On Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, the Detroit Lions took on the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the 2023 NFL playoffs. The Lions would go on to win this game 24-23 in Detroit, putting an end to their 32-year playoff drought.
Matt Stafford, who was drafted as the first pick in the 2009 draft, had spent 12 relatively unsuccessful seasons with the Lions. Detroit had a winning season only four times throughout this time period and had never won the NFC North. Although Matt Stafford was playing really well and had proved himself to be a top quarterback, his team was missing so many factors that it was impossible to win. In 2016, The Los Angeles Rams drafted Jared Goff first overall. The Rams got much better at first, but it became clear over time that Goff wasn’t the guy who could lead this team to the Super Bowl. He was underperforming on a team that had all the pieces to succeed. Los Angeles wanted a Super Bowl, and they wanted change.
In January 2021, the Detroit Lions and LA Rams had come to an agreement to trade away each of their former number one overall quarterbacks. Stafford was finally sent to a legitimate Super Bowl contending team, which paid off later that year when the Rams had won the Super Bowl. Stafford spent years playing at a top level without any reward and then he got it at last. Jared Goff, however, had the opposite experience. After coming off a playoff run with the Rams, Goff began his first season with the Lions winless through 12 weeks. The Lions were 0-11-1 heading into week 13 against the Minnesota Vikings. With 0 seconds on the clock, Jared Goff threw a walk-off touchdown pass to Amon Ra St-brown. Instantly after throwing this ball and winning the game, the first thing Goff did was run up to first year head coach, Dan Campbell. Campbell had believed in Goff since he initially joined the team which promoted a strong relationship between the two in the following years. The Detroit Lions finished that season with a 3-13-1 record, finishing last in the NFL. Stafford got a Super Bowl ring; Goff got motivation.
The 2022 season was spent rebuilding for Detroit. Jared Goff and Dan Campbell were on a mission to build a Super Bowl contending team and this year was a transition. The Lions had a winning record this year, finishing 9-8, just shy of the playoffs. The reigning world champions, however, had a very different season. The Rams finished the 2022 season with a 5-12 record. Their team was not the same as it was the year before and it had shown throughout this season.
In 2023, it was the Ram’s turn to rebuild. They had done very well in this year’s draft as they picked up two rookie superstars in the fifth round: Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams. The Rams managed to go 10-7, making their way into the Wild Card round. The Lions meanwhile, expressed their Super Bowl contention in the very first game of the year. Detroit beat the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, 21-20. They would go on to finish the season with a 12-5 record, winning 10 games in a season for the first time since 2014. It would be the first round of the playoffs that the Rams and Lions would meet.
In Matt Stafford’s return to Detroit, he was met with open arms by the fans. Stafford threw for 367 yards and two touchdowns in his loss against the Lions. He had gotten his Super Bowl, and it was time for him to pass the torch to Detroit so they could get theirs. Jared Goff threw for 277 yards and a touchdown, delivering Detroit their first playoff game in 32 years. In this emotional and entertaining game that ended 24-23, Detroit sent the Lions to the Divisional Round of playoffs. At the end of the game Dan Campbell was giving the team a speech in the locker room. At the end of his speech he gave out a game ball to one player and said one thing: “You’re good enough for Detroit Jared Goff.”
