The Detroit Lions haven't lost back-to-back games since Oct. 23 and Oct. 30 of the 2022 season vs. Dallas and Miami. It's been a resilient bunch in Detroit following a loss over the last year and half as they look for a bounce-back performance Sunday in Arizona after falling at home to Tampa Bay last week in a game where they outplayed their opponent for the most part but still lost.
"I do think it's part of our identity and part of who we are," quarterback Jared Goff said Wednesday. "It starts with Dan (Campbell) and hopefully trickles down through all the leaders and the captains, but we do respond. We always do, and you never hope to lose two in a row, but I think what we've done over the last two years, like you said, is respond in those situations and hopefully do it again this week."
Goff and the offense more than doubled the Bucs in total yards (463 to 216) last week but were just 1-for-7 in the red zone and lost the turnover battle 2-1 on two Goff interceptions. This needs to be a big bounce-back week for Detroit's offense and for Goff to help get this team on track. Goff's passer rating of 69.6 to begin the season ranks 25th in the league.
It just hasn't been as crisp in the passing game for the Lions to start the season for whatever reason, but Goff isn't panicking and neither is anyone else on that side of the ball.
"No, I think that's uncharacteristic of us, I really do," Goff said. "Like you said, we were able to move the ball. We had quite a few yards. I have to do a better job of taking care of the ball on some of those situations and keep us on the field. Not put the ball in harm's way, but overall, we did move the ball pretty well and I think building off that will be the way we want to go this week."
Goff was obviously frustrated with the turnovers and the lack of execution in the red zone but he won't let it linger.
"You watch the film, you move on," he said. "Just like you would if you win, you treat the both of them the same. Of course, frustrating and there's a lot to learn, like I said I think I have to do a better job of taking care of it in some of those spots and not trying to do too much in some ways, and just being a little bit more disciplined on my part. But you watch it, you learn from it, and you move on."
That was something Goff was able to do at a really high level last year. In the very next game following Detroit's five regular-season losses, Goff combined to go 111-for-161 passing (69 percent) for 1,326 yards (265.2 avg.) with 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Those numbers were good for a 111.45 passer rating.
"I hope to have a short memory after a loss and after a win," Goff said. "I don't know what the numbers are after a loss, but it sounds like they're OK. But, yeah, I have a short memory, I have to. You win, you play well, you come back Monday, you watch it, you learn from it, and you move on. It's the same thing with a loss. I know externally it tends to stew more when there's a loss and it bleeds into late into the week, but for us, it's truly gone on Monday."
