The Detroit Lions are 5–2 heading into their bye week after taking down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24–9 at Ford Field. But if you were expecting Jared Goff to be basking in perfection, think again. The Lions’ quarterback didn’t sugarcoat anything in his postgame presser, and that’s exactly what makes this team so grounded.
The Honest Truth
Goff didn’t mince words when asked about the offense’s performance.
“It’s an ugly 24 and we’ll take it,” Goff said after the game.
That line says it all. Yes, the Lions got the win, and yes, their defense dominated, but Goff made it clear that Detroit left plenty of points on the table.
“We should have blown that game open, really. We didn’t. We let them hang around and our defense kept standing up for us.”
It’s a refreshingly blunt take from a quarterback who understands expectations have changed in Detroit. This isn’t the same old Lions team that used to celebrate any win. Under Dan Campbell, the standard is higher, and Goff’s tone proves it.
Setting the Bar High
When Goff talks about “ugly wins,” it’s not negativity. It’s culture.
“Our bar is so high. We got such good players, we got such a good O-line… we expect more of ourselves when our defense is playing that well.”
That mindset, accountability mixed with confidence, is the biggest difference between the Lions of the past and the Lions of now. Goff isn’t just managing games; he’s leading a team that expects to dominate.
Even when the offense sputtered with turnovers and stalled drives in plus territory, the quarterback’s message was simple: clean it up, and get better.
“There’s some of those moments and situations that we need to get better at. We have to and we will. I’m not worried about that.”
That’s not frustration, that’s leadership.
Perspective Heading Into the Bye
The Lions head into their bye with a 5–2 record, sitting atop the NFC North and showing no signs of slowing down. Goff knows it’s a good spot to be in, but he’s not satisfied.
This team expects more. And if an “ugly 24” is what Goff calls a bad offensive night, then the rest of the NFC should be nervous.
The Bottom Line
Jared Goff’s postgame comments weren’t about nitpicking, they were about maintaining a championship mentality. Detroit isn’t just trying to win games anymore; they’re trying to win the right way.
Ugly or not, a win is a win, and the Lions’ leader made it clear they’ll only keep raising the standard.
2 Responses
Need to take a hard look at offensive coordinator John Morton, unless Goff is calling audibles and changing plays, John Morton’s offensive scheme is a little weak! Open up the damn field and start sending the ball downfield instead of constantly trying to run the ball up the gut, you got the receivers to get the job done, it got Detroit nowhere!
Couldn’t agree more!