Getty Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff addressed his team playing in the NFC championship game.
Quarterback Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions addressed multiple questions from the media on January 24 about going home to face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game. Goff is a Northern California native and played college football at Cal.
However, the veteran quarterback isn’t too concerned about the potential distraction of playing a big game near where he grew up.
He didn’t express any anxiety about his younger teammates playing in a big game either. But Goff is sure relishing the opportunity for the entire league to see the Lions in a big game.
“I think we have a ton of great players who maybe haven’t had the national stage up to this point that a lot of the other guys have,” Goff told reporters on January 24. “Obviously, they have a ton of good players as well and a ton of Pro Bowls and All-Pro players over there.
“But we feel like we’ve got a lot of good players too. Excited to play on another national stage and be able to showcase that.”
Goff and the Lions have already won two playoff games this month. Before January 2024, the Lions hadn’t won two playoff games in the same season since 1957.
But next, the Lions have the challenge of facing the 5-time Super Bowl champion 49ers on the road.
Jared Goff Says Lions Young Players ‘Will Be Ready’
The Lions have experienced an incredible 2023 season. But in some ways, the team’s run began in 2022.
Detroit began the 2022 season 1-6. Then in the final 10 games, Goff threw only 1 interception and led the Lions to an 8-2 finish.
The Lions had a chance to make the 2022-23 postseason until a Seattle Seahawks victory eliminated them just before their regular season finale. Goff brought up that game to reporters as a key moment for his team’s development.
“I think back to last year when we played at Green Bay. That’s the closest to a playoff game we had been in to that point,” Goff told the media. “The way those guys walked in there and handled that knowing that we got bounced 20 minutes prior to the game starting and still going in there and handling business.
“You do that, you’re not worried about any young guys not being able to handle that stuff. They speak for themselves, and our guys will be ready.”
The Lions held on to beat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, 20-16. Safety Kerby Joseph, who was playing the final game of his rookie season, intercepted Aaron Rodgers late in the fourth quarter of the victory.
Lions 7-Point Underdogs Against 49ers
The Lions played with something to prove all season long. It wouldn’t be surprising if that was the case again versus the 49ers.
According to ESPN Bet, the Lions are 7-point underdogs in the NFC championship game. It’s only the third time over the last 16 years that there has been at least a touchdown spread in the NFC championship according to Vegas Insider.
A lot of bettors, though, may be looking at these teams historically rather than what’s been on the field in 2023. The 49ers will be making their fourth NFC championship game appearance in five years whereas the Lions are in the game for the first time since 1992.
But the 49ers and Lions both went 12-5 during the regular season. They also each had their offense ranked in the top 5 in yards and points scored.
The big difference between the two teams was their pass defenses. San Francisco was 14th in passing yards allowed while Detroit was ranked 27th.