Here is what quarterback Jared Goff said after the Detroit Lions were able to secure their second consecutive division title by defeating the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football at Ford Field.
On Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs’s performance today:
“Yeah, unbelievable, yeah. I don’t know what his numbers were but yeah he was impressive and we kind of came into this one knowing we were going to need him to be and he played his tail off and our offensive line blocked their tails off. Yeah, he was special today and we needed him to be.”
On the defense’s performance getting crucial stops:
“I can’t say enough good things about what they did today – I mean, it’s unbelievable. Again, everyone keeps writing out how injured they are and depleted and they don’t care – it’s next man up. Played their absolute tails off today and that’s a damn good offense they just played and no touchdowns, right? There you go, unbelievable. Unbelievable what they did. They bailed me out a couple times, bailed us out offensively a couple times and team win – we appreciate it. They were unbelievable.”
On the significance of winning the division in Week 18:
“Feels pretty good, feels pretty good. Yeah, you never know how it’s going to play out as the season goes on, but when it comes down to Week 18 for all the marbles and the division – yeah, it feels good to be on this side of it and to know we get a little bit of rest here now and two homes games and then we’ll go from there.”
On if this is the cherry on top in his four years with the Lions:
“Not the cherry on top, no, not yet. Yeah, it’s fun, it’s what we talked about when we first got here. Certainly, when I first got here it was what the opportunity you dream about is being able to win division championships and then the NFC North and then ultimately win Super Bowls – that’s what next for us. I think, yeah this is fun and exciting and we obviously wanted it really bad and we’re going to enjoy the heck out of it, but it’s step one. Yeah, well in some other world it would have happened a few weeks ago and we would have had this conversation a few weeks ago, but you know, it happened Week 18 and it had to happen the way it did. Everything happens for a reason. Now, we need to enjoy this and then get ready to go win another one.”
On the importance of the bye week for injuries:
“I will never count our guys out with injuries, never. Yeah, sure to answer your question, yes – getting the rest with injuries absolutely helps, but what our defense has done with the amount of guys they’ve had out, and they don’t care.
They don’t flinch, they don’t care, it’s a mentality. It’s who they are, it’s what (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) breathes into them, it’s what (Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG breathes into them, and it’s just who they are as humans. They don’t care, you keep taking guys out, they don’t care. They just keep on coming and they’re a dangerous crew right now.”
