Jared Goff and NFC-leading Lions score at will in 52-6 win over Jaguars
DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff stood on the sideline wearing a baseball cap in the fourth quarter while his teammates finished off another rout.
Goff threw two of his four touchdown passes to Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for three rushing TDs and the Detroit Lions beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 52-6 on Sunday.
Just like Goff did when Detroit had lopsided wins over Tennessee (52-14) and Dallas (47-9) last month, he watched Hendon Hooker take snaps to gain experience.
“Normally, this doesn't happen,” coach Dan Campbell said after pulling most of his starters for much of the final quarter. “It's a good problem to have.”
The NFC-leading Lions (9-1) have won eight straight and nine of their first 10 games in a season for the first time since 1934.
Detroit's winning margin of 46 points was the largest in franchise history, and it handed Jacksonville its biggest-ever defeat. The Lions also set a franchise record in total yards with 645, the third most in the NFL in the past 20 years, while allowing 170 by the Jaguars, a 475-yard margin that was the third largest in league history.
“We felt like we could call anything,” Goff said.
The Lions, 1969 Minnesota Vikings and 1973 Atlanta Falcons are the three teams in the Super Bowl era to win three of their first 10 games by at least 35 points.
“Its quite the luxury to have in the NFL to take players out — ever,” Goff said.
The Jaguars (2-9) have lost four consecutive games for the second time this season and 14 of 17 since last year, a series of slumps that may cost coach Doug Pederson his job.
“There’s nothing I can do to control that,” Pederson said. “I’ve been around this game for a long time, and whatever is going to happen will happen.”
Jacksonville rookie Cam Little made a career-best 59-yard field goal on the game-opening drive and closed the first half with another field goal.
In between those kicks, the Lions scored four touchdowns to take a 28-3 lead, and they didn't take it easy on the Jags after halftime.
“We wanted to stay on the gas no matter what happened,” Campbell said.
Montgomery started the scoring barrage with a 2-yard run and Gibbs followed with a 1-yard run in the second quarter. Montgomery had a 6-yard run for his second score and Goff threw a 27-yard pass to St. Brown in the second quarter, extending the receiver's franchise record with a touchdown catch to eight straight games.
The Lions went ahead 49-6 early in the fourth quarter after Goff threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams, a 5-yarder to Brock Wright and a 9-yard strike to St. Brown on the right side of the end zone.
Goff finished 24 of 29 for 412 yards and four touchdowns. He had a perfect passer rating, a week after his career-high five interceptions didn't stop Detroit from rallying from a 16-point deficit to beat AFC South-leading Houston.
St. Brown (161) and Williams (124) had single-game highs for yards receiving. Montgomery and Gibbs combined for 218 yards of offense.
Hooker gave Goff a break in the fourth and set up Jake Bates' 54-yard field goal. Detroit ran out the clock in the final minutes, mercifully choosing not to score again.
Detroit's defense got a boost from newly acquired end Za'Darius Smith, who had a sack in his debut with the franchise.
Jacksonville’s Mac Jones struggled while starting for a second straight week in place of the injured Trevor Lawrence. He was 17 of 29 for 138 yards yards and was picked off near Detroit’s end zone late in the third quarter, floating a pass that Kerby Joseph took advantage of for his seventh interception this season.
Injuries
Jag: Lawrence (shoulder) missed his second straight game and RB Tank Bigsby (ankle) was also inactive. CB Tyson Campbell (shoulder), C Mitch Morse (eye) and WR Gabe Davis (knee) were hurt during the game.
Lions: LB Alex Anzalone broke his left forearm and Campbell said he will be out six to eight weeks. ... CB Carlton Davis played sparingly after breaking his left thumb in practice during the week. ... WR Allen Robinson II (concussion) and TE Shane Zylstra (neck) were hurt during the game. ... TE Sam LaPorta (shoulder) was inactive.
Up next
The Jags have a bye before hosting Houston on Dec. 1, and question becomes whether Pederson still has a job when they return.
“Right now, I have a job and that is to get this team ready to play in two weeks,” Pederson said.
The Lions play at Indianapolis on Sunday.
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