15 January 2024 , 19:33
981
0
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay showed his respect for Jarod Goff as he sent his former quarterback a classy message of support after his Detroit Lions ended their NFL Playoff hopes.
The Lions clinched a 24-23 win over the Rams in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs at Ford Field on Sunday night. Despite fears that Matthew Stafford, the Rams' current quarterback and former Lion, would lead a comeback, it was Goff who secured the victory for Detroit.
Goff, who was traded for Stafford ahead of the 2021 season, threw an 11-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown deep in the fourth quarter. This play, combined with the Rams' use of timeouts, sealed the win for the Lions.
Goff had a great game, completing 22 of 27 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown, with no turnovers. He frequently targeted St. Brown, who caught seven passes for 110 yards.
READ MORE:
Joe Burrow backs Patrick Mahomes after Kansas City Chiefs reach Super Bowl
The victory marked Detroit's first playoff win in 32 years. It ended his former team's season in abrupt fashion in what many had dubbed a 'revenge game' after he was traded to the Lions by McVay and his staff.
However, McVay praised Goff, saying he was impressed by how much his game has improved since he moved to Detroit three seasons ago. The two worked together for four seasons in Los Angeles before the big trade.
"Jared was really efficient," McVay said. "You can see the command he has. I think there's a lot made of it, but I'm really happy for him. Obviously, we wanted to come away with the win, but he's done a great job.
"I think the grit, the resilience, and the way he's done his thing here over the last three years, I'm happy for Jared, and I certainly am appreciative of the four years we had together."
Goff labelled the atmosphere "the best home game atmosphere he has ever experienced" as fans chanted his name throughout the night, from pregame warmups to close.
Jared Goff and Sean McVay worked together for four seasons in Los Angeles with the Rams (Getty Images)While the Rams will never regret trading Goff for Stafford given the 35-year-old - who threw for 367 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday - won the Super Bowl in his first season with the team. But Goff is showcasing his ability and natural fit with the Lions.
"Thought he played top-notch football," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. "He probably had two errors and everything else, I thought he was on point. He looked loose, he looked relaxed. I thought he threw the ball with conviction."
The win means the Lions advance to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. Following the Dallas Cowboys' shock loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Lions will host the winner of Monday night's clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Detroit.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]