The Detroit Lions were missing three offensive linemen they hoped that would be starting when training camp began Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills. To put it frankly, it showed.
The Bills sacked quarterback Jared Goff four times and hit him on 11 occasions. The Lions also averaged just 3.3 yards per carry despite 3-time Pro Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs carrying the ball 16 times.
Detroit’s offensive line also committed some ill-timed false starts in the contest.
Goff told reporters Thursday during his Week 2 postgame press conference that going forward, they have to be better.
“We’ve got to handle it better,” Goff said of the crowd noise at Highmark Stadium. “Some of those penalties killed us man, it really did. We were in third-and-short and it backed us up. And I believe a fourth down one as well. We’ve got to be better there.”
The Bills opened their new stadium Thursday night, which likely contributed to Detroit’s offensive line woes. But Goff wouldn’t allow the lack of chemistry with the five starers along the line Thursday to be an excuse.
“It shouldn’t be difficult. We’ve had a lot of practice with these guys,” Goff added. “I thought there were really good moments, and I think there were moments where they would look critically at themselves for sure.
“It has gelled in the last two weeks leading up to that New Orleans game. I think Juice [Scruggs] has done a good job through practice … I think he’s done a good job and everyone around him is starting to settle in.
“I’m sure there’s plays that they want back. But it’s getting there.”
Jared Goff Addresses Lions Offensive Line Issues
The specific issues Goff mentioned with the line were two false start penalties. Center Juice Scruggs committed the first one in a third-and-very-short situation.
The foul turned the third down into a third-and-6. The Bills then sacked Goff, which forced a punt near midfield. The Lions really could have used that conversion, as they trailed by 20 points at the time.
Right tackle Larry Borom committed the fourth-down false start Goff referred to in his postgame press conference. Borom’s penalty made the situation fourth-and-8, but the Lions were able to convert on a Bills penalty.
Scruggs and Borom are both backup offensive linemen. They started Thursday night because of injuries to center Cade Mays and right tackle Blake Miller.
At left guard, Ben Bartch started as well for an injured Christian Mahogany.
But clearly, Goff didn’t want to see the injuries as an excuse. Despite this group having not played together in a game previously, the quarterback appeared to expect a better performance from the offensive line.
The good news is Miller and Mahogany now have 10 days to get ready for Week 3. Head coach Dan Campbell seemed to imply throughout the week that if the Lions played Sunday in Week 2, both linemen would have been ready.
However, the Lions will be without Mays for several more weeks. He is recovering from a fractured wrist.
Jared Goff Reacts to Offensive Line Issues in Bills Loss