news

‘Sir. Perfect Jared Goff clears in Lions’ 42-29 win over Seahawks

Vaseline October 1, 2024

Detroit – “Mr. Perfect” has never been a more appropriate nickname for Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

On Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks, Goff went 18-for-18 for 292 yards and two touchdowns – with a receiving touchdown to boot – as the annual high-scoring affair ultimately tipped in the Lions’ favor, 42-29, before a raucous crowd at Ford Field.

Goff had a 70-yard passing touchdown to Jameson Williams that gave the Lions a 35-20 lead with 2:52 left in the third quarter and a receiving touchdown on a trick play in the third quarter that ended with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown as a passer.

Goff’s 18 completions were the most for a player to complete every pass in a game since Kurt Warner did so with 10 completions as a member of the Arizona Cardinals in 2005.

Detroit enters the bye week with a 3-1 record, with a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys looming on October 13.

In a flawless passing game, Goff’s biggest mistake was getting sacked for a safety with 2:01 left in the game, giving Seattle the ball back with a chance to erase a 13-point deficit. Despite several penalties helping Seattle get on the field, the Lions defense stood tall and Lions safety Kerby Joseph cooled the game with an interception – his third of the season – in the end zone.

Lions running back David Montgomery had 12 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown and one reception for 40 yards. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had 14 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns and St. Brown had six receptions for 45 yards and a receiving touchdown in his first career passing touchdown.

The Lions’ defense was shredded on the ground for the first time this season, as former Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III racked up 80 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. He had two touchdowns in the 2023 meeting in Detroit, putting him at five career touchdowns at Ford Field for the third-year pro. Former Michigan tight end AJ Barner added a touchdown for Seattle (3-1).

▶ BOX SCORE: Lions 42, Seahawks 29

Seattle quarterback Geno Smith was asked to throw early and often. He went 38-for-56 passing for 395 yards and a touchdown. Seattle had 516 yards of offense, compared to 389 for Detroit. The Lions were penalized twelve times for a total of 101 yards.

Walker had 1-yard rushing touchdowns in the second and third quarters before breaking away for a 21-yard score with 14:48 left in the fourth.

The Lions and Seahawks played three straight seasons starting in 2024 and totaled 79.3 points per game in those meetings, all Seahawks wins. Detroit had lost six straight games to Seattle on Monday night.

Goff threw an incompletion into the end zone during the fourth quarter, but it was negated with an offensive pass interference penalty for the Lions.

After a three-and-out on the opening drive, Montgomery and Gibbs combined for 59 yards on the second possession to breach the Seahawks’ defense and take a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Montgomery, his fourth of the opening drive. season from that distance. The Lions marched 93 yards in 12 plays for the lead.

The Seahawks moved into Lions territory on their second drive, but it was cut short by a turnover. DK Metcalf made a catch over the middle and fought through tacklers until Lions linebacker Jack Campbell tackled him and released the ball. Lions cornerback Carlton Davis recovered the fumble and returned it to the Seattle 14-yard line, where the Lions scored first and goal a few plays later to end the first quarter.

Gibbs made it 14-0 at the 14:58 mark of the second quarter after reserve left guard Kayode Awosika weaved his way into the end zone from four yards out.

The Seahawks rallied to cut the deficit in half on their first drive of the second quarter, thanks in part to some poor penalty killing from the Lions. After making a big pass to Metcalf, Davis was flagged for defensive holding on third down to extend the drive. Then James Houston – who had a great chance with Marcus Davenport out – was flagged for an offside penalty that was disallowed. And after the Lions gave up a 29-yard pass to Metcalf, they had 12 men on the field to give Seattle second-and-goal at the half-yard line.

Walker capped the scoring drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown.

The Lions started their next drive with a 9-yard completion to Sam LaPorta, which drew a 15-yard facemask penalty and gave Detroit first and 10 at the Seattle 38-yard line. Another throw to LaPorta (this one for 13 yards) and a 10-yard run by Gibbs put Detroit in goal-to-go, where Gibbs finally ran the ball in from a yard out to make it 21-7 with 5:11 left. the second quarter.

A week after the Lions scored a touchdown on a hook-and-ladder, Seattle grabbed a critical third-and-16 with a clever downfield side of its own. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught a ball over the middle and threw it overhand to Zach Charbonnet near the sideline, who took the ball another 16 yards for another set of downs at Seattle’s 39-yard line.

Seahawks kicker Jason Myers fell short on a 62-yard field goal attempt before halftime. Khalil Dorsey returned the kick and was given a facemask penalty, but that’s where the half ended.

Seattle narrowed the deficit to 21-14 on the opening drive of the second half. After Smith converted fourth-and-1 on a quarterback sneak from his own territory, Metcalf drew a pass interference call on Davis, leaving the veteran Detroit cornerback absolutely outraged and giving 21 free yards to the Seahawks. On first and goal at the 9-yard line, Smith found former Michigan tight end AJ Barner for his first career touchdown.

Montgomery showed absurd contact poise after catching a pass on Detroit’s first play of the next drive, getting the ball rolling with a 40-yard reception that put Detroit on first-and-10 at the Seahawks’ 30. After Detroit went on second-and-goal at the 7, the Lions ran a trick play that ended when St. Brown threw a touchdown pass to Goff for a 28-14 lead at the 6:57 mark of the third quarter.

Smith pulled the rabbit out of his hat several times to keep the ensuing Seahawks drive alive, including one on 3rd-and-8 and another on 2nd-and-16 to put Seattle on the Detroit 16. Jake Bobo put Seattle at the 1, Walker hit it from a yard out for his fourth career touchdown at Ford Field to make it 28-20, Lions, after Seattle failed to convert on a two-point conversion.

Detroit answered the Seahawks’ score on the first play of the next drive when Goff found Jameson Williams on a crosser, and Williams beat everyone for a 70-yard touchdown to go back two scores, 35-20, with 2:52 remaining about. the third quarter. Walker returned to form on the next drive, adding his third score of the day on a 21-yard rush with 14:48 left in the game.

The Lions extended their lead to 15 with 5:23 in the fourth on an 8-yard touchdown pass to St. Brown.

Seattle pushed deep into Lions territory before the two-minute warning, but turned the ball over on downs when a fourth-down attempt on Lockett was defended by Terrion Arnold.

[email protected]

@nolanbianchi