DETROIT — Jared Goff was having perhaps his worst game in three years with the Detroit Lions — whose fans even booed him at times — until it was time to win.
Goff threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams with 3:06 to go and connected on five throws to set up David Montgomery’s go-ahead 1-yard touchdown run with 29 seconds left, lifting the Lions to a 31-26 comeback victory over the Justin Fields-led Chicago Bears on Sunday.
“It was not my best ball for about 3¢ quarters,” Goff said. “We’re a resilient crew. We’re tough. We don’t back down.”
The NFC North-leading Lions (8-2) overcame four turnovers, including Goff’s season-high three interceptions, and a 12-point deficit late in the fourth quarter to win.
“Down two scores, that’s when he’s at his best,” coach Dan Campbell said. “I think that speaks volumes.”
It also says a lot that the Motor City hasn’t witnessed a season like this by the state’s most popular team in more than a half-century.
Detroit has its best record through 10 games since 1962, living up to the preseason hype and giving the franchise a shot to win its first division title in three decades.
“We got a chance to do something special,” Campbell said.
The Bears (3-8) blew chances to win consecutive games for the first time in nearly two years against one of the NFL’s better teams.
“That’s probably a top-five team in the league, maybe top three, and we know we should have beaten them,” Fields said.
Fields mostly played well in his first game in a month, but slightly overthrew Tyler Scott on a deep pass late in the game on a play that could have potentially help to seal the victory.
“I was very thankful on that long throw at the end,” Campbell said.
