Lions' Jared Goff: ‘It’s a lot better' facing the Rams without Aaron Donald

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Jared Goff is entering his fourth season as the quarterback of the Detroit Lions – and his first with his massive contract extension. The first game is no easy feat as he faces his old team in the Los Angeles Rams.

Every week, Goff sits down with the voice of the Lions - FOX 2's Dan Miller – to discuss the week ahead and what to expect. In the premier interview of the 2024 season, Goff admits that facing a Rams defense without the recently retired Aaron Donald is a better sight than with the future Hall of Famer – but it won't be easy.

"Yeah, it's a lot better," Goff said jokingly. "It's a lot it's a lot easier to prepare for, that's for sure. And that's not to say they don't have a lot of great players over there. But when you got a guy like him in the middle of that defense, it certainly takes a lot of your energy to get ready. And I know our coaches' energy, you know, designing plays around that. But, you know, they've got some, some, butt kickers up front still. And they drafted a couple that are pretty good players as well. So we've got our hands full."

Goff is ready to get back to work – and hopefully get that sour taste out of their mouths after the way the 2023 season ended.

"Excited to get back to work. It seems like. Yeah, just like that. We're back and playing games again and, disappointing the way the season ended last year. But, we're excited to be back in front of our home fans now and, have another fun season," he said.

While looking forward to competing again, Goff isn't blind to what this team has been through. In his first season under center in 2021, the Lions won just three games – good for last in the NFL. The following season, they went 9-8 and missed the playoffs. Then in 2023 – they won the NFC North for the first time in history. But head coach Dan Campbell wants to quiet the locker room talk about a Super Bowl and looking ahead.

"I think for us, we're in such a unique position where we were, you know, not very long ago at the bottom of this whole thing and, have worked ourselves up to get to where we are now to have those expectations and, and a lot of ways earn those. But you know - we gotta earn it every week. And you know, we've been like I said, on the other side of it where we're just trying to find a way to win, and now we feel like we've got a pretty good team and great coaches and have a chance to make some noise this year. But, it doesn't happen unless you win the first one and then the second one and so on and so forth," Goff said.

Still, last year's experience will be crucial to the success of this young team.

"I think it comes down to those moments late in the game when the game's going to go one way or the other. Is it a third down or a fourth down? You know, you get that stop, the offense gets it back, you finish out the game on offense. Those little quick moments right there are typically the difference in the game. And our guys recognizing when those are. And really, you know, dialing in is the difference," Goff said.

The Lions open the season on Sunday night at Ford Field against the Rams – and Goff knows that the electric atmosphere from the playoff run last year is going to be a factor all season long.

"It's turning into one of the best home atmospheres in the league. And, it's a credit to our fans. They've stuck beside us and obviously went through some hard times together, and now we're on the other side of it where they can feel, you know, pretty excited about what we have going and, people out for us on Sundays and make a true difference in the game. And I know they realize that. And it really does help us win," Goff said.

Get ready for the Lions first game the season on Sunday with FOX 2 all week long. FOX 2 is the Home of the Lions and will preview the game at 10 a.m. on Sunday – PLUS a special Sportsworks at 11:30 on FOX 2 on Sunday night.