Everything Jared Goff Said After Lions Defeated Vikings

Jared Goff praises Jahmyr Gibbs, efforts of the defense after defeating Vikings.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) calls out a play at the line of scrimmage against Minnesota Vikings / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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.”

More: Everything Dan Campbell Said After Lions Beat Vikings

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16), right, talks to Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On if the team can gain something from having to work until Week 18 to win the division: 

“Yeah, I mean it’s an awesome moment, absolutely. It’s really cool and we knew coming into it it was for everything in the division and it was – you know (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) joked about it, you know, ‘We like it hard.’ Yeah, it was the hard way and we had to do it the hard way and yeah it was a hard game too and certainly offensively we struggled a bit early on to kind of stay ahead of schedule and score points, but I thought we hung in there really nicely and that second half was really good.”

On Lions LB Alex Anzalone returning today: 

“He’s a stud, he’s an absolute stud. He’s just been chomping at the bit to get back and this was the perfect game for him to come back, to play man coverage and to cover (Vikings TE) T.J. (Hockenson) and we know he’s a hell of a player and Alex, I thought played great. I’m not watching their tape or anything, but to me it looked like he was playing pretty well and he’s an energy guy. He brings a lot of energy to that defense, he’s a leader, he’s a captain, having him back out there is huge.”

On the play where they got the Vikings to jump offsides on fourth down: 

“Yeah, we have it a part of our offense at certain times we’ll pull it out and we’ve been pretty successful with it. So, yeah.”

On Lions WR Jameson Williams reaching 1,000 receiving yards today: 

“Yeah, I’m so proud of him man. He’s come such a long way and he’s such an integral part of our team now and yeah that thousand was cool for him. He deserves it and he probably deserves more yards than that, but he’s done a hell of a job holding himself to a really high standard and demanding more of himself and I’m super proud of him.”

On the leadership of the franchise: 

“Yeah, it’s amazing. Shoot, I mean (Lions Principal Owner and Chair) Sheila (Ford Hamp) has been as good as it gets across the League and I always think back to when she stood in front of all you guys and spoke that week and that was as strong as it gets. Putting her faith in (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) and (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and all of us. Lot of owners won’t do that, they don’t do that. It’s a lot easier to pull the plug in certain situations. So yeah, what she’s done and then obviously it trickles down to Brad and Dan and all of us. It’s been a fun team to be a part of and I couldn’t be happier.”

On the atmosphere in the locker room after the game: 

“Pretty fun, yeah, pretty fun.”

On celebrating while looking forward to playoffs: 

“Yeah, it’s a huge accomplishment, but like I said and we said it in there, it’s step one. Again, like in another world it happened a couple weeks ago but it happens right now, and now the playoffs start. But, it’s step one and we’re proud to be 15-2, NFC North division champs – back-to-back, one seed, bye week, all that stuff – we’re proud of it. But, this is just tick number one and tick number two is next.”