Jared Goff Fires Three TD Passes, Lions Score 52 Points vs. Titans

The former Cal quarterback has completed 83 percent of his passes during Detroit's five-game win streak

Jared Goff high-fives center Frank Ragnow / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jared Goff didn’t have to do much heavy lifting but he threw three touchdown passes and continued his stretch of ultra-efficient play as the Detroit Lions won their fifth straight game on Sunday, trouncing the Tennessee Titans 52-14.

The Lions (6-1) have the best record in the NFC and are averaging 43 points over their past four games. Detroit’s 6-1 record represents its best start to a season since 1956.

Goff, who owns most of Cal’s single-season and career passing records, got so much help in this one that the Lions cruised to victory despite him passing for only 85 yards. 

That’s the second-lowest yardage total of his 124-game NFL regular-season career, trailing only a 78-yard effort in a 20-7 loss to the 49ers when he was playing for the Los Angeles Rams in 2019.

Goff completed 12 for 15 against the Titans before being lifted from the game early in the fourth quarter. Detroit scored all 52 of its points in the first three periods.

During the Lions’ five-game win streak, Goff has completed 88 of 106 pass attempts for a sparkling 83 percent. He has 12 touchdown passes and just one interception during that span.

The Lions put up their highest-scoring game since posting 55 points against the Chicago Bears in 1997, when Goff was 3 years old. It was just the fourth all-time 50-point game by the Lions, who were founded in 1929.

Everything was clicking for the Lions. Jahmyr Gibbs had a 70-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Khalil Dorsey’s 72-yard kickoff return set up a Goff touchdown pass in the second period, and Kalif Raymond scored on a 90-yard punt return to boost Detroit’s lead to 42-14 early in the third quarter.

Raymond had 190 yards on five punt returns and the Titans helped Detroit by coughing up four turnovers.

The Lions face the Green Bay Packers next Sunday at Lambeau Field.