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Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) signals from the line against his former team, the Rams. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Jared Goff telegraphed this pass.
We should have known he would flip a U-turn in the Motor City, leading the Detroit Lions to their first playoff victory in 32 years.
He was a big part of dramatic turnarounds in college and with the Rams but this is different. The Detroit Lions are Goff’s team. Their offense runs through him. And on a monumental stage Sunday night, he came through in a huge way, leading the Lions to a 24-23 victory.
For the first time, the Ford Field crowd chanted his name and vigorously booed Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, a legendary Lion. It was nothing personal, but the stakes were that high and this was a landmark moment.
All the Rams were loudly booed as they emerged in position groups from the locker-room tunnel. A parade of Teslas would be received more warmly in this automotive capital.
Read more: Jared Goff gets retribution, barely, as Lions eliminate Rams with one-point victory
Goff felt the love from the hometown fans.
“This place is special to me, these people are special,” he said. “That’s the best home atmosphere I’ve ever played in front of. I expect next week to be on top of that, or second.”
That there is a “next week” for the Lions is a testament to Goff, who completed his first 10 passes on his way to a turnover-free, 277-yard performance. Detroit will host the noon PST game Sunday against the winner of Monday’s game involving Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.
“He looked loose, he looked relaxed,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Goff. “I thought he threw the ball with conviction, was strong in the pocket, got us into the right play, and he felt that way all week.
“He’s one of the reasons that we won this division and he’s another reason why we just won our first playoff game here in 30 years, so what a stud.”
Detroit quarterback Jared Goff (16) walked off Ford Field as the winner…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/jared-goff-proves-again-hes-070618796.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-01-15 07:06:18
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