By Michael-Shawn Dugar, Colton Pouncy and Mark Puleo
Quarterbacking doesn’t get more efficient than Jared Goff’s showing Monday night.
The Detroit Lions passer completed every one of his 18 pass attempts, becoming the first quarterback in league history to complete 100 percent of his passes on more than 10 attempts. The previous record was held by Kurt Warner, who finished 10-for-10 in 2005 with the Arizona Cardinals.
Against the Seattle Seahawks, Goff’s perfect night through the air — which totaled nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns — powered the Lions to a 42-29 victory at Ford Field. And Goff did more than just throw dimes, he caught one too. In the third quarter, he was on the receiving end of a touchdown pass from Amon-Ra St. Brown, who lobbed Goff a pass off a reverse.
With the catch, Goff finished the night with more touchdown receptions than incompletions.
AMON-RA ST. BROWN TD PASS TO JARED GOFF.
📺: #SEAvsDET on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/wuVveVDDHw— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2024
Lions’ offense had all the answers
This is the Lions offense we’ve come to know over the years, and Detroit’s players and coaches have been awaiting its return. In vintage fashion, Detroit’s offense recorded 389 yards, scored a season-high 42 points and answered every response from hot Seattle offense.
Goff completed all 18 of his pass attempts for 292 yards and two passing touchdowns, and caught one himself. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for three rushing touchdowns and 118 rushing yards. On a night where it was their turn to take the lead and pick up for the defense, they rose to the challenge and alleviated some concerns along the way. The offense looks like it’s back like it never left. — Colton Pouncy, Lions beat writer
Seattle bulldozed by elite offense
The Seahawks’ defense to this point in the season had taken advantage of some underwhelming offenses. Detroit’s offense is anything but, as Seattle has experienced each of the last two seasons. This meeting went just like the previous two meetings in this building: Goff throwing it all over the yard, tailbacks running free and Seattle scrambling to find answers, with very little success.
To put tonight’s defensive effort in perspective, the Seahawks entered the matchup having allowed just 43 points through three games, including the four points the offense coughed up via safeties in Week 1. Even though Seattle’s defense was short-handed, this was a shocking result considering what Mike Macdonald’s unit had put on tape the first three weeks. — Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seahawks beat writer
Detroit defense still has holes
After a strong three weeks to start the season in which Detroit’s defense allowed no more than 20 points in each of its three contests, Seattle scored 29 points (two off a safety) and totaled 516 yards on the day.
Geno Smith escaped would-be sacks all game and extended plays. He found the soft spots in the defense and operated at a high level all game. There were far too many penalties and missed tackling by the defense, leading to extended drives.
They were missing key guys like Brian Branch and Derrick Barnes, but that’s certainly not the performance you want to see going into the bye week. There’s a lot to clean up before a tough matchup versus the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6. — Pouncy
Seahawks’ offense starred, but done in by turnovers
Seattle’s offense had to be nearly flawless on Monday night because of how little help it received from the defense. And, all things considered, this was a valiant effort by Smith and the offense.
Smith accounted for over 433 yards (395 passing), while Kenneth Walker III made his return from an oblique injury and scored three times against a Lions defense that entered week top-10 in points allowed. DK Metcalf’s first-quarter fumble and Tyler Lockett’s offensive pass interference late in the fourth quarter were costly mistakes, though. And those errors were part of the reason Seattle lost its first game of the season. — Dugar
(Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
