Jared Goff creates a piece of Lions history after securing win against Vikings 

The Detroit Lions defeated the Minnesota Vikings 29-27 in Week 13 to claim their first win since Week 13 of 2020 when they beat the Chicago Bears. Lions quarterback Jared Goff went 25 for 41 for 296 yards passing with three touchdowns and an interception. He also led the Lions on a 14-play, 75-yard drive that led to an 11-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown as time ran out.

For his efforts, Goff won NFC Player of the Week honors, becoming the first player to earn the recognition since Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson won it in Week 5 of the 2015 season. Johnson had six receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown against the Bears. Now that Goff has a win without McVay, his confidence is at an all-time high.

Jared Goff's NFL career so far

Jared Goff entered the NFL as the number one overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. In his rookie season, Goff started seven games and went 0-7 while throwing for 1,089 passing yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions. Jeff Fisher was fired after losing to the Atlanta Falcons 42-14 in Week 13 that year and was replaced by special teams coach John Fassel, who lost the final three games of the season.

The Rams hired 30-year-old Washington Football Team offensive coordinator Sean McVay as the team’s 23rd full-time head coach in Rams franchise history in January 2017. That year, Goff improved dramatically from his disastrous rookie campaign. He threw for 3,804 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions, earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl with a record of 11-5. The team went on to lose 26-13 to the Falcons in the Wild Card round as Goff went 24 of 45 for 259 yards passing with a touchdown.

In 2018, Goff went to his second Pro Bowl on the strength of 4,688 passing yards with 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, finishing fourth in passing yards and tied for seventh in touchdown passes. The former University of California quarterback had another 4,000 passing yard season as he went for 4,638 yards passing with 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. While Goff finished the year third in passing yards, his 16 interceptions were tied for fourth-most in the league.

Goff’s next year in Los Angeles was not as statistically successful as he threw for 3,952 yards with 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The 13 interceptions were tied for second-most in the 2020 season, making it his third straight season with double-digit interceptions. Ultimately, Goff was packed in a trade to the Lions for quarterback Matthew Stafford in the offseason.