Entering Week 15 in 2021, the Detroit Lions were 1-11-1 and had only eclipsed 30 points once all season - the Week 1 loss against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Lions would turn in their best performance all season in a 30-12 beat down of the 10-3 Arizona Cardinals for the second of three wins that season. Quarterback Jared Goff, in his first season with the Lions, went 21/26 for 216 passing yard and three touchdowns to zero turnovers. That one-sided affair was the first true hint of what the Goff and Dan Campbell era could look like in Detroit.
For Goff, it was just another game against the Cardinals.
For his career, Goff has a 9-1 record against the Cardinals. Those nine wins are tied for his most against a single opponent with the Chicago Bears, who Goff is 9-4 against. That one loss against the Cardinals came in his seventh and final game of his terrible rookie season, a 6-44 loss that saw Goff get sacked a career-high seven times for a career-most 72 yards.
In the nearly ten years after that loss, Goff has dominated the Cardinals.
Lions need another elite Goff performance on Sunday
Against the Cardinals, Goff's offense has put up an average of 28.9 points per game, which isn't too far off from the 29.3 the 2026 Cardinals have given up so far. Take away that six point rookie performance, and that points per game average climbs to 31.44 points per game, a little bit higher than the 29.8 the 2026 Lions offense has scored.
Goff's offense has scored at least 30 points in eight of his ten games against the Cardinals, and he's led the charge. Goff has averaged 264.5 passing yards per game, with 16 TD passes to four interceptions. Goff boasts a 71.95 completion percentage and a 106.9 passer rating across those ten games and his three rushing TDs is also tied for his most against a single franchise (Atlanta Falcons).
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The Lions are going to need more of that from Goff this Sunday. He's been fantastic this season, currently ranking second in passing yards (1,214), with nine passing TDs, and zero turnovers. That last stat will be put to the test as the Cardinals are tied for sixth in takeaways (7) and only two behind the league leading Las Vegas Raiders.
Even though the Cardinals' offense and defense are both below average as a whole so far, this game on Sunday still has the makings of a shootout. Goff's defense will have to contend with Cardinals' tight end Trey McBride, who hopes to continue the Lions' struggles at defending the position. If the defense can't stop McBride, Goff's offense will likely need another 30-plus point effort to put the Lions in a position to win.
Given Goff's history against the Cardinals and his play this season, 30-plus points would be par for the course.
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