• The Lions dissected the Vikings' vaunted defense in Week 7: Brian Flores and Minnesota's defense are known for showing heavy pressure looks pre-snap and sending exotic blitzes. That didn’t seem to faze Goff, as he was 15-of-16 for 165 yards and a touchdown with an 83.9 PFF overall grade when blitzed.
• Jared Goff has the Lions rolling: Detroit sits atop the NFC North at 5-1 and looks like a prime Super Bowl contender.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions delivered the Minnesota Vikings their first loss of the season in dramatic fashion in Week 7. Goff has been on a heater in recent weeks, at the forefront of one of the league's best offenses. The Lions are now 5-1 and are looking unstoppable.
Lions' Highest-Graded Offensive Players in Week 7
Goff’s 76.9 overall grade is the season's best quarterback performance against the Vikings' defense, a unit that has caused nightmares for the opposition all season long. Brian Flores and Minnesota's defense are known for showing heavy pressure looks pre-snap and sending exotic blitzes. That didn’t seem to faze Goff, as he was 15-of-16 for 165 yards and a touchdown with an 83.9 PFF overall grade when blitzed.
It was a bit of a slower start for the Lions' offense, but the unit got going in the second quarter, scoring three touchdowns.
Great job by Goff to get to the backside concept and deliver a dime pic.twitter.com/VIgk8XIFCq
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) October 21, 2024
This has become the typical pre-snap look from the Vikings — show a zero-blitz by bringing everyone up to the line of scrimmage, then either send them all or drop out and play coverage. The Vikings end up sending everyone, but instead of playing man coverage behind the blitz, they drop into what looks like zone. Goff starts to the near side of the field and realizes nobody is rotating to the middle of the field, so he flips to the backside of the concept and throws a perfect ball for a huge touchdown.
The Vikings' defense continued to rely on the chaos of bringing everyone to the line of scrimmage.
Great job by Goff to just barely get this off while getting hit. Needed to hit this with perfect anticipation and he did pic.twitter.com/Scqyvx8uC7
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) October 21, 2024
This time, they drop out of the blitz and play Cover 2 behind it. Goff notices the coverage and flips his head to the scissors concept on the far side of the field. When defenses run Cover 2, sometimes the middle hole defender will “run the pole” — meaning they will carry any seam route up the middle of the field. With the hole defender opening his body to the side of the three receivers, Goff knows he won’t have a chance to get to the post route from Sam LaPorta and gets the ball out just in time for another huge completion.
Goff and the Lions' offense are always at their best when they can use play action effectively.
The Jared Goff special. Play-action under center, get your eyes up and rip the dig pic.twitter.com/DDILHY7Q9r
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) October 21, 2024
This throw has become Jared Goff's calling card — hard play action under center and hitting an in-breaking route in rhythm. The Vikings blitz, this time bringing six pass-rushers, including one from depth. Goff gets his eyes up, understands where the blitz is coming from and hits the dig route in the area vacated by the blitzer. It’s yet another great throw against the blitz, and he delivers it with pressure in his face.
On the last drive of the game, Goff made another excellent pass to essentially win the Lions the game, as it got them into field goal range for the game-winning kick.
Big throw by Goff at the end of the game to get the Lions in field goal range. Safety plays this about as well as you can but the throw just beats him pic.twitter.com/XOSPH1aP8G
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) October 21, 2024
The Vikings are again sending more than four pass-rushers at the quarterback, and Goff takes advantage. The Vikings bring out their heavy personnel with four down linemen and two more edge rushers, which makes it a great time to use play action. Goff is given just enough time to deliver on another crossing route, beating the safety. He knows the shallow routes will occupy the two underneath defenders, and once he confirms that, he hits Amon-Ra St. Brown for a big gain.
The Lions' offense is on fire right now, and with Jared Goff playing the way he is, it’s hard not to think of Detroit as a top Super Bowl contender.
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