Tag: jared goff

Five things to watch as Lions look to bounce back against Raiders; plus prediction

After a dreadful loss to the Ravens, the Lions are out to prove they are the team that started 5-1, not the bunch who couldn’t do anything right in Baltimore.

They’ll get their chance in prime time, hosting the Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) on a rare Monday Night Football game at Ford Field.Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. (Coach Dan Campbell said he wished primetime games could be played at 1 p.m., but back to the point.)

“We’ll get back in the flow of a normal game here. That was not who we were. I don’t believe that. It was out there, it happened. We’re going to be able to convert, our defense is going to play good football. We’re going to be able to complement each other and that will get us going,’’ Campbell said this week.

No panic, just a resolve to get back on track and maintain their big lead in the NFC North. 

The Lions aren’t alone in looking for a bounce-back win. The Raiders are coming off a 30-12 loss to the Chicago Bears.

“This is a dangerous opponent, very much like we feel this is what they just went through last week is not indicative of who this team is,’’ Campbell said.

Five things to watch:

1. The defense was just plain awful in the loss to the Ravens. Nothing worked and, in part, when it started going downhill players would try to do their job and help their teammates. It’s a bad situation “And that usually happens because we have a team of guys that really care. We have a team of guys that really try to show up for each other and sometimes at the end of the day, man you’ve just got to do your job and you’ve got to do it well and that’s across the board and I’ve said this several times, man this is a partnership between coaches and players, so we as coaches have to make sure that we give them everything that we can, so they can operate the best way they can,’’ defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “And then players, you’ve got to go out there and execute at a high level. And we’ll continue to say that, we’ll continue to do that and that’s our job as coaches and that’s their job as players.”

2. The Raiders’ rushing stats —  68.6 rushing yards per game, worst in the NFL – are deceiving since running back Josh Jacobs is always a threat. Last year’s NFL rushing leader has had a bit of a slow start but the LIons will be ready for him.  “From my perspective they’re this close. I can’t tell you the number of plays where it’s a shoestring or it’s one tackle, they are close, you get a little big cleaner of a block,’’ Campbell said. “I still see a dangerous football player, not only in the run game but in the pass game. That’s where you feel like there’s a bit of a ticking time bomb over there from my perspective. That’s what we have to guard against, be ready for because he can go the distance at any point, he’s still got plenty of juice.’’ In fact, he’s second in the NFL among running backs with 215 receiving yards. He’s averaging just 2.9 yards per carry with 347 rushing yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns.

3. The offensive line will have its hands full with defensive end Maxx Crosby who has 6.5 sacks so far. Campbell calls him the most disruptive defensive player they have faced this year. “What does he not do well? I would start there. I don’t know what that would be. He’s very active, he’s slithery, he can bend, he’s explosive, quick first step, he’s very crafty. He’s a master of his craft – his hands, his bend and his motor – he just doesn’t quit,’’ Campbell said, noting he’s disruptive in the run and pass games. “More times than not he’ll be on (Penei) Sewell and (Taylor) Decker and so those guys are up for the challenge, that makes you feel a ton better knowing the guys we’ve got but this is going to be a war,’’ the coach said. 

4. Improve rushing game which had 84 yards in the loss to the Ravens. Rookie Jaymyr Gibbs continued his improvement with 11 carries for 68 yards and his first NFL touchdown along with 58 receiving yards. David Montgomery (ribs) will miss second straight game. “I saw an improving player, took a step up, and that’s all you can ask for is growth. So, we anticipate he takes another step up and we’ll keep doing things that we feel like he does well and where he can continue to grow, but we’re pleased with where he’s at,’’ Campbell said of Gibbs.

5. Expect Jared Goff to get back in rhythm. It was clear almost from the get-go last week the offense was out of step. The defense couldn’t keep the Ravens offense off the field and the Lions offense was not doing their part notching their initial first down until midway through the second quarter. One of Goff’s superpowers is his ability to be resilient, per offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. “He’s able to just learn from it and move on quickly, quickly. He’s got a short memory that way,’’ Johnson said. “And so, he’s approached this week the same as every other week. He’s been very much studying the tape and preparing like he normally does, and confident that we’ll get the train back on the tracks here.”

PREDICTION: Lions 27, Raiders 24. Look for a bounce-back win, although it could be a battle.

Lions QB Jared Goff confident going against Raiders on Monday night

Goff’s 3 thoughts on Crosby, Gibbs and JMo

ALLEN PARK — Jared Goff, like the rest of the Lions, is not in panic mode because they lost a game — and lost it badly — to the Ravens on Sunday.

The Lions are still 5-2, remain in first place in the NFC North and just have to get back on track against the Oakland Raiders (3-4) on Monday Night Football.

Some fans are quite agitated, but not Goff.

“It’s a rollercoaster outside of our building at times, for every team in the League. It’s no different for us, but in here, it’s pretty ‘steady Eddy’ and ready to respond this week,’’ Goff said on Thursday.

The quarterback said they will learn more about themselves on Monday night.

Five thoughts from Goff:

1. The Raiders defense has been solid in taking away chunk plays. There’s a reason for that. “I think they do a good job of rushing, obviously. We’ve talked about  Maxx (Crosby) a few times,’’ Goff said. “Obviously, him rushing the passer, as well as a few of their other guys that can rush the passer. And they’re good on the backend too, so they’re good at limiting that stuff. It’s going to be our job to try to find them in different ways and see if we can get more than other teams have.”

2. While most of the Lions didn’t play well in the loss, rookie RB Jahmyr Gibbs stepped up and showed that he’s quickly maturing into a solid NFL running back.”He can catch the ball in the backfield, we can hand it to him, he can do all sorts of things. He’ll get another big workload this week I would imagine with David (Montgomery) still out. And yeah, it’ll be good,’’ Goff said. Goff said Gibbs is very smart, a quick learner and they’re excited to see him continue to grow.

3. Goff said he just has to keep working with WR Jameson Williams who was targeted six times against the Ravens, but didn’t make a catch and had at least two drops. “It’s so early in his career and his development. I just keep working, keep working with him, building that trust with him and getting on the same page,’’ Goff said. “He’s working his tail off at practice and has done a great job trying to get better every week and I expect to see his development continue.” Williams’ speed is his biggest asset and early on, Goff had to adjust for that speed when passing to him but the two are more comfortable now. “I think I’m past that now where I know his speed and we’ve got a good rapport in that way. But yeah, it’s just getting on the same page with everything and, again, it’s just so early in his career and his development that it’s just reps, it’s just reps, it’s just time and it’s a matter of time before everything starts to click for him in our offense.”

Lions Dan Campbell shoulders blame for loss to Ravens; promises team will be ready to face Raiders

It will be back to fundamentals in practice this week

ALLEN PARK — The disappointment of the 38-6 loss at Baltimore will motivate coach Dan Campbell and the Lions to be ready to face the Las Vegas Raiders on the upcoming Monday Night Football. On Monday, Campbell took 100 percent of the blame for not having the team prepared and promised they will be ready for the Raiders.

“I think what’s disappointing is, losing itself really stings, but the fact we were never even in that game that’s what burns. That’s the burn of it, that more than anything. You just want to know you’re in the fight and when you weren’t that’s a real bitter pill,’’ Campbell said at his Monday press conference.

The Lions were down 14-0 in the first quarter to the Ravens and 28-0 at the half. Detroit’s defense couldn’t handle quarterback Lamar Jackson and the offense could never get in a rhythm. 

“You see what it is, when you step back and you look at a number of performances that were very much sub-par across the board it’s not a coincidence. I did not do a good job of getting them ready. I did not,’’ Campbell said. 

“They did everything right over there, we did everything wrong. As good as they played on that side, which they earned that win, we certainly helped them and served it up on a platter for them,’’ the coach added.

Campbell said there’s a need to get back to fundamentals prior to facing the Raiders (3-4) who lost, 30-12, to the Bears on Sunday. He elaborated: “Our one-on-one work, our technique work, good-on-good, one-on-one pass rush, one-on-one man-to-man coverage, one-to-one getting open on routes, our releases, our handwork.

“You hope you got enough fundamentals through camp and you know what, you have to go back to it,’’ he said. “I know that’s where I can help with a little more intensity and urgency which I can deliver myself. I can help these guys, I know I can.’’

Every game is important because it’s the next but Campbell threw in another bit of caution on Monday.

“All I know is we’ve got to bounce back, that’s the most important thing. At the end of the day we’re 5-2, and where we’re going to have a problem is if we back it up with another loss,’’ Campbell said. “To me there’s a ton to learn off this tape for myself, to the coaches and for these players. But we’ve got to own it.’’

NOTES: Safety Kerby Joseph is out of concussion protocol after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit late in Sunday’s loss.. … RB Mohamed Ibrahim dislocated his hip in the game, was taken to Baltimore-area hospital where he was put under anesthesia to put it back in place. He was back at the Lions facility on Monday, but Campbell said he’s in pain and will not be able to play for a while.