Detroit QB reflects on playoff loss: ‘Had I played better, ‘do we win?’ Possibly. And that’s the part that will eat me alive this offseason.’
DETROIT — In the first quarter, Jared Goff held onto the ball too long as a closing pass rush approached, resulting in a strip-sack that cost Detroit a red-zone chance.
In the second quarter, he made a critical mistake by overthrown a pass directly into the hands of Washington’s Quan Martin, who returned it for a 40-yard pick-6, with Goff taking a hit and needing concussion checks.
Just before halftime, Goff was late in throwing a pass to an open Jameson Williams, allowing Washington’s Mike Sainristil to intercept it.
While Detroit’s defense might have been too injury-depleted to make a Super Bowl run, following an impressive 15-2 regular season and a top NFC playoff seed, the Lions’ chances were significantly hindered by Goff’s four turnovers during the game.
Facing rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who played like a seasoned pro with two touchdown passes and no interceptions, Detroit had little margin for error. The NFC playoff picture flipped as the Commanders, a surprise team, moved on to face either Philadelphia or the Rams in the NFC Championship.
For Detroit, where hope had grown after years of frustration, a lingering question remains: is Jared Goff capable of leading the Lions to a championship?
He certainly wasn’t on Saturday.
Goff ended the game 23-of-40 for 313 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions, and one lost fumble, including a final interception on a desperation drive.
“It sucks,” Goff said. “Sucks. Worst part of this job. You hate it when you feel like you let guys down … Had I played better, ‘do we win?’ Possibly. And that’s the part that will eat me alive this offseason.”
“I’m still processing this,” he added. “Going to have some hard nights coming up, unfortunately.”
That sentiment echoed across the organization. Head coach Dan Campbell struggled with his emotions as he discussed the loss, taking responsibility and expressing gratitude for his players’ efforts.
“It’s just the players,” Campbell said, his voice faltering. “What they put into it. People don’t know, you know, what they go through. You have to get up. Body is beat to s***. Mentally stay locked in and do those things. Long season.”
However, the primary issue was clear: a defense held together by patches and a turnover-prone quarterback.
“As everybody knows, you turn the ball over five times … it’s just too much,” Campbell said. “It’s too hard against a team like that.”
Goff had strong support around him, including standout running back Jahmyr Gibbs, speedy receiver Jameson Williams, talented tight end Sam LaPorta (who made a one-handed touchdown catch), and reliable slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. With an excellent offensive line, the offense had the potential to carry the team.
But Saturday’s game showed that even with such weapons, Goff couldn’t afford to make critical mistakes.
“Just crap,” Goff said. “I wish I had an answer for you. It just sucks. Yeah, I wish I could have played a little bit better. I wish I could have taken care of the ball better. I wish I could have had the pick-6 back, that was a really poor decision by me.”
“It’s on me. I’ve got to take care of it better and we would have given ourselves a better chance to win had I done that.”
The game was effectively decided in the second quarter, when Detroit’s 7-3 lead quickly turned into a 31-21 deficit, which they could never overcome. Despite some defensive stops, the offense couldn’t capitalize.
“Defense holds them, limits points and we come back and turn the ball over,” Campbell said.
“That’s what I am beating myself up about,” Goff said. “All three of them [first-half turnovers] turned into points.”
Goff had previously led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl, though their offense only managed three points in a loss. After that, L.A. traded Goff to Detroit, believing that Matthew Stafford could do what Goff couldn’t — lead the Rams to a championship. Stafford’s success in winning the Super Bowl raised questions about Goff’s limits.
Detroit’s recent drafts have been solid, and Goff has experienced a career resurgence. But after throwing four interceptions in the divisional round, can he elevate his play enough to secure a championship?
And can he improve next season, with a healthier defense and more opportunities?
“What do we need to improve?” Campbell said, reflecting on the offseason. “What do we need to fix?”
Goff will need to improve significantly. As talented as the offense is, it can’t go far if the quarterback struggles. Is this just an off night, or is this the highest level Goff can reach?
“It’s a humbling game,” Goff said. “It’s a humbling sport.”
The reality will continue to be a tough one, even as the sting of this loss fades.
