The Detroit Lions were defeated in yet another close game to the Minnesota Vikings, but according to quarterback Jared Goff, the team is in good position.
While the Lions were not able to win the game, some folks may proclaim the team is close to breaking through. Goff rejects that notion, and according to him, the Lions have actually arrived.
“I think the idea that we’re close. Yeah we’re getting better, sure that was close to winning. But no, we’re there,” Goff said. “Our defense played well. Our offense played well. We just have to finish and make two or three more plays in that game and we’re having a completely different conversation right now.”
According to Goff, the fact that the Lions have already put away a win in a tough situation will help them to get over the hump in the future. Now, it’s a matter of finding a way to get it done.
“We did it last week. We know we can do it. We have the guys who can do it, we have the coaches who can do it. Just need to do it. What is that reason why? I don’t know, but I know we have the guys here to solve those problems. It’s not close, it’s there. We just need to do it,” Goff said.
Last season, the Lions were seen as a team that was on the cusp of greatness or breaking through. This year, to flip the script, they need to figure out how to get over the hump and make the plays they need to make.
ESPN Analyst Thinks Lions Must Win Games
No matter what Goff says, folks are going to judge the Lions stiffly for not being able to execute in crunch time.
While the Lions have been America’s sweethearts early in the season, there’s a reason the team continues to sputter in the minds of actual football fans. They simply don’t get enough wins when it matters.
ESPN host Mike Greenberg called Detroit out for this phenomenon a bit after the game. As he tweeted after watching the Lions melt down, he’s going to have to see the team start to win some of the close games they are involved in at some point.
I love the #Lions but at some point they need to start winning these games.
Overall, Greenberg is right. The Lions can only be a nice story if they find a way to win and not lose. Moral victories cannot be good enough at a certain point for the team, and this week would have been a good start for that to happen.
Instead, the Lions will have to wait another week in order to get things going the right direction.
Goff: Lions Must Believe to Close Wins
So how can the Lions step up and make some some plays in winning time? As Goff says, the team simply has to trust each other in the big moment and make some key plays when the situation calls for them.
“Belief. Belief in each other and full execution there at the end. All these games are gong to be one score games for the most part, even that Washington game got dicey there toward the end. NFL is so good, being in a position to win the game even once is a gift and you need to take advantage of it. We didn’t. I own a lot of that. We got two chances to put it away today and we didn’t.”
Perhaps next time, the Lions will be able to step up and put the game away. A team that has arrived won’t look that many situations in the mouth and not come away with more victories.
The challenge now for Goff and the Lions? Bouncing back and finding the inches after wilting in a key moment again.
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Jared Goff Makes Major Claim About Lions Following Another Brutal Loss