Jared Goff goes outside
By Max Weisman
The Detroit Lions have had a unique season through seven games. They haven't played football outside yet. You're reading that correctly. Every single game the Lions have played in their 6-1 start has been indoors, with home games at Ford Field, and road games at State Farm Stadium, AT&T Stadium and U.S. Bank Stadium. On Sunday, Detroit will make its outdoor debut in 2024, playing the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Sunday’s #Lions-#Packers game at Lambeau Field will be Detroit’s first outdoor game of the season.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 2, 2024
Their next one won’t be until Week 16 in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/NmzobgEaKD
According to John Breech of CBS Sports, the Lions are the third team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to go eight weeks without playing outdoors. They join the 1998 New Orleans Saints and 2019 Atlanta Falcons in this peculiar club. The '98 Saints lost 31-17 to the Carolina Panthers, and the '19 Falcons, who ironically also played the Panthers, won 29-3 in their first outdoor games of the season.
The indoor-outdoor difference is important because since being traded to Detroit, Lions quarterback Jared Goff has played much better indoors. Goff's completion percentage is 68.9% indoors compared to 63.6% outdoors. He averages 2.1 touchdowns per game indoors but only one per game outdoors.
RELATED: ESPN insider suggests laughable trade for Detroit Lions to make
With both Green Bay and Detroit at six wins, this game is for first place in the NFC North, and if Goff plays like he normally does outdoors, it may prove difficult for Detroit to walk away with a win.
If Goff is able to start all 17 games for the Lions this season, he'll set a new NFL record for games played indoors at 14. The Lions have three total games outdoors in the regular season. Sunday against the Packers, and then in Weeks 16 and 17 at the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers.
Depending on how those three games go, it may be even more important for the Lions to win the NFC North and even secure home-field advantage. If they can play all their playoffs games at Ford Field, a trip to their first Super Bowl ever, which is being played indoors at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, could become reality for the Lions.
MORE TOP STORIES From the Big Lead
CFB: Awful officiating mars Ohio State-Penn State game
NBA: Kevin Garnett says the Bulls must make a Derrick Rose statue
MLB/SPORTS MEDIA: World Series ratings wrap on 7-year high