ALLEN PARK — While much will likely be made about quarterbacks Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford leading up to Sunday’s wildcard matchup between the Lions and Rams, it’s just one scene in the big picture.
After the 2020 season the teams swapped quarterbacks and it paid immediate dividends for the Rams who won the Super Bowl with Stafford in his first season there.
It’s been a slower process with Goff, but it has worked. The Lions came within a whisker of making the playoffs last season and they take a 12-5 record into Sunday night’s game at Ford Field.
Goff has led the NFL’s second-best offense with an even-keel approach.
He’s really not into the whole Stafford-Goff storyline for the game. He’s moved on.
“I so badly want to win a playoff game for this city, which hasn’t had one for so long. That’s my biggest motivation this week,’’ Goff said on Wednesday.
Also Goff said he hasn’t really shared his playoff experience with his teammates. Some of them have postseason experience and others have played in five primetime games this season, finishing with a 4-1 record in those nighttime affairs. He just wants every one to play their best game.
“He’s wired the right way, he’s been through this, he’s been to the Big One. He’s dealt with this a number of times, not just in playoff wins,’’ coach Dan Campbell said.
Campbell recalled once again that in 2018 when he was an assistant with the Saints, Goff brought the Rams to New Orleans and won the NFC Championship in overtime. Subsequently the Rams lost in the Super Bowl.
“He’s been in the big ones and he understands what it is, he understands that you can’t get too high or too low, you focus on your job,’’ Campbell said.
In Goff’s six playoff games in 2017, 2018 and 2020 the Rams were 3-3 overall. In those postseason games Goff threw four touchdown passes, two interceptions and was sacked 14 times. His completion percentage was 57.4 percent. (In comparison, this season he has completed 67.3 percent of his passes.)
If he has a chip on his shoulder from being traded to Detroit, don’t expect it to show.
“Look, I don’t think you’re going to see anything different than what he’s been, I don’t think he’s going to say anything different. It’s human nature to feel a certain way … I think he’s handled it all well,’’ Campbell said. “I don’t think this is going to be something that he loses sleep over, that he loses focus on. He understands this – if you really feel that way the best way to do it is play the very best football you can play.’’
Injury update
Tight end Sam LaPorta, who injured his knee on Sunday, did not practice on Wednesday. Campbell said they likely won’t know if he can play until Friday afternoon. WR Kalif Raymond (knee) did not practice. Others who didn’t practice include offensive linemen Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow and Frank Ragnow who are listed as getting rest. CB Jerry Jacobs (thigh) had limited practice.
WR Jameson Williams (ankle) practiced Wednesday and is expected to play Sunday after missing Sunday’s win over the Vikings.
UP NEXT: Wildcard playoff game: Rams (10-7) at Lions (12-5), 8 p.m. on Sunday at Ford Field. It’s NBC’s Sunday night game.
Lions Lowdown 