Goff puts up another outstanding performance in win over Vikings

by Sports Team

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff said this week he feels like he’s been playing the best football of his career.

It’s hard to argue with that assessment after another terrific performance by Goff Sunday leading the Lions to a 34-23 win over Minnesota and throwing for 330 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers. It’s the fifth straight contest Goff hasn’t turned the ball over.

“Can’t argue with that,” head coach Dan Campbell said of his quarterback playing his best football right now. “He is. He’s playing outstanding. He’s a direct link as to why we are playing better. He’s playing really good football. He’s taking care of the football, making big throws. He’s been highly accurate and there’s a lot of faith in him.”

Goff has totaled 300-plus passing yards and at least two touchdown passes in two straight games. He has 10 touchdowns vs. just one interception over Detroit’s 5-1 streak the last six weeks.

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After the win Sunday, Goff gave a lot of the credit to his offensive line, receivers and overall play of the offense led by coordinator Ben Johnson, but Goff’s the leader. He makes it all work, and he’s playing at an unbelievable level right now.

“Oh, he’s playing great,” Lions wide receiver DJ Chark, who caught six passes for 94 yards and a 48-yard touchdown, said of his quarterback. “I feel like this offense is really tailored to him, his strengths, and good job by the Lions to go get guys that fit those strengths, you know, to help him out at receiver.

“O-line is playing great, he’s able to sit in there. He’s very smart. I think it’s underrated how smart he is. He sees the defense beforehand. We kind of know what we are planning on getting and you know just keep it going, you know. I got an idea the ball coming, just make the plays and I think at this point we’re all comfortable with each other, so it makes it a little easier.”

ROOKIE PLAYMAKERS

Rookie defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson has upped his total to 7.0 sacks this season. He passes Kalimba Edwards (6.5) for the fourth most sacks by a rookie in franchise history. He is the first player in team history to log at least 7.0 sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery in a season.

Fellow rookie James Houston recorded his fourth sack in just his third game since being activated from the practice squad. The only rookies in team history to record at least one sack in three straight games are: Houston, Cliff Avril (2008) and Tracy Scroggins (1992).

Lions rookies have now produced 12.0 sacks on the season, which leads the NFL and ties the franchise record set in 1987 for the most combined sacks by rookies in a season.

OKWARA RETURNS

It had to be a great feeling for veteran defensive lineman Romeo Okwara to hear his name called and run out of the tunnel for introductions pregame Sunday after missing more than a year of football after suffering a torn Achilles Week 4 last season.

Okwara was on a snap count and didn’t finish with an official statistic, but he’s still trying to knock off the rust of being sidelined for more than a year. The smart money is on him making a big play for this defense down the stretch.

O-LINE PLAY

The Lions offensive line continues to dominate opposing defenses. Goff had tons of time to throw the ball Sunday. He wasn’t sacked a single time and was hit just three times total. Detroit also rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.

“Incredible. It’s really nice, especially when you look around the league and not every team is like that,” Goff said of the big guys protecting him and paving the way for the run game. “I’m lucky to play behind them. They are a force right now. We are able to do a lot of things offensively not many teams can do because of how good they are.”

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