we went to 4-2. I can't remember what the record was. But it was just important for that team last year at that point. That was a big block right in front of us."

Asked if he wouldn't mind another Gatorade shower, Marinelli tried to make a joke. He hesitated, smiled and said: "It would probably be a lemonade at me or something."

The Lions have a number of Tampa Bay connections. General manager Martin Mayhew played for the Bucs. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry and secondary coach Jimmy Lake came from their staff. Several players played for them, including defensive linemen Dewayne White and Chuck Darby, linebacker Ryan Nece and defensive backs Brian Kelly, Dwight Smith and Kalvin Pearson.

"I assume they've got a lot of incentive," Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said. "Hopefully they had a good experience here. I'm sure, when you part ways sometimes, it's bittersweet. ...

"There's a lot of guys there that you want to win, you root for, but I think obviously it meant a lot to him last year if he got the Gatorade dumped on him. Good for them. I was pulling for those guys. They're friends of mine. We've just got to do battle here on Sunday."

Will the familiarity have a practical impact on the game? Did it last year?

"Oh, I don't know," Gruden said. "I think during the week, probably a little bit too much. You know, 'We'd better change this signal to this. We'd better do this because they'll expect that.' You probably overanalyze it."

Marinelli doesn't want his players thinking too much.

"You know what?" Marinelli said. "You mess up your players. We've got to go out and execute our defense. He knows exactly where we're going to be, how we're going to align, for the most part. Then it's about who can execute."

SERIES HISTORY: 52nd meeting. Lions lead, 27-24. Lions beat the Bucs last year at Ford Field, 23-16. But they lost four straight and six of seven to their old NFC Central rivals previously.