Everything Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff Said After Steelers Loss

Here is everything Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff told reporters postgame, following a disappointing 29-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On the emotions of the final play of the game: “Yeah, I knew there was a penalty. I was hoping it was defensive, and then we either have another play, or if (Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint was down – when I saw he wasn’t down, hoping it’s defensive and we get the touchdown and win the game. It didn’t go that way, and we lost.”

On his thoughts on the offensive pass interference called on Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown: “Those guys have a hard job. I don’t want to make any excuses or anything like that. We’ve been on the right side of a lot of these. We’ve been on the wrong side of a lot of these. I think a few plays prior, the one on (Isaac) TeSlaa was a little bit more – in my head, for interpretation. But listen, man, they’ve got to make the calls, and I promise you if I were sitting on the other side of that right now, we'd be saying great job. Those sting for sure, and you wish they weren’t called. So be it.”

On him talking to the officials after the final play: “I was trying to understand why we didn’t get a play to end the game. Offensive penalty, you don’t. That’s all I was trying to understand.”

On how frustrating the third quarter was: “Yeah, it was hard to get a rhythm, but we did it to ourselves back there in three plays we get a safety, and they had two long drives. There is no one to blame but ourselves to get the ball, move the ball, and stay on the field.”

On how difficult it has been with the run game struggling: “Yeah, it makes it hard. I mean, that’s a big part of who we want to be. We’ve got two really good backs that we need to find a way to get them going and be able to create some holes and get them moving.”

On Lions OL Kingsley Eguakun starting at center today: “I thought Kings did a good job, man. I haven’t seen any of the tape. There are some young errors, of course, that are going to happen. But honestly, I thought he operated pretty well and was pretty level-headed for most of the game.”

On Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell’s postgame message to the team: “Find out who we are character-wise. Find out what we are made of. We know the percentages and whatnot. We know we are not eliminated, but we need some things to go our way. But yeah, find out who we are, see if we can win these last two, and see if we can get in. I know we will be dangerous if we can. That’s just the hard part.”

On the level of frustration that he doesn’t know who the team is this late in the season: “I know who we are. I know exactly who we are. I think we’ve struggled to do it successfully every game. I know who we are and know what we can be. It’s just certain games we haven’t been firing on all cylinders.”

On an explanation for not matching the other teams’ physicality as of late: “I don’t have an explanation. I play quarterback, and I don’t have to be physical. Those guys upfront do their best and are grinding so hard protecting me and doing everything they can. Those teams played hard, and I know certainly last week, and this week, those fronts are damn good and played really hard. I thought our guys played hard, too.”

On if he knew Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown was going to pitch him the ball on the final play of regulation: “It caught me by surprise a little bit, for sure. Loose ball, put it in the endzone. Tried to make a play with it, and unfortunately, it didn’t matter.”

On his message to Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa after having a late-game penalty: “Yeah, I think he’s got a great head on his shoulders. I did talk to him very briefly, and he’s fine. He is really fine. I think I mentioned the one where Saint caught it, we thought was a touchdown. In my opinion, that’s a bad call. Those happen. Listen, man, they’ve got a tough job, and they make calls that go our way all the time. That one in particular, he should not hang his head about. I know he’d like to have the end line back again. Listen, man, that guy made a great catch earlier in the game. He’s been doing a great job. I have zero reservations about him and know he’ll bounce back.”

On being on the outside of the Playoffs looking in with two games left: “We haven’t had that feeling, it's creeping in on us now. We got to find a way. I think it goes back to what Dan’s (Campbell) message was. Are we who we say we are type of thing? In games that are meaningful now, but you don’t know if they will be, depending on other things that happen. Are we still going to be what we say we are and show up to work and do the whole thing on a short week? It's tough, and we’ve got to go on the road in a loud environment. It’s hard, but were built for it. I’m excited to see guys bounce back and find a way to get a win this week.”

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