DETROIT – Jared Goff spoke after the Detroit Lions’ win over the Bears about fans booing the team at Ford Field while the game was in doubt.
Head coach Dan Campbell said during his postgame press conference that the team heard the boos but didn’t let it affect them during a late comeback. The Lions trailed by 12 points with under four minutes to play, but answered with a pair of touchdown drives.
It’s hard to tell if he was joking, but Goff claimed he didn’t hear the boos.
“Did they?” Goff asked. “I actually didn’t hear that. I heard about that but I didn’t hear it. They booed the first play of the two-minute drive that we scored on, too.”
Goff had a rough game through the first three-and-a-half quarters, throwing three interceptions and two other passes that could have been picked off.
Fans were clearly frustrated after the third interception, and again when an overthrow was nearly picked off in the fourth quarter.
“We love our fans,” Goff said. “They’re so great. They had a lot to boo about today. Maybe appreciate it if they wouldn’t. But it’s alright. I get it. They’re passionate and emotional. They win games for us here at home. They really do. How loud they are for us on defense, and then how much energy we feel for them after we score, or a big play. All that stuff, it’s so important.”
Goff made up for the turnovers down the stretch. The Lions got the ball back with 4:15 on the clock and needed just 1:16 to get to the end zone. Goff found Jameson Williams from 32 yards out for the score.
After the Bears went three-and-out, the Lions drove down the field again to take the lead. Goff was 11-for-13 for 115 yards, a touchdown, and a two-point conversion on the final two drives combined.
“I understand their passion and feel their pain, at times, and I appreciate them for being as passionate as they are,” Goff said.
“I get it. They’re upset, I’m upset. They can be upset and boo, it’s alright. But I think the expectations for our team are higher than they’ve ever been, and we want to win home games in front of our home fans against division opponents, and today we ultimately did that. We didn’t get there on a straight line, but we ultimately came out with the win, and it’s a testament to how tough and courageous we are on offense and defense.”
