The Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers, 20-17, Sunday afternoon to move to 4-2 on the season.
Below is everything quarterback Jared Goff explained after the victory on Sunday at Ford Field.
The 32-year-old has led 18 game-winning drives as a Lions player (26 in career) and became one of only four signal-callers in NFL history to throw one or more touchdowns and zero interceptions in each of the first six games of a season. The others include Russell Wilson, Alex Smith and Milt Plum.
On the defense stepping up:
“Yeah, they did. They really did. They're starting to come together, and I think you guys can see it firsthand. I think the thing that sticks out is some of these plays down the field that they're making on the ball and how much confidence they're playing with all across the board. The pass rush is still what it is. It's fun to watch, man. It really is. And they're getting us the ball back, and we got to do better in some of those situations to extend that lead, but they kept us in it.”
On what allowed the passing offense to do so well:
“We’ve got really good players and guys are open. They're open, I should hit them, and we get guys open. Yeah, it's good.”
On if he expected anything less from Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown following the Arizona game:
“No. He's the best. I knew he would ball out and do his thing. I said, 'Good to be back in the saddle.' It felt good today.”
On the conversation in the huddle about deciding not to score the touchdown on the game-winning drive:
“Yeah, actually, I don't know if I've ever had that before, so it was kind of my first time in that. And we wanted to get the first down but wanted to get down and (Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs) Gibby knew that, but he didn't want to get dragged into the end zone if he got too close. So, we ended up in that third-and-1 situation, which we really should have gotten the first down and things would've been maybe a bit easier, but end of the day we got it done, got them to jump offsides before that and made the field goal, so all good.”
On how key the penalties on the Packers were at the end of the game:
“Yeah, massive, massive. And I thought our guys did a great job of not responding to some of the stuff that was going on and just staying in it, staying disciplined and doing our job and that was good.”
On if it feels like he is walking on a tightrope when trying to march down the field but also run down the clock:
“No, I don't think it's - because to us, we're just running the play that's called. It's hard on the sidelines, certainly. And I thought that was as good as it gets at clock management from how much time we had, like four minutes. And then knowing we don't want to give them the ball back. A lot of teams probably take a field goal there with 30 seconds and they have a chance, but we didn't want to do that, and we handled it really well and did everything we wanted to and the kicked it with no time left.”
On if Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs going down was part of the clock management:
“Of course. Yeah, of course. If it was the last play of the game and if there's 10 seconds left, maybe he can score, but we didn't want him to.”
On how big of a spark it was when Lions EDGE DJ Wonnum blocked the field goal:
“Did he block it? Awesome, amazing. Yeah, I didn't know he blocked it. That's awesome. That's a huge individual effort. The field goals from there typically are pretty high percentage, and to be able to get the ball back, to miss that fourth down conversion and get the ball back with no harm, no foul. Again, hats off to our defense and DJ there with the block.”
On his thoughts on his first game with Lions C Cade Mays:
“Cade was great. Cade was really good and getting his feet back underneath him and making the calls. They did a lot of stuff defensively that was different when they had (Packers LB Zaire Franklin) 44 out of the game. They changed a little bit of what they were doing with the front pressures and whatnot, and I thought he handled it really well.”
On what happened on the fumble snap exchange:
"I came out a little early, I’ve got to stay in there.”
On if the Packers were doing anything to take away their receivers besides Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs and Lions WRs Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams:
“No, I don't think so. I think you guys know it's cyclical. It comes and goes, and I think what makes our group so special is (WR Isaac) TeSlaa is a huge third-down conversion that was his only catch of the game. (TE) Sam (LaPorta) has the huge two-minute drive catch-and-run and the other one on top of that. That was two massive plays in the game. These guys were staying in it, staying in it, staying in it, and doing their job even when the ball's not coming to them.”
On Lions WR Jameson Williams building his confidence:
“Yeah, he's good. He started catching stride, and it's dangerous for defenses for sure.”
On whether Lions T Penei Sewell was mad at him for not throwing him the ball:
“Yeah, and he actually drew some coverage. I was talking about it with (Tom) Brady there after the game. He did. The linebacker went to him, and it allowed (WR Jameson Williams) Jamo to be open, and he did exactly what he was supposed to do; ran exactly to the spot, and he was ready for it too. And he told me after, he's like, 'If you were going to throw it to me, I was ready for it.' And I would've if the linebacker didn't go to him and ended up working out great with Jamo.”
On if this game being the first division game makes it worth more:
“They all count the same. They all are the same. If we play this game now or later in the year with the division on the line. Of course, we know it's a division game. We know it is important to win these ones, but we treat them all the same. They all count the same, and the division ones are maybe slightly more important, but they all count the same.”
On how they make sure they start every game offensively like they started today:
“Yeah, I don't know. Play good in the first quarter next week, that would be the answer. I don't know. I thought we did a good job of trying to, even with the Bye week, pull back some of that momentum in practice this week that we had in Arizona and build that into the game. And I think it starts up front with the O-line. Thought they had a great game, they really did. And moving the line of scrimmage and giving me a nice pocket when those guys do that, man, certainly in the first drive, like you're asking, we can do anything.”
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