Jared Goff did a lot Sunday, but something glaring was missing from his game.
He didn’t get hit.
That’s right, unscathed. The Detroit Lions quarterback slipped out of SoFi Stadium after a 41-38 victory over the Chargers pretty much as fresh as he entered it.
“It’s happened a handful of times because of the tackles and interior we’ve got, but it’s very rare against a good D-line,” said Goff, who repeatedly eluded the grasp of Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack and the rest. According to the stat line he was hit twice, although he does not recall any contact. “Yeah, I maybe fell to the ground once or twice — probably my own fault — but I don’t think I got hit once.”
For the Chargers, the hits keep coming. This marked the 13th loss by a field goal or less since the franchise drafted quarterback Justin Herbert in 2020, which ESPN Stats & Info notes is the most such losses in the NFL during that span.
The Lions are headed in the opposite direction. They’re 7-2 for the first time since 2014, firmly atop the NFC North, and are seeing even blown plays break their way.
Read more: Chargers’ offense shreds Lions but defense fails miserably in loss on last play
For instance, they were supposed to have a different personnel package on the field with three minutes left in the second half. Recognizing that, Goff shrewdly checked out of a pass and instead handed the ball to David Montgomery, who darted up the middle, juked to his left and glided down the sideline for a 75-yard touchdown.
“It just shows you the ability we have as an offense,” Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said. “I mean, we can explode at any point.”
St. Brown is a big part of that. The former USC standout had 156 yards receiving Sunday, the fourth consecutive game he has recorded triple digits in that department. The last Lions receiver to do that? Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson in 2012.
The Lions, two years removed from a three-win season, are suddenly one of the best teams in the NFL, and one of…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/jared-goffs-winning-touch-keeps-121506246.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2023-11-13 12:15:06
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