Jared Goff understands why Detroit Lions fans are frustrated after the 41-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He also is not buying into any panic surrounding a team that sits at 1-1 entering Week 3.
During his weekly appearance on 97.1 The Ticket, Goff offered a direct message to anyone ready to make sweeping judgments after two games.
“We’re 1-1. It’s week three. I don’t know. We lost by ten and had some chances to stay in the game and didn’t do it. That’s a good team. We lost, they got us, and we move on to the next one. And to be honest, I really don’t feel like I have to defend anything we’re doing internally. So we got a lot of season in front of us, and a lot of work to do, certainly, but we feel just fine.”
Detroit’s loss in Buffalo was ugly in important ways. The Lions fell behind 21-0, struggled to run the football and allowed 41 points. Yet Goff also threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns, while the offense produced 31 points against a talented Bills team. Buffalo’s early lead proved too much to overcome, even as Detroit fought back in the second half.
Goff is not ignoring Detroit’s flaws
Goff’s message was not that the Lions played well enough in Buffalo. They did not.
He acknowledged Detroit had chances to stay within striking distance and failed to capitalize. The first two offensive drives were especially costly, continuing a trend of slow starts that has frustrated the quarterback and coaching staff. Detroit has gone three-and-out on its opening possession in each of its first two games, according to a film review from Pride of Detroit.
There is real work ahead. The Lions must clean up their early-game execution, establish a more consistent ground attack and eliminate the penalties that helped derail key drives in Buffalo. Dan Campbell has already stressed that 14 of Detroit’s 18 penalties against the Bills were unacceptable.
Still, Goff’s point is straightforward: a Week 2 road loss does not define the season.
The Jets offer Detroit a quick response opportunity
The Lions will get an immediate chance to back up Goff’s confidence when the New York Jets come to Ford Field in Week 3.
Detroit does not need to defend its internal approach to outside critics. It needs to execute better on Sundays. A faster offensive start, cleaner situational football and a stronger all-around defensive performance would go much further than any public reassurance.
Goff is not claiming the Lions have arrived. He is saying they have time to correct what went wrong.
At 1-1, that is the only response that matters. Detroit’s depleted safety situation makes the challenge more complicated, but Goff’s confidence remains unchanged: the Lions have plenty of football left to play.
