Morton, taking over for departed Detroit OC Ben Johnson — now Chicago’s head coach — said his prior experience with Goff would inform the direction of the team’s offense in 2025. “I think it’s big because it all starts with the quarterback,” said Morton, who worked as a Lions senior offensive assistant in 2022. “Just kind of knowing him — and when I was here, I was in the quarterback room. So, I have a feel of what he likes, what he doesn’t. That’s important as a play-caller.” Goff thrived under Johnson over the past two seasons: Only Brock Purdy and Josh Allen had higher drop back success rates, and only three QBs had a better drop back EPA than Goff. Morton is short on play calling experience; the Jets fired him after the 2017 season, his only year of play-calling experience. Whether Morton can continue putting Goff in favorable situations will loom large as the Lions enter 2025.

Like Sam Darnold before him, all of the regular season accolades, of which there were many, were undone with one playoff implosion. Goff’s 4,629 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 8.6 yards per attempt all ranked top-five in the NFL. He beat the button-pusher allegations with improved play under pressure and evaded the dome-merchant accusations by winning all three of his outdoor games. Despite improving across the board, none of the fancy stats came to save him when the Commanders rolled into town. With a second consecutive NFC Championship berth on the line, Goff proved the haters right with a nightmare performance versus Washington that featured three picks plus a lost fumble. Dan Campbell said last year that making it back to the NFC title game would be twice as hard. He was right then and he’d be right again if he said it after this game. Goff is expected to lose OC Ben Johnson to an outside promotion and DC Aaron Glenn is in the same boat. Goff is a sure-fire QB1 for fantasy purposes with Johnson calling the plays, but his departure will give Goff his greatest test as a Lion.

The Lions struggled to move the football with any consistency in the first half but still took a 10-6 lead into the break. The flood gates would open after returning to the field, with three second half touchdowns from running back Jahmyr Gibbs sealing the NFC’s top seed and locking up both the lone playoff bye and home field advantage up to the Super Bowl for the Lions. Goff’s first interception resulted from a heads up play from Ivan Pace in the flat, who undercut a route by Craig Reynolds in the second quarter, while his second pick came on a deep shot to Jameson Williams on an overthrown ball down the middle of the field. Even so, Detroit’s defense was a big part of this win, holding a dangerous Vikings offense to just 262 total yards on the evening. Goff and the Lions await the coming weekend’s results before they find out their opponent in the Divisional Round.

Goff and the Lions fell behind early and took a 21-13 deficit into the half, eventually asserting their dominance after the break. His first touchdown pass of the evening came on a hook-and-ladder trick play, with a completed pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown who pitched the football to Jameson Williams for the score. He then threw second half touchdowns to tight end Sam LaPorta and alpha wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to lead the Lions to their first road victory of the 49ers since 1975. The win sends the Lions to a 14-2 record, tied with the Vikings ahead of the two teams meeting in Week 18 to decide the winner of the NFC Conference and recipient of the conference’s only playoff bye.