Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff must have felt like he was back at Super Bowl LIII playing under center for the Los Angeles Rams, after running into a brick wall against the New England Patriots defense on Sunday.
The Lions came into the game with the league’s No. 1-ranked scoring offense, and Goff was playing some of his best football to date. And the team couldn’t even muster a single point on the scoreboard.
It was complete domination by the same Patriots team that broke Goff’s heart and took a Lombardi Trophy out of his hands when he was in a Rams uniform.
“They played what they usually play. And I think what they do so well is – they’re just so sound,” said Goff, via the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan. “They’re so sound and they have a really good idea of how you’re trying to attack them offensively. And their players are really smart.”
Jared Goff on the #Patriots defense: "They played what they usually play. And I think what they do so well is – they're just so sound. They're so sound and they have a really good idea of how you're trying to attack them offensively. And their players are really smart."
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) October 9, 2022
Goff went 19-of-35 in the game for 229 yards and one interception. He also coughed up a strip sack fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Patriots safety Kyle Dugger.
Defense doing their thing.@man_dammn @KingDugg_3
📺: #DETvsNE on @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/rESG3E2Lva
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 9, 2022
If anything, that performance was a reminder of how good the defense can be when its locked in this season.
The Patriots hope there’s more where Sunday’s performance came from with the team improving to 2-3 and turning the page to a road matchup with the Cleveland Browns in Week 6.