Lions QB Jared Goff sits out practice with oblique injury

Updated Nov. 17, 2021 4:47 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions held out Jared Goff from Wednesday’s practice after the starting quarterback suffered an oblique injury in last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

His absence raises questions about his availability for Sunday’s against the Cleveland Browns.

“He’s going to sit today,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday. “And then we’ll reassess tomorrow and see how he’s feeling.”

Goff, who said he was more sore than expected this week, ended up finishing Sunday’s game, which was a 16-16 tie. The Lions quarterback was only able to complete 14 of 25 passes for 114 yards. On Wednesday, he admitted the injury affected his throwing motion against the Steelers.

“There were definitely some limitations there that I don’t know if I realized it in the moment,” Goff said.

Taking first-team reps in replacing Goff at practice was Tim Boyle. This offseason, the Lions signed Boyle to a one-year contract in free agency to back up Goff. Boyle, who spent the previous three years behind Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, is still on the injured reserve list after suffering a broken thumb in the preseason. He returned to practice last week, and Campbell noted that he looks fully healed.

“He looked comfortable, and he’s throwing it well,” Campbell said. “You can tell the finger looks like it’s good.”

The Lions also have David Blough as an option to play on Sunday against the Browns. Blough’s NFL career began in Cleveland when the Browns signed him as an undrafted rookie out of Purdue.

However, they traded him to Detroit at the conclusion of his rookie training camp. Blough has started five games for the Lions over the past two seasons, going 0-5 as Blough completed 54% of his passes for four touchdowns and six interceptions.

The plan for Goff in the next few days is to determine whether he’ll have full mobility in his throwing motion without pain. He noted if he can’t throw the ball as hard as he wants, he’ll have to sit. That’s a challenging admission for Goff, who has played through injury before and only missed one career NFL game because of injury.

“It’s hard for me to say, ’Hey, I can’t go,' when I’m going to try and fight through it, but I also have to be honest with myself,” Goff said.

Goff, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Rams for Matthew Stafford, has struggled in his first in Detroit, going 0-8-1. He is averaging just 6.3 yards per pass attempt, which ranks 31st in the NFL.

Despite Goff’s struggles, Campbell said if he is healthy enough Sunday, he’ll play: “If Jared can go, he’ll go.”

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