The Detroit Lions seem unstoppable right now. A 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field had the fans buzzing. Yet, not everyone is fully satisfied. Jared Goff saw something others didn’t. Sure, Detroit looked like one of the top teams in the league, but Goff felt there was still a missing piece.

After the game, the Lions’ quarterback didn’t sugarcoat it. “There was a lot that we left out there,” Jared Goff said, shaking his head. Then he added, “We should have blown that game open, really, and we didn’t.” That’s classic Goff, always looking for perfection.

Still, Detroit’s offense stayed consistent, putting points on the board in every quarter. Goff ran the show efficiently, completing 20 of 29 passes for 241 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

And another hero was Jahmyr Gibbs. The young RB ripped through the Buccaneers’ defense. He posted 136 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 attempts, plus added three receptions for 82 more yards. And not just them, nearly every weapon got involved.

Amon-Ra St. Brown put on another clinic with six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. Brock Wright chipped in with three grabs for 23 yards. David Montgomery caught a pair for 18. Kalif Raymond snagged three for 17, while Sam LaPorta added three for 15.

Meanwhile, Dan Campbell had something else on his mind. The head coach didn’t expect the defense to shut Tampa Bay down completely. As per Mike Payton, “Dan Campbell didn’t think the Lions would hold that offense to nine points.” Dan Campbell was focused on managing expectations, telling reporters he didn’t anticipate the Lions holding Tampa Bay.

So, even the coach was surprised by how dominant his team looked.

How dominant was the Lions’ defense?

Firstly, the Lions didn’t even have their full secondary in Week 7. D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, Kerby Joseph, and Brian Branch were all sidelined. Yet, Detroit dominated the game.

So after the game, Dan Campbell didn’t hold back his appreciation for the group. “Defense played lights-out,” he said. “Those DBs, man. … I just thought those guys…competed, they challenged, and then our front came alive.”

It was Amik Robertson who set the tone early with a forced fumble that Aidan Hutchinson pounced on. Arthur Maulet came through with a clutch interception that killed Tampa’s rhythm. Then Nick Whiteside shut down the air attack, breaking up three passes and denying a two-point try. Erick Hallett flew around all night, racking up eight tackles. Together, the secondary made life miserable for Baker Mayfield, finishing with eight passes defended.

Detroit’s defense tightened up when it mattered most, limiting Tampa Bay to just 4-of-16 on third-down conversions.

So, the Lions coach expressed full confidence in his defensive coordinator. “This is what I expected out of Kelvin Sheppard. This doesn’t surprise me,” Campbell said.

The Lions’ pass rush swarmed Mayfield for four sacks, one each from Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Tyrus Wheat, and Al-Quadin Muhammad. So, as per Campbell, it’s “just an outstanding defensive performance.”