National Football League

49ers' Fred Warner, Kyle Shanahan on Lions' Jared Goff: '1 of the best QBs in the league'

Published Jan. 25, 2024 2:54 p.m. ET

We'll see Jared Goff and the high-octane Detroit Lions offense face Fred Warner and the vaunted San Francisco 49ers defense this coming Sunday in the NFC Championship Game (6:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

San Francisco's three-time All-Pro linebacker has nothing but glowing praise for Detroit's signal-caller.

"[He's] a lot better. Not to say that he wasn't good when we played him back when he was with the Rams, but I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now with the way that he's playing," Warner said about Goff at his Wednesday media availability. "I think he finished, what, top three in passing yards this season. I think, just the delivery of the football, his decisiveness, obviously with the amount of playmakers that he has on that side, I think he's the one that's leading that group."

Warner totaled 132 combined tackles, a career-high four interceptions, 11 passes defended and 2.5 sacks in the regular season. In San Francisco's 24-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional round, Warner logged seven combined tackles, including one tackle for loss.

Meanwhile, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has always admired Goff from afar.

"With Jared, for a number of years, especially I think '17, '18, he played at an MVP-type level," Shanahan said Wednesday. "When they give him a good scheme. When he's got good people around him, Jared's gonna always find the spot. He's as accurate as any quarterback I've seen. He can play at a very top level. If you sit and make things easy for him, he will gash you. I've seen it over and over. Whether he's with the Rams, whether he's with Detroit. That's why he challenges you.

"You better be on your stuff, or he can embarrass you fast."

Goff, a three-time Pro Bowler, is having arguably the best season of his eight-year NFL career. In the regular season, he totaled 4,575 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 97.9 passer rating, while completing a career-high 67.3% of his passes.

Goff has logged a combined 564 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 111.8 passer rating while completing 74.3% of his passes across the Lions' first two playoff games, victories over the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Dan Campbell's immeasurable impact on Jared Goff, Lions

Detroit's offense averaged 258.9 passing yards (second in the NFL), 135.9 rushing yards (fifth), 394.8 total yards (third) and 27.1 points (fifth) per game in the regular season. San Francisco's defense surrendered 214.2 passing yards (14th), 89.7 rushing yards (third), 303.9 total yards (eighth) and 17.5 points (third) per game.

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