The Detroit Lions‘ playoff hopes are finished, and they went down in just about the ugliest way possible.
Detroit’s offense turned the football over six times against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Christmas Day, and quarterback Jared Goff was responsible for five of those giveaways (two interceptions and three fumbles).
The loss sealed the Lions’ playoff fate. After back-to-back NFC North Division championships and the No. 1 overall seed in the conference last year, Detroit (8-8) has no pathway to the postseason in January.
A dejected Dan Campbell spoke about his failures as a head coach and the failures of the entire team during the postgame, but his message kept coming back around to the turnover problem, which on Saturday night was inextricably linked to Goff.
“The story of that game was six turnovers,” Campbell said bluntly. “Can’t turn the ball over six times and win in this league.”
Campbell acknowledged that a big part of the problem was the pressure Minnesota’s defense mustered, hitting Goff eight times and sacking him on five occasions. And while much of that is on the offensive line, Goff’s inability to handle/negate that pressure with any aplomb highlights his limitations, and outright deficiencies, as an NFL signal-caller.
“Anytime when he’s not able to step into the throw, it’s gonna be hard for him,” Campbell said. “That’s where he’s at his best, obviously, in the pocket. And if he’s not able to at least hit that back foot and step into it, that makes it pretty difficult.”
Dan Campbell Makes Ominous Promise Following Lions’ Elimination From Playoff Contention
GettyHead coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions.
Campbell said he intends to examine “a lot of things” over the offseason, with the implication that Goff’s play under center will certainly be one of them. But it’s far from the only issue concerning Campbell, as his team plays out the string over the final week of a now dead year.
“I’m gonna be looking at a lot of things,” Campbell said. “Because I do not like being home for the playoffs, and I know our guys don’t either.”
“Whenever you lose man, it takes a village … everybody’s involved, including myself,” the coach continued. “So I’m always gonna look at myself first. I’m always gonna wish I’d given Goff more, given those players more.”
But part of what Campbell owes to his players is the fostering of performances from the biggest positions on the field in the biggest moments to carry the entire team to new heights. And Campbell also pointed indirectly at Goff for the primary issue behind the Lions’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field last week.
“Last week, we just couldn’t score in the red zone when we needed it,” Campbell said.
Jared Goff Criticized Lions’ Game Plan Following Loss to Vikings
GettyDetroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.
Goff also spoke candidly following the contest, discussing shortcomings in the Lions’ offensive game plan as well as their ability to adjust to what the Vikings did to disrupt it.
Much like Campbell didn’t throw Goff directly under the bus, Goff was not taking a direct shot at his coaching counterpart. However, it was impossible to listen to Goff’s commentary and not hear the inherent implication involving the game planners, i.e. coaching staff, within it.
“They had a good plan and exploited some things on us, and yeah, [they] were able to get after us, adding an extra rusher a lot of times,” Goff said. “We had a plan that we thought would attack that, and it didn’t work well enough.”
Goff also answered flatly when a reporter asked him if he could have imagined at the beginning of the season this version of the Lions missing the playoffs.
“No,” Goff responded. “We’ll reflect on the whole season after next week. But yeah, it sucks.”
Goff has amassed 4,233 passing yards, 33 TDs and seven INTs this season. He has also taken 36 sacks and fumbled six times. Goff has three seasons remaining on his four-year, $212 million contract extension that runs through the 2028 campaign.
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