In a thrilling Week 4 Monday Night Football showdown, the Detroit Lions defeated the Seattle Seahawks 42-29, powered by a historic performance from quarterback Jared Goff. Goff made NFL history by completing all 18 of his pass attempts, setting a new league record for most completions without an incompletion in a single game. The previous mark of 10 for 10 was set by Kurt Warner in 2005. Goff’s perfect game, combined with his first career touchdown reception, lifted the Lions to a 3-1 record.
Goff’s accuracy was on full display, throwing for 292 yards and two touchdowns. One of his two TD passes went to All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who played a pivotal role in the Lions’ success. St. Brown not only caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Goff in the fourth quarter but also threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to the quarterback in the third quarter on a trick play. This made Goff and St. Brown the eighth duo in NFL history to both throw and catch a touchdown pass from each other.
The game started with a dominating 10-play, 93-yard drive by Detroit, which culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by David Montgomery, who had 80 total yards from scrimmage. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs added to the Lions’ ground success with two second-quarter rushing touchdowns, finishing with 78 yards. Jameson Williams also contributed, catching a 70-yard touchdown pass from Goff in the third quarter, showcasing Detroit’s explosive offensive capabilities.
Despite Goff’s perfect night, the Seahawks (3-1) struggled to contain Detroit’s offense, particularly with an injury-depleted defense. Seattle’s coach, Mike Macdonald, made several aggressive decisions, but the Seahawks were unable to capitalize. A crucial fourth-quarter sequence saw Seattle fail to convert on a fourth-and-4 from the Detroit 39 due to a pass interference call on Tyler Lockett, wiping out a first down that would have extended the drive. Later in the fourth quarter, with 2:09 left, Seattle again came up short on fourth-and-goal, as Geno Smith threw four straight incompletions.
Goff and the Lions took advantage of Seattle’s miscues. Goff’s high, perfectly placed pass to St. Brown in the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown with 5:23 remaining gave the Lions a commanding 42-27 lead. Though Seattle managed a safety late in the game by sacking Goff in the end zone, it was not enough to mount a comeback.
Geno Smith put up impressive numbers for Seattle, completing 38 of 56 passes for 395 yards and one touchdown—a 9-yard pass to rookie tight end AJ Barner in the third quarter. However, Smith also threw a costly interception in the end zone to Lions safety Kerby Joseph with a minute left, sealing Seattle’s first loss of the season. DK Metcalf had a productive day with seven catches for 104 yards, but his first-quarter fumble at the Detroit 37 was a pivotal moment that shifted the momentum in favor of the Lions.
Kenneth Walker was one of the few bright spots for the Seahawks, rushing for a career-high three touchdowns and accumulating 80 yards on the ground. But Seattle’s offense was ultimately unable to overcome their defensive shortcomings and critical penalties, leading to their first loss of the season.
With this win, the Lions improved to 3-1, while Seattle dropped to 3-1. Goff’s record-breaking night and his unexpected touchdown catch will be remembered as one of the highlights of the early 2024 NFL season.
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