DETROIT – An offensive explosion by the Detroit Lions helped cool off the red-hot Denver Broncos as they improved to 5-0 in prime-time games.
The Lions needed a victory in the worst way Saturday (Dec. 16) night inside Ford Field after dropping two of their previous three games.
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But struggling quarterback Jared Goff silenced the naysayers as he had one of the best games of his young career in the 42-17 thrashing.
“Every team goes through that, but our superpower is how we respond,” said Goff. “It starts with Dan (Campbell) and then it goes through me and the coordinators and the coaches. Our superpower is how we respond as a team and as a unit. As a group, we’ve went through a lot of adversity as a group, and a three-game lool where we won one of three is not the worst thing that we went through. Being able to bounce back is something that we pride ourselves on, and tonight was a big one to bounce back with.”
Jared Goff
Goff completed 24-34 passes for 278 yards while tying his career-high in touchdown passes with five, which he hasn’t done since week four of 2018 against the Minnesota Vikings, who, coincidently, the Lions will play next week.
The gameplan was simple as offensive coordinator Ben Jonhson went back to what worked well for Goff, which were play-action passes. Goff threw the ball exceptionally well as he connected with eight players on the night.
Sam LaPorta
Of the eight players that made receptions Saturday, Goff connected with comfort blanket Sam LaPorta early and often. The rookie tight end who is having an NFL Pro Bowl season snagged five receptions for 56 yards and three touchdowns.
The three scores by LaPorta placed him with nine on the year, setting a new single-season record among tight ends and all rookies.
LaPorta’s performance Saturday night placed him in the history books as he is the only rookie tight end to produce at least 70 catches, 700 yards, and nine scores in a single season.
Amon-Ra St. Brown
Amon-Ra St. Brown led the team in receptions, catching seven balls for 112 yards and one touchdown to help his team advance to 10-4 on the season.
There was even a Jameson Williams sighting as Goff was wheeling and dealing all over the Broncos defense, who, before the game, were winners of six out of their last seven.
Williams had four receptions for 47 yards during the Saturday night slate, but he has caught the attention of his quarterback, who could do nothing but sing high praises for the second-year receiver.
“He’s really coming on,” Goff said. “It’s the work in practice, and it’s all of the extra hours and everything that he is doing to deserve it, but I trust him. He is where he needs to be. He’s catching the ball in tough locations, and I think it’s only going to keep going up for him as the sky is the limit. He’s a heck of a player, and he’s working hard right now.”
Run game
Although Goff was out cooking Russel Wilson, his career night came off the backs of the run game led by David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Montgomery led the team in carries, toting the rock 17 times for 85 yards, while rookie speedster Gibbs toted the rock 11 times for 100 yards and an impressive score.
You instill fear in the opposing team’s defense when you can run the ball for 185 yards. Denver had trouble stopping the run all night, which opened up the play-action passing game by Johnson and Goff.
Coming into the season, LaPorta and Gibbs were questionable picks by the football world, but after 14 weeks, it seems Brad Holmes and the Lions organization knew what they were doing, as both rookies look like they’re here to stay.
“It goes without saying that (LaPorta) is doing a really good job,” said Lions head coach Dan Campbell. “If you see the kid when you watch him in meetings and out at practice and the walkthrough, the way he works, he reminds me of St. Brown in that manner. He is highly competitive.”
Campbell continued:
“He get’s in games like this and he shows up as he’s got this competitive edge about him, so I’m not surprised by him. He gets better and better, and so does Gibbs. Gibbs is just getting better and better. I just got to bring it back to Brad Holmes, as it’s a heck of a job by him once again as he took a lot of criticism on those picks, but they look like they’re OK.”
The Lions, who hit the double-digit win mark for the first time since 2014, will be in the giving mood as they travel to Minnesota, where they will look to give the Vikings an early gift, being a loss on Christmas Eve to remain atop of the NFC North.
