LAST UPDATE | 20 Nov 2023
JARED GOFF OVERCAME a shaky start to lead the Detroit Lions to a dramatic come-from-behind win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday as the in-form Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers cruised to easy victories in the NFL.
Lions quarterback Goff tossed three interceptions to help the Bears take a commanding 26-14 lead with just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter at Detroit’s Ford Field.
But the NFC North-leading Lions roared back in the closing minutes to rattle off 17 unanswered points, clinching a 31-26 victory that sees them improve to 8-2.
“I gotta be at my best for my team when it matters,” Goff said. “Made some dumb mistakes early on and had to figure out a way to overcome them. Today I was able to do it.”
Lions coach Dan Campbell praised Goff’s mental resilience.
“It speaks volumes that at the end of the game, down two scores, he’s at his best — in a game where he’s not been at his best,” Campbell said.
Goff sparked the rally with a bullet 32-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams to cut the deficit to 26-21 with 2min 59sec remaining.
The Lions defense then stepped up to force a punt, and from there Goff marched Detroit back up field to allow David Montgomery to rumble over from one yard out to give his team a one-point lead.
A successful two-point conversion put the Lions three clear at 29-26, leaving Chicago less than 30 seconds to get into position for a possible game-tying field goal.
That proved beyond them, however, as Detroit defensive end Aidan Hutchinson strip-sacked Bears quarterback Justin Fields to concede a safety.
Goff threw for 236 passing yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
- Cowboys, 49ers roll on -
The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers kept up their push for the postseason with comfortable victories as the Buffalo Bills snapped their two-game losing streak with a 32-6 win over the New York Jets.
The Cowboys maintained their pursuit of the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles with a 33-10 rout of the Carolina Panthers (1-9).
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott finished with two touchdowns and no interceptions with 189 yards as Dallas improved to 7-3. The Cowboys remain second in the NFC East behind Philadelphia (8-1), who face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday.
In San Francisco, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy shrugged off being sacked four times to throw three touchdowns and finish with 333 passing yards in a 27-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The victory left the Niners one game clear at the top of the NFC West at 7-3 after second-placed Seattle (6-4) slipped to an agonizing 17-16 defeat against the Los Angeles Rams.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers missed a 55-yard field goal with three seconds remaining at SoFi Stadium as the Rams claimed their first win since mid-October.
In Denver, Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson hit Courtland Sutton for a 15-yard touchdown with 1:03 to play to lift the Broncos to a 21-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
In Buffalo, Josh Allen threw three touchdowns and finished with 275 yards to help the Bills to a blowout 32-6 win over the New York Jets, who used three different quarterbacks and saw starter Zach Wilson pulled after being sacked five times.
The Bills improved to 6-5 to remain in playoff contention from the AFC East.
In Cleveland, the Browns shrugged off the absence of injured quarterback Deshaun Watson to claim a crucial 13-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers thanks to a Dustin Hopkins field goal from 34 yards with two seconds remaining.
The win allowed Cleveland to move one game clear of Pittsburgh. The Browns stand at 7-3, with the Steelers falling to 6-4.
In Houston, rookie quarterback sensation C.J. Stroud had a mixed day but still did enough to help the Texans to a 21-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Stroud threw two touchdowns and finished with 336 passing yards, but was also intercepted three times and sacked on three occasions en route to the win.
In Miami, the Dolphins edged to a 20-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, but were given a scare when star receiver Tyreek Hill left the game with a hand injury in the second quarter.
Hill, who had earlier scorched to a blistering 38-yard touchdown, later played down the injury as “nothing serious.”
- First published Sunday 10.04pm, updated Monday 10.10am with late result.
