Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions didn’t overwhelm the stat sheet or explode offensively as they had in recent weeks.
The Lions managed to separate late, relying on strong performances from the defense and special teams. Goff missed a few throws and tossed an interception in the 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Still, the quarterback earned praise for helping Detroit avoid a sack for the third straight contest. He confidently stood tall, released the ball quickly when needed, and moved just enough to dodge pressure.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Browns created 15 pressures on Sunday. Star edge rusher Myles Garrett accounted for eight, including two quarterback hits. Yet Goff stayed clean, while the offensive line recovered nicely after occasional breakdowns.
The play that caught coach Dan Campbell’s eye, however, was Detroit’s final touchdown of the afternoon.
Goff gathered the offensive line, made an audible, and immediately fired a screen pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown after the snap. It marked St. Brown’s second touchdown, as he hauled in all seven targets his way.
“And I’ll say this, the last touchdown we scored there, once again, J.G. got us into the absolute right call,” Campbell said. “That was entirely him, and it’s the kind of thing where you study film, sense their tendencies, and he changed the whole thing. He adjusted the protection, altered the play, and set us up in the perfect freaking call. That’s all him, and that’s what we emphasize. He saw it, relayed it, and the guys delivered.
“When you witness that, it’s like, wow, that’s on another level, and that’s where our quarterback stands right now. Not everyone recognizes it, but that’s a difference-maker for us offensively.”
Goff connected on 16 of 27 attempts for 168 yards, tossing two touchdowns and one interception. Detroit has posted 30-plus points in each game of its three-game winning streak since the rough season opener.
On MLive’s Dungeon of Doom podcast, hosts Kory Woods and Ben Raven broke down the offense’s quieter outing. They noted a veteran quarterback playing at an elite level with complete command.
“I believe you’re watching Goff, to me, really enter his prime years,” Woods said. “He’s in a place that values him, he wants to be here, and now he has total control of this offense, something you could argue wasn’t the case during his Rams tenure.”
