How Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford compare in playoffs ahead of Detroit Lions game

The Detroit Lions are hosting the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the NFL playoffs, setting up a battle of two quarterbacks facing their former teams.

Jared Goff is trying to lead the Lions to the franchise’s first playoff win since 1992 and standing in his way is his former team and Matthew Stafford, the quarterback who replaced him in L.A. The Rams replaced Goff after falling short of the Super Bowl in 2018-19 and a second-round playoff exit in 2020-21.

Los Angeles sent Goff, who they selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 draft, along with three draft picks to Detroit in exchange for Stafford, who led them to a Super Bowl victory in his first season with the Rams. The trade changed the trajectory of the Lions in a short time, who went from 5-11 in Stafford’s final season to 12-5 this year, securing the first division title in 30 years.

Both quarterbacks enter the playoff rubber match with considerable postseason experience under their belts, with Goff playing in six career playoff games during his time with the Rams and Stafford playing in seven between Detroit and L.A.

Here is a breakdown of Stafford and Goff’s stats in the postseason throughout their respective careers:

Jared Goff playoff performances

Goff is playing in his first playoff game since joining the Lions and currently carries a 3-3 postseason record from his time in Los Angeles. In those six playoff games, Goff has completed 113 of 197 passes (57.4% completion percentage) for 1,300 yards (an average of 216.7 yards per game) with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

He made his playoff debut in the 2017-18 playoffs after leading the Rams to the NFC West Division title in his second season. His first postseason game was a 26-13 loss to the Falcons in the wild card round as the No. 3 seed. Goff completed 24 of 45 passes (53%) for 259 yards and one touchdown with no turnovers and was sacked three times.

The Rams finished the 2018 season with a 13-3 record, earning them the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. Goff helped deliver wins in the divisional round and conference championship, sending the Rams to the Super Bowl where they lost to the Patriots, the final championship with Tom Brady.

The 2018 playoff run began with a 30-22 win over the Dallas Cowboys, where Goff completed 15 of 28 passes for 186 yards and zero touchdowns. He bounced back by completing 25 of 40 passes (62.5%) for 297 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Saints for a 26-23 Rams victory. In the Super Bowl, Goff struggled against the Patriots defense and only completed 50% of his passes (19 of 38) for 229 yards with one interception, as the Rams failed to score a touchdown in the 13-3 loss.

In 2020, The No. 6 seed Rams took down the Seahawks, 30-20, despite a shaky performance from Goff who was playing through an injury. He went 9 of 19 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown while ceding some snaps to John Wolford. He resumed his work as the full-time starter in the divisional round against the Packers, but the Rams lost, 32-18, where Goff completed 21 of 27 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown in his final game with L.A.

Matthew Stafford playoff performances

Stafford is 4-3 all-time in the postseason, with all three losses coming as a Lion and all four wins with the Rams. He helped guide Detroit to the playoffs, and subsequent first-round exits, in 2011, 2014 and 2016 and made the playoffs once with the Rams in 2021-22, winning all four games on the way to his first Super Bowl ring. Overall in the postseason, Stafford has completed 172 of 257 passes (66.9%) for 2,096 yards while accounting for 13 passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns, six interceptions and two fumbles lost.

His first trip to the postseason was in 2011 after guiding the Lions to a 10-6 regular season record. Stafford was 28-of-43 (65.1%) for 380 yards, throwing four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and two interceptions, in the 45-28 loss to the Saints.

The Lions nearly broke their postseason winning drought in 2014, but a controversial reversed pass interference penalty and a late-game collapse led to a 24-20 loss to the Cowboys. Stafford completed 28 of 42 passes (66.7%) for 323 yards with one touchdown, one interception and two fumbles lost in the heartbreaking defeat.

His last trip to the playoffs with the Lions was Detroit’s last postseason appearance in 2016. Stafford was 18-of 32 for 205 yards and zero touchdowns or turnovers in the Lions’ 26-6 loss to the Seahawks.

After being traded Stafford immediately went on to win the Super Bowl. His run started with a 34-11 win over the Arizona Cardinals, where Stafford completed 13 of 17 passes for 202 yards and three total touchdowns. In the divisional round, he was 28-of 38 for 366 yards and three total touchdowns in a 30-27 win over the Buccaneers. In a 20-17 win over the Saints in the NFC championship game, Stafford was 31-for-45 for 337 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. In the Super Bowl, he completed 26 of 40 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns to outweigh two interceptions in the Rams’ 23-20 win.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford have performed in NFL playoffs