Jared Goff was perfect in Monday night's matchup. seattle seahawksbut not everyone knew that.
Let's start with his head coach.
“I feel really bad because I gave the game ball to someone else.” detroit lions coach dan campbell spoke to the media after the match. “I knew he had a great game. I didn't know he was perfect.”
But Goff had a complete performance, completing all 18 of his passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns in Detroit's 42-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks. The Lions actually connected on all 19 passes they threw Monday night, as Amon-Ra St. Brown threw a 7-yard touchdown on a trick play that Goff caught.
But beyond Goff's record-breaking performance, he broke Kurt Warner's mark of completing all 10 pass attempts in a single game. arizona cardinals back in 2005 houston texans — is how the quarterback set that record. There were some screen passes and throws near the line of scrimmage, but when offensive coordinator Ben Johnson told Goff to push the ball downfield or up the middle, the Lions passer executed perfectly.
One design that Johnson often requests from Goff is a dagger concept that combines a vertical route from the inside receiver with a dig route from the outside receiver. Vertical routes help free up space for the quarterback to run in-break routes on time and in rhythm.
On Detroit's second drive of the game, which ended in a touchdown, Johnson called the concept and the Lions faced second-and-6. Jameson Williams runs a vertical route, St. Brown runs a dig, and play-action Goff connects with St. Brown on this 17-yard gain:
The timing was outstanding, as Goff started throwing immediately after dropping deep into the pocket, showing no hesitation even after performing a run fake that required him to turn his back on the defense. He also needs to match linebacker Drake Thomas with this throw. Drake Thomas came downhill in response to the run action and had to scramble to get underneath St. Brown's DiGroot.
Detroit returned to this concept later in the game, once again targeting the dig route as Goff connected with Tim Patrick.
What stands out about this throw is how Goff fits it between two defenders: linebacker Tyrell Dodson and defensive back Kobe Bryant. Goff lets go of this pass before Patrick clears Bryant, leaving the receiver open in the lane between the two defenders. This is another example of precise timing in this concept.
Goff also showed a bit of magic in the pocket against the Seahawks on Monday night, pulling off this spin on Williams in the first quarter. Facing pressure from the edge from Seattle pass rusher Tyus Bowser, Goff made a complete spin in the pocket before looking back at Williams on a curl route, one of 18 completed on the night. I practiced.
But while Detroit held a 21-7 lead at the half, Seattle scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second half and led 28-20 with 3:03 left in the half. That's when Goff re-extended the Lions' lead with perhaps the biggest play of the night, a 70-yard strike to Williams on a crossing route.
Williams and tight end Sam LaPorta run routes across the middle, while St. Brown runs vertical routes along the right side of the formation. Goff once again pulls away from the play-action and performs a run fake with his back to the defense before looking downfield and making a decision.
With the Seahawks in zone coverage, Goff saw Williams move from left to right in space and practice perfect throws on crossing routes. From there, the speedy receiver does the rest, finishing off a one-play drive for a touchdown.
Goff's final goal of the night was a touchdown on a perfect route to St. Brown for an 8-yard score, completed with an impressive toe-tap from the receiver.
Goff did have one incompletion pitch, but it was negated by a penalty and he was sacked for a safety on his final dropback of the night, but this was probably the only blemish on an otherwise perfect night. .
But otherwise, Goff was perfect.
The pairing of Johnson and Goff remains one of the best OC/QB duos in the NFL, with the coach consistently reinforcing concepts that quarterbacks can confidently execute; It tells a story. This should make Detroit a dangerous team to play against for the rest of the season.
Maybe Goff can get a game ball or two along the way.
