Detroit Lions – Page 18

Lions ‘elite’ QB Jared Goff draws praise then goes back to work

ALLEN PARK — Jared Goff’s performance in the win over the Bears was not a shock to anyone. That includes David Shaw, the Lions passing game coordinator.

“He’s worked extremely hard in his career, he works hard every single week, every single day. He pushed himself, he pushed his team, his teammates so they can go out and perform like that,’’ Shaw said on Thursday. “That’s his standard and it’s our job as coaches to give him the information and opportunity to play up to his standard. I’m glad he’s on my team.’’

While it’s Shaw’s first season with the Lions, he’s watched Goff play since high school at Marin Catholic while Shaw was head coach down the road at Stanford.

“He’s one of those guys that got better every single year. From freshman year to senior year at Cal was amazing,’’ Shaw said. “From rookie year to Year 3 was amazing. From Year 3 to Year 10, every year there’s another tool in the toolbox, everything is a little better — his decision-making and accuracy are at an elite level.’’

In the 52-21 win over the Bears on Sunday, Goff posted his fourth-straight game with a completion percentage of at least 75 percent with at least 25 passing attempts. That ties Tom Brady (2007) for the most consecutive games with a 75-percent completion rate (25 attempts per game minimum) in NFL history. In the win he completed 23-of-28 passes (82.1%) for 334 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. He logged his fourth-career game with at least 300 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and a passer rating of 150.0 which ties for the fourth-most in NFL history. He passed Bobby Layne (118) for the second-most passing touchdowns in franchise history.

The Lions will need a high-caliber passing game against the Ravens who beat the Lions 38-6 at Baltimore in 2023, the last time they met.

“It really starts up front – I know we said that already, but those guys pass pro like that and it’s going to be tough to stop us. And they did a hell of a job, they really did, and I found open guys and it worked. And yeah, this Monday night, we would like to throw it again like that if we can,’’ Goff said on Thursday.

Of course he remembers that 2023 rout, but both teams are different now.

“Yeah, maybe some motivation value that we just kind of went in there and they took it to us. I think we’ve got a lot of respect for their team and their coaches and the way they’ve gone about their business for a long time, and I’d like to feel they feel the same way about us,’’ Goff said. “But we’ve got to go in there and prove it and show them that we obviously can hang with them and we’re a great team. And in that instance we didn’t, so certainly have a little bit to prove this week.”

Shaw has faith in Goff.

“Jared Goff is elite. Whatever category that you put together of elite players he’s in that category,’’ Shaw said.

UP NEXT: Lions (1-1) at Baltimore Ravens (1-1), 8:15 p.m. on Monday.

Lions versatile safety Brian Branch one of defensive standouts in win over Bears

ALLEN PARK — When Dan Campbell listed the outstanding defensive players from the 52-21 win over the Bears, safety Brian Branch was at the top of the list.

Branch had a standout game with a pretty nice stat line — he forced a fumble, had a sack and made six tackles.

On Monday, Campbell said Branch makes life much easier on the pages because of his versatility.

“We bring it up all the time, he’s a safety that has cover ability like a corner, he can blitz like a linebacker and tackling and fill in the run gaps,’’ Campbell said. “There’s so many different things he can do. The guy is a major asset for us.’’

After Sunday’s game the Lions are 1-1, the Bears 0-2.

It was a huge bounceback for Detroit after a lackluster loss at Green Bay in Week 1.

“It showed us what we’re capable of doing. We know how good we are when we execute what coach Shep (DC Kelvin Sheppard) calls,’’ Branch said. “Coach Shep called a great ball game … Just moving forward we re-established our brand of football

Facing Ben Johnson, Bears head coach and former Lions offensive coordinator, was down-played leading up to Sunday, afterward Branch wasn’t afraid to share his feelings.

“Really, all these games are personal, but this one we felt like we’d been betrayed from the staff to players,’’ Branch said. “And we love Ben, we still love Ben. He’s a great coach. He’s a great mastermind but, yeah, it was time to get after him.”

Branch explained they felt betrayed because Johnson went to an NFC North opponent.

The Lions won’t face the Bears again until the final game of the regular season. Date to be determined but likely Jan 3 or 4.

INJURIES: Marcus Davenport left the game early with a shoulder injury. Campbell doesn’t have all the test results in yet, but he’s hoping he won’t be out too long.

UP NEXT: Lions (1-1) at Baltimore Ravens (1-1), 8:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22.

Five reasons the Lions bounced back and routed the Bears, 52-21

DETROIT — For the Detroit Lions, the train might have nearly gone off the track a week ago in Green Bay, but the boys were back on Sunday in a 52-21 rout of the Chicago Bears at Ford Field

“I’ve said this all along, this train keeps rolling and it’s always going to start with the players,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “We have players, we have playmakers, and they’re made the right way. They’re the right kind of guys. They know how to get in the ditch and just start digging. They don’t worry about the other stuff.’’

The fact they were facing former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, now the Bears head coach, did not play a huge role in their turn-around. Moreso it was just motivation to win a division game.

Both offensive and defensive lines stepped up their games.

“I knew we would play better because our guys came into work and we knew what we needed to clean up and we worked at cleaning it up,’’ Campbell said. “They had the right look and they came out fighting – that’s what they do.”

The Lions came out and scored the first touchdown on a 5-play, 60-yard drive ending with a Jahmyr Gibbs 6-yard touchdown run.

They were up 28-14 at the half and held the Bears to just one touchdown in the second half. The Lions moved to 1-1 while the Bears dropped to 0-2.

Five of the reasons the Lions won:

ONE: Jared Goff pitched a near-perfect game, passing for five touchdowns and completing 23 of 28 passes for 334 yards. He got plenty of help from WR Amon-Ra St. Brown who caught nine balls for three touchdowns and 115 yards. “He’s a stud. He’s as good as they get in our league, he’s a stud, he does everything in the run game, everything in the pass game,’’ Goff said. “As reliable of a player as I’ve ever thrown to in my life. We have a pretty good chemistry going on in our fifth year. We push each other really hard.’’

TWO: Explosive plays were huge. Goff threw five passes of 29 or more yards. Jameson Williams had just 2 catches — one for 64, the other a 44-yard touchdown. He wasn’t alone. “It always starts with the O-line here, it does, probably most teams but for sure us. When they play well it allows us to do a lot,’’ Campbell said.

THREE: The defense made huge stops, none better than stuffing the Bears on back-to-back plays of third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 early in the second quarter. Safety Brian Branch was all over the field finishing with a sack, a forced fumble, a pass defense, two tackles for loss and six tackles. Bears QB Caleb Williams was sacked four times with Aidan Hutchinson getting first sack of the season and Branch, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marcus Davenport also pitching in. “Just moving forward we re-established our brand of football,’’ Branch said.

FOUR: The Lions created two turnovers with a Kerby Joseph second-quarter interception that led to a Brock Wright TD catch. Earlier Branch forced a fumble with Jack Campbell recovering. Terion Arnold’s interception with 12:15 left was negated by a roughing the passer penalty. “It’s huge in this league, that’s what it’s all about getting takeaways, coach Campbell and coach Shep (DC Kelvin Sheppard), all our coaches preach that — no matter what the offense is doing the defense has to force turnovers,’’ Branch said, “We force turnovers then it gives our offense another chance to score.’’

FIVE: The offensive line settled down and was much improved from Week 1. RBs Jahmyr Gibbs (12-94 yards, 1 TD) and David Montgomery (11-57, 1 TD) got the run game in gear averaging 5.9 yards per carry – much improved over 2.1 in the Green Bay opener. Gibbs scampered 42 yards to set up another Goff-St. Brown touchdown late in the third. Goff could see the line really jell. “In particular, Tate (Ratledge) and (Christian) Mahogany as younger players were able to get last week out of the way and settle in a little bit today,’’ Goff said. “More Tate than Mahogany who had experience last year. I thought Tate played great today. I haven’t seen the tape but at least in pass pro I felt firm there, you felt strong, it felt like he was pushing downhill.’’

UP NEXT: Lions (1-1) at Baltimore Ravens (1-1), Monday, Sept. 22 at 8:15 p.m.