Getty Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff sent a message on his team's ability to bounce back from adversity.
Only one team in NFL history finished the regular season undefeated and then won the Super Bowl. At some point, every team (or all but one) loses. The teams that eventually win the Super Bowl respond to the challenges losing presents.
Quarterback Jared Goff said with certainty after Week 15 that the Detroit Lions are one of those teams.
“Our superpower is how we respond as a team, as a unit, as a group,” Goff told reporters in his postgame press conference. “We’ve been through a lot of adversity as a group. A three-game lull where we won one of three is not the worst thing we’ve been through.
“So, being able to bounce back is something we’ve prided ourselves on, and tonight was a big one to bounce back with.”
That may have been an understatement. Goff threw 5 touchdown passes to lead the Lions to a 42-17 victory against the Denver Broncos. Coming into the matchup, the Broncos had won six of their last seven contests.
Lions’ Dan Campbell Preached Bouncing Back
The noise around the Lions rose to a season high after they lost to the Chicago Bears, 28-13, in Week 14. It was Detroit’s third loss in seven weeks, including second defeat in the past three games.
During that stretch, the Lions defense had allowed at least 26 points six times. On offense, the Lions were dealing with turnover issues.
But Goff shared with reporters that head coach Dan Campbell did more to boost the team’s confidence than light a fire in its stomach ahead of Week 15.
“We’re the same team. Nothing has changed,” Goff said Campbell emphasized before the Broncos matchup. “Every team goes through ups and downs and lulls, and we hit a little bit of a stumble there for, maybe call it 2-3 weeks of certainly with our offensive play.
“But we’re the same team, we’re the same guys, the same people, the same players.”
It’s hard to envision a better response to adversity than what the Lions did versus the Broncos on December 16. The Detroit offense tied its season high with 42 points while the defense held an opponent to under 20 points for the first time since October 30.
QB Jared Goff, Lions Respond After Poor Start to December
For the Lions to respond, their leaders and stars needed to play much better in Week 15. Goff led the way, as he played arguably his best game since joining the Lions in 2021.
Goff completed 24 of 34 passes for 278 yards and 5 touchdowns. It was the first time Goff had 5 touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game since Week 4 of 2018.
The veteran quarterback targeted his favorite receiver early and often. After recording a career-low two-game stretch, Amon-Ra St. Brown was back over the century mark with 112 receiving yards on 7 catches and scored a touchdown.
Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta dazzled too with 5 receptions, 56 yards and 3 touchdowns. His 9 receiving touchdowns this season has set a new Lions rookie tight end record.
Second-year Jameson Williams was involved a lot as well. He had a career-high 4 receptions for 47 yards.
On the ground, rookie Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery each averaged 5 yards per carry. Gibbs reached 100 rushing yards for the second time in his career.
Defensively, the Lions held the Broncos to 3 yards per carry and 6 yards per pass. They only sacked Russell Wilson twice, but one of those sacks led to a fumble recovery.
The Lions looked like themselves again in Week 15 and have their Christmas Eve sights set on their first NFC North title.