The Detroit Lions continued their dominance of the NFC and the NFL as a whole with a historic 52-6 demolition of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Quarterback Jared Goff put on another masterclass, throwing four touchdown passes, including two to Amon-Ra St. Brown, before taking the fourth quarter off in favor of rookie backup Hendon Hooker.
The Lions’ relentless attack, powered by David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs’ three combined rushing touchdowns, led to a franchise-record 645 total yards of offense and the team’s largest margin of victory ever at 46 points. Meanwhile, the defense held the Jaguars to a mere 170 yards, a performance emblematic of Detroit’s dominance on both sides of the ball.
Goff, who rebounded sharply from a five-interception outing last week, was nearly flawless against the Jaguars. Completing 24 of 29 passes for 412 yards, Goff achieved a perfect passer rating. It was yet another reminder of the quarterback’s evolution into the cornerstone of Detroit’s resurgent offense.
“A lot of credit goes to the guys around me,” Goff said after the game. “From the offensive line to the receivers to the backs, everyone’s clicking right now. It’s fun to be part of this.”
Detroit‘s offense seemed unstoppable, with St. Brown leading the way with a career-high 161 receiving yards and two scores. Jameson Williams added another 124 yards in his best performance yet, stretching the field and giving Goff plenty of options. Montgomery and Gibbs, meanwhile, combined for 218 total yards, showcasing their versatility and punishing the Jaguars’ defense.
The Lions’ 645 total yards marked the third-highest single-game total in the NFL in the last 20 years. Additionally, the 475-yard differential between the two teams ranked as the third largest in league history.
With the victory, the Lions improved to 9-1, their best 10-game start since 1934, and extended their winning streak to eight games. This run firmly cements Detroit’s standing as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, a notion unthinkable for the long-beleaguered franchise just a few years ago.
For Jacksonville, the blowout loss was a new low in a season full of struggles. The Jaguars fell to 2-9, dropping their fourth straight game and suffering their worst defeat in franchise history. With the team having lost 14 of their last 17 games dating back to last year, speculation is mounting about head coach Doug Pederson’s future.
“It’s tough to lose like that,” Pederson said postgame. “We need to take a hard look at everything during the bye week and find a way to get better.”
The Jaguars will have a bye week to regroup before hosting AFC South-leading Houston on December 1. The Lions, meanwhile, will aim to keep their winning streak alive as they travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts next Sunday.
Detroit fans can revel in what has been a season of unprecedented dominance, as the Lions seem poised to not just make the playoffs but potentially rewrite the franchise’s history books. With Jared Goff at the helm and a cast of explosive playmakers around him, the sky’s the limit for these NFC leaders.
