Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff appeared to sustain an injury during the Titans game, sparking backlash for keeping him in play.
The Detroit Lions dominated the Tennessee Titans on October 27, winning 52-14. Despite holding a comfortable lead throughout the second half, some are questioning head coach Dan Campbell’s decision to keep Jared Goff in the game for so long.
Goff was eventually pulled in the fourth quarter. However, Goff had shown signs of an “apparent ankle injury” during the game, limping on the field, as Yahoo Sports’ Ian Casselberry observed.
Now, NFL fans and analysts are criticizing Campbell and the Lions for not taking Goff out sooner.
‘Goff Should Have Come Out’
On October 27, Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press questioned whether Goff remained in the game too long, concluding “yes.”
“The Lions’ quarterback, arguably the team’s most irreplaceable player, didn’t leave the game until 1:13 left in the third quarter, right before Jake Bates’ 51-yard field goal extended the lead by 38 points,” Monarrez stated.
“I had just asked Coach Dan Campbell how he gauges when to ease up during a blowout; he mentioned it’s a mix of instinct and avoiding a potential comeback. I get that, but the Lions were thoroughly outplaying the Titans, and Goff should have come out with 6:17 left in the third after going up by five touchdowns.”
Monarrez continued, “He’d been sacked hard the series before (his fourth sack of the game), and the game was well in hand. Keeping him in was unnecessary. The Lions have much at stake — especially with a critical game against Green Bay next week — and need to protect their key player, who could always be subbed back in if needed.”
Even earlier, Goff seemed to suffer an ankle injury in the first quarter, raising fans’ concerns.
“Jared Goff appears to have had his right ankle taped while the defense was on the field. He’s been sacked three times on six dropbacks today,” MLive’s Kyle Meinke posted on X. One X user replied, “Ben Johnson is the biggest idiot on the planet getting his QB hurt at home against worst team in NFL.”
Another X user wrote, “There’s no reason Goff and the starters should still be in. Get them out, Dan — no need to risk injury.”
A fan on X also said, “Not sure why Goff is still playing; hopefully, he doesn’t get hurt worse.”
Another user asked, “Hey Dan…can we please get Hooker, Reynolds, and Vaki in so we’re not risking injury to Goff, Monty, or Gibbs?”
