Sam Darnold completed 22 of 27 passes for 259 yards and finished with a 103.5 passer rating. On many days, that’s enough to win games. Just not on Sunday, against the best quarterback in the NFC North.
Neal: Made devastatingly clear vs. Vikings: Lions’ Jared Goff is the best QB in the NFC North. Sam Darnold is not in the top three.
The NFC North is a conference in which all four teams like their quarterbacks, but Sunday’s game revealed separation between Detroit’s Jared Goff and Minnesota’s Sam Darnold.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 21, 2024 at 1:04AM
Jared Goff rallied his team from a deficit, put on an exhibition of throwing accuracy, foiled Brian Flores’ defensive scheme and drove his team into range for the winning field goal in the Lions’ 31-29 victory over the Vikings.
Pipe down, Jordan Love lovers. Love, Darnold and Chicago’s Caleb Williams should want to be where Goff is. He’s in control of his offense, limits mistakes and gets everyone involved. And he didn’t panic when the Vikings took a 10-point lead 10 minutes into the game.
“We knew that coming to the game they start off hot,” Goff said. “They come out with their hair on fire and kind of punched in the teeth a little bit there early, and we had to respond.
“And that’s kind of what we do, is what we look for, is responding. And once we’re able to put the drives together and score a few touchdowns, felt like we had a good place to be.”
His composure was tested on the Lions’ first possession, when Detroit coach Dan Campbell had his team fake a punt at its own 33 that got stuffed and led to a Vikings touchdown two plays later. Coach, there’s a difference between fearless and reckless. And between reckless and brainless.
Down by 10 after one quarter, the Lions scored touchdowns on their next three possessions as Goff took advantage of the Vikings’ pressure-happy defense and started flingin’ it. Goff completed all 12 of his passes in the first half for 156 yards, including a gorgeous 35-yard strike to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the second quarter.
Goff was sacked four times but avoided a few more. When he got time, he sliced the defense. When they pressured, he made them pay. Eight completions went to his running backs.
“These guys were giving us a lot of checkdowns,” Goff said. “They really were.”
Trailing 29-28, Goff moved the Lions from their 30 to the Vikings 22. Four plays later, Jake Bates kicked a winning 44-yard field goal. Absorbing an early deficit. Triggering the comeback. Managing the game-winning drive. All on the road in front of an announced crowd of 66,971. Those few thousand Lions fans in attendance did not keep it from being a hostile environment.
It’s what you need from a leader.
When Goff arrived in Detroit via the Matthew Stafford trade, it appeared as if he was being banished to the Motor City as the Rams went on to win Super Bowl LVI after the 2021 season. Goff moved on to preside over the resurrection of the Kitties. Sunday’s victory was the Lions’ fourth in a row, and they knocked off the last undefeated team in the conference. The Lions are the real deal now, and Goff might get his shot at a title.
Darnold’s numbers aren’t shabby, but, following a recent trend, he’s leaving yardage on the field. On Sunday he failed to take advantage of a questionable Lions secondary. He had a pass picked off by Brian Branch, leading to a Detroit touchdown and 21-10 Lions lead at halftime. Darnold hit 12 of 14 passes in the second half. He completed 81.5% of his attempts, which is excellent. But he didn’t finish well.
After linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. scooped and scored off a David Montgomery fumble in the fourth quarter, Darnold’s two-point conversion pass to Jordan Addison fell incomplete. With less than three minutes remaining, he sailed a third-down pass to Justin Jefferson that would have kept the drive alive to run down the clock more, or even score.
“Just could have put it on him a little bit better,” Darnold said. “But again, just gotta watch the tape, you know, and kind of look at that one from different angles.”
Clearly, this is not the Sam Darnold who suffered performance-based exits from the Jets and Panthers. He is more effective in Kevin O’Connell’s scheme. Overall, he is having a good year in a division in which all four teams like their QBs. But he missed plays at the most important moments of Sunday’s game.
Based on what’s happened in recent weeks, Goff is the best quarterback in the division. Darnold would not be second or third.
Vikings tight end Josh Oliver has not practiced all week after sustaining an ankle injury against the Titans last Sunday. His absence could mean more playing time for T.J. Hockenson.
