The Lions knocked off the Seahawks in their Week 4 ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup, largely on the back – really, the arm – of Jared Goff. The Detroit quarterback finished the game a perfect 18-for-18 passing for 292 yards and two touchdowns. Oh, he also snagged a receiving TD in the contest.
One would think that such a performance would certainly earn Goff the ceremonial game ball, right? Well, Lions head coach Dan Campbell was unaware of Goff’s 18-for-18 night, making way for a pretty big oopsie in the Lions’ locker room postgame.
‘I just gave the game ball to somebody else,’ Campbell said after the win. ‘So, I feel awful right now.
‘I knew he played a heck of a game – I did not realize he was perfect. I did not know he was literally 18 for 18.’
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Campbell had a laugh about it, but also went the extra mile to praise his quarterback despite not knowing that Goff finished with a perfect performance.
The Lions were in the process of making minced meat of the Seahawks by halftime, but a competitive, back-and-forth third quarter saw the game head down to the wire. Ultimately, a clutch Goff toss to Amon-Ra St. Brown put the Lions ahead for good.
The question remains: If not Goff, then who? Well, the game ball went to Detroit safety Kerby Joseph and wideout Jameson Williams. Joseph nabbed the game-sealing interception, while Williams grabbed two passes for 80 yards, one of which was a 70-yard catch-and-run to the end zone for a TD.
Those Lions are worthy recipients, certainly: But the biggest – and only – incompletion of the Lions’ night was Campbell not tossing that game ball to Goff.