Here are six things for Rams fans to know about the Detroit Lions ahead of Sunday’s NFC wild-card playoff matchup:
Hello, old friend
Three years after he was traded from Los Angeles to Detroit, quarterback Jared Goff will lead the Lions into Sunday’s game against his former team. You probably know the basics: The Rams selected Goff with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He helped them to a Super Bowl appearance following the 2018 season, then had mixed success the next two years before the Rams traded him to Detroit for Matthew Stafford in 2021.
Three years later, Goff has blossomed as a Lion. This season, Goff set a career high with a 67.3% completion rate. He was second in the NFL with 4,575 passing yards and fourth with 30 passing touchdowns. It’s the first time he’s thrown 30 touchdowns since 2018.
In addition to playmakers like former USC standout Amon-Ra St. Brown and stud rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has given Goff a good opportunity to thrive with the kind of play-action looks he thrived at with the Rams, and his own brand of offensive creativity.
Starts at the top
Dan Campbell has earned quite the reputation since taking over as the Lions’ head coach in 2021. From his kneecap-biting remarks at his introductory press conference to their feisty near-miss at a playoff berth in Year 2 to this year winning their first NFC North title, Campbell has helped turn the franchise around.
And in the process, he has come to embody analytics-era aggression. If you have watched one Lions game during Campbell’s tenure, you have likely seen the coach opt to go for a fourth-down conversion or two that left you cocking your head to the side with a second guess. But the style fits Campbell and his Lions, and his team rewarded his faith with a 52% fourth-down conversion rate this year.
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