Dan Campbell insisted last week that he didn't think his quarterback was struggling. Then his quarterback went out and threw five touchdowns in a rout of the Broncos. Jared Goff, struggling no more.
"He has not taken a step back from the type of quarterback he is, and that’s what I love about him, man," Campbell said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket. "He is still very much, if the throw’s there, I’m throwing it. If the coverage dictates it, this is what I’m doing with it. And man, that’s when we’re at our best."
Goff was at his best last Saturday, and the Lions' offensive line was at theirs. After a slow start, Goff picked apart Denver's defense and quieted his critics after a sloppy stretch of play. He had committed nine turnovers in the prior four games and was coming off maybe his worst game with the Lions in a humbling loss to the Bears. Then he played one of his best.
How did that feel personally?
"It felt great to get a win, just to play well in all facts of the game and get a W," Goff said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket. "That’s our 10th of the year, we’ve had a great season up to this point, but still some more work to do."
But did Goff pat himself on the back for playing well?
"No, no. I’ve been playing well year, so just going to keep doing it and keep trying to win games," he said.
The response is a look into Goff's psyche. Hardened by criticism in the past, particularly toward the end of his time in LA and at the start of his tenure in Detroit, Goff has a fierce sense of pride. His self-belief runs deep. He doesn't let others tell him who he is or isn't ("Poor man's Matt Ryan"), or what he can or can't do. He doesn't measure himself by any standard but his own.
By the standard of his numbers, Goff is having another strong season for the Lions. He's third in the NFL in passing yards (3,727) and touchdowns (26) and fifth among quarterbacks who've played at least 10 games in passer rating (98.2). He's fourth in passer rating over the last two seasons at 98.8. Two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes is third at 99.8.
Last week, Goff struck a perfect balance between making smart decisions and aggressive throws. Between protecting the ball when he had to -- which wasn't often -- and taking shots when he could.
"It’s easy to say you gotta take care of the football," said Campbell. "Human nature would tell you, 'I need to dial back and go into a shell and be super conservative,' which is the last thing you can do. It's the worst thing you can do. I’ve said this before, he’s one of the biggest reasons that we’re sitting here with 10 wins. So if you take that away from him, we’re not the same team."
For the most part, Goff goes as his offensive line goes. When the Lions have started their top unit of Taylor Decker-Jonah Jackson-Frank Ragnow-Graham Glasgow-Penei Sewell this season, the team is 5-0 and averages an NFL-best 38.4 points and 421.2 yards per game. Goff has 13 touchdowns to one pick and a passer rating of 121.73.
"It’s a huge difference maker, it really is," said Goff. "It’s a huge luxury for me when those guys are healthy and playing the way they were (last Saturday). Being able to sit back there with all the time I had, it’s a huge credit to them. Not only in the pass game but the run game was pretty incredible, too, some of the holes they were opening up. When those guys are playing like that, man, we’re tough to beat, we really are. They are the engine that get us going."
Health willing, the offensive line we saw last week is the one the Lions will take into the playoffs. At the very least, they should take it into Minnesota on Sunday, where they can clinch the NFC North for the first time ever with a win. Goff said the Lions displayed their "superpower" last week by bouncing back after a loss; they haven't suffered consecutive losses since last October.
Their quarterback, meanwhile, will keep flexing his muscles.