Jared Goff has done almost everything since joining the Detroit Lions, but fairly or unfairly, there's one significant criticism that has persisted.
In spite of all the positives Goff enjoys, he simply doesn't play well outside, especially during the second half of the season when wind, rain, snow and cold can come calling. Historically, Goff has struggled in such situations. But he was able to put that behind him in Week 9 when the Lions were finally challenged outdoors.
The Lions enjoyed a commanding 24-14 win over the Green Bay Packers in the rain and wind, and they didn't do it entirely on the back of their ground game. In the first-half, Goff was 11-12 for one touchdown and made every throw while wearing gloves and contending with a slick ball.
In the second half, the Lions wouldn't have been able to put the game on ice without Goff making clutch throws. He was able to do that, and avoid turnovers. Goff would finish 18-for-22 for 145 yards and a touchdown while posting a 109.3 passer rating.
Afterward, Goff gently called out some of his haters in an interview with Erin Andrews of FOX Sports.
"We're supposed to be the 'dome' team, we're supposed to be the team that can't play outside, and we come out here and win." @Lions QB @JaredGoff16 joins @ErinAndrews after Detroit's win in Green Bay! pic.twitter.com/BZ9A6vMeRS
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 4, 2024
"(The rain) would come and go. The second-half was certainly wetter than the first-half. It was a fun game. Once a year you kind of get ones like this. We're supposed to be the dome team. We're supposed to be the team that can't play outside and we come in and win."
Goff's attitude shows how much he is feeling it. There are two more tests remaining outdoors for the Lions against the Chicago Bears (Week 16) and San Francisco 49ers (Week 17). With this performance, there is no reason for anyone to worry about Goff no matter what those forecasts look like.
Dan Campbell: Detroit Lions trusted Jared Goff to deliver in elements
The Lions have spent the last three years building up Goff's confidence. With most of their games indoors, there isn't a ton of chances for Goff to play outside and prove he has gotten over this hump.
This week, Campbell saw Goff as especially locked-in when the Lions were practicing in similar weather. That led him to believe everything would be fine no matter what happened outdoors on Sunday.
"We practiced outside. Thursday, it was as windy as it was today. We didn't have the rain. So, those two days, just watching him in the elements throw it like he was, it was like, 'we'll be fine.' We trust the heck out of him. It worked out good for us."
The solid performance from the Lions didn't surprise Campbell, because he knows how the Lions are built and what they can do.
"I am not shocked one bit that we came out here and played pretty good football out in the elements. We're built for this. Just because we play indoors, it doesn't matter. We can play anywhere. We can play in the snow, play in the rain, play in the mud. That's just us. We're built to win, man."
Now that Goff has shown he can deliver in that very situation, the sky is the limit for the Lions. It was the kind of win that can propel the quarterback's confidence to an even higher level.
