In the moments after the Lions’ 41–34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the questions about Detroit’s season weren’t subtle. The Lions are 8–6. Their playoff hopes are wobbling. The fanbase is nervous. The margin for error is gone.
But Jared Goff?
He stepped to the podium and delivered a message that sounded less like a quarterback explaining a loss and more like a leader drawing a line in the sand.
“Eight and six. Still in it. Got three games left. I’d like to win all three of them. Got to win the first one.”
No excuses. No hesitating. No backing down.
This is Goff telling Detroit: We’re not done.
A Quarterback Refusing to Fold
While fans and analysts dissected playoff scenarios, Goff made it clear that none of it matters unless the Lions start taking care of their own business again. His tone was calm, confident, but pointed.
“We’ve got a resilient group, man. We bounce back after things like this, and we’ve got a home game in front of our fans. I expect them to bring it for us and find a way to win that one and go to the next.”
He didn’t shy away from the stakes either.
“And, you know, it’d be nothing better than entering the playoffs off a three-game win streak. That’s got to be the goal, but again — in order to win three, you’ve got to win one, and so we’ve got to focus on that one.”
This wasn’t a quarterback spinning optimism. This was a leader setting a standard.
Detroit’s Offensive Identity Still Runs Through Him
When asked about the offense, Goff didn’t sugarcoat the issues, but he also highlighted what Detroit did do well. And frankly, he isn’t wrong. The Lions looked dynamic for large stretches Sunday.
“We were just leaning on them a little bit. I thought there were certain runs that were really good and then we were throwing it well. Guys were getting open, we were protecting really well, giving me some time. I was able to get over the top of them a couple times. It was a solid half, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough in the second half for us.”
Protection has been a storyline all year, but Goff made sure to credit the big guys up front:
“It’s been ebbs and flows. I think the last few games have been really good — I really do. Certainly, Dallas was really good, and I thought today was really good for the most part as well. They gave me plenty of time back there… I thought those guys did really well up front.”
The message?
The offense isn’t broken, it just needs to stay balanced, efficient, and aggressive.
On the Play Calls Everyone Was Talking About
Dan Campbell’s late-second-quarter call, the shot play Goff hit for a touchdown, wasn’t spur-of-the-moment magic. Goff made it clear it was intentional, practiced, and well-timed.
“Yeah, good play we had been working on all week. I loved the action there and who it was going to and everything about it with the defense they were playing. I was confident that one would work.”
And the screen touchdown? Same thing, perfect call in the perfect moment.
“It was a perfect call there. They brought zero pressure, and a screen into zero is as good as it gets, and Saint did the rest.”
These quotes matter because they reinforce something Lions fans need to hear:
The connection between Goff and Ben Johnson is still sharp.
The offense still has teeth.
And the Lions can still beat anyone when they execute.
A Challenge to His Teammates — and His Leaders
The most powerful moment of the entire presser wasn’t about the Rams. It was about the Lions’ identity, and what needs to happen next.
“We’re resilient. I hope I can give you a really good answer in a few weeks, but we’re resilient — we really are. I expect us to bounce back from this.”
Then he pushed even harder:
“We still have plenty of stuff in front of us, we do. And we’ve got a great group that can win a championship here, and we know that.”
But perhaps the line that will resonate the most inside the locker room was this one:
“We just have to stick together and not allow some of the narratives to pull anything apart. Our captains need to step up, our leaders need to step up and be vocal and have energy — not anything that I don’t expect us to do. But yeah, we’ve got to show that resilience a few more times here.”
That isn’t Goff talking to the media.
That’s Goff talking to the team.
This Is the Moment for the Lions
Goff didn’t flinch.
He didn’t avoid the spotlight.
He didn’t deflect.
He embraced the stakes, embraced the responsibility, and embraced the challenge in front of him.
Detroit’s season now comes down to three games: Steelers, Vikings, Bears, and Goff’s message is unmistakable:
The Lions can win them.
The Lions should win them.
The Lions must bring their best.
And if they do?
We may look back at this press conference as the moment the team turned the corner.
Because when the quarterback says, “We’re resilient… we’ve got a great group that can win a championship,”
you either follow him, or you get out of the way.
