In the Week 7 game at Ford Field, the Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff and TB Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield stood against each other. Known for their offense, the Lions surprised the Buccaneers with their defense and put the brakes to a red-hot Buccaneers and ended their winning streak in a one-sided affair. Still, the most talked-about moment came after the game when Goff took a moment in the locker room to share a heartfelt message about the Bucs’ QB Baker Mayfield.

ESPN‘s Jenna Laine met the Lions signal caller outside the locker room by chance. While congratulating him for the big win, Laine also asked whether Goff is aware about what Mayfield said about him earlier this week. Goff took a moment and asked Laine to convey his respect to the Bucs’ QB.

“Tell him (Mayfield) I love him,” Goff said.

For those of you who don’t know, here’s what Mayfield said about Jared.

During a press conference early in the week, a reporter asked Bucs QB’s thoughts on Jared Goff playing at MVP level after initially failing in his NFL career. “I love Jared. Great guy…from somebody that can relate to needing a fresh start somewhere else, it is good to see that story. Everybody loves a good underdog story…go through adversity, come out the other side stronger. That is life and that is what football can teach you,” Mayfield said.

Jared Goff struggled as the LA Rams signal caller, failing to win any games in his rookie year in 2016. While he played in the playoffs three times between 2016 and 2020 for the Rams, his performance spiked with the Lions. In the last 3 seasons, his completion rate has increased with 4400+ passing yards each season.

Baker Mayfield had a similar journey. He failed to leave a spot in his first 5 NFL seasons, with 2020 the only shining spot when he took the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs. But in the last 2 years as the Bucs QB, he has played back-to-back playoff games.

When the two faced off during this Monday Night Football, Goff was simply the better player.

Jared Goff improves to 4-1 against Baker Mayfield

Having played against each other for five times now, the Lions’ QB won his fourth game against Mayfield. The Bus’ QB completed 28 of 50 passes for 228 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He was sacked 4 times and struggled to move the ball. Meanwhile, Goff had a better game with 20 of 29 passes for 241 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He was also sacked 4 times but was more accurate, efficient, and made smart decisions throughout the game.

The biggest star of the night was running back Jahmyr Gibbs. He ran for 136 yards on 17 carries and scored 2 touchdowns, including a huge 78-yard run. Gibbs also caught 3 passes for 82 yards, showing he can make plays both running and catching. He carried Detroit’s offense and made the big plays when they mattered most.

With 5th win of the season, the Lions are 2nd in NFC North, behind Packers who have played 1 game less. The Bucs are also safe with 5-2 record and are comfortably sitting at the top of NFC South.