The Detroit Lions and quarterback Jared Goff fell to the Carolina Panthers on Saturday, which kept the NFC South team in the race for their division title and gave the NFC North team a roadblock toward their playoff push.
For Goff, there was added insult in the Lions’ 37-23 loss to the Panthers. The veteran quarterback didn’t like Bank of America Stadium’s field conditions.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff looks to pass under pressure from Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns during the second half of an NFL football game between the Carolina Panthers and the Detroit Lions on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C.
(AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
“I thought the field conditions were below NFL level standard, specifically pregame,” Goff told reporters after the game, via the team’s website. “I don’t know what the deal is here, but they need to figure out a way for the turf to not feel like cement.”
Goff was 25-of-42 with 355 passing yards and three touchdown passes. But he was sacked twice and the Panthers delivered seven QB hits.
Field conditions in NFL stadiums have been a topic of conversation. Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte isn’t he only field that’s been blamed for how tough the field is. MetLife Stadium was blamed for multiple knee injuries this season with New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard suffering a torn ACL on a non-contact injury. Allianz Arena in Germany also took some flak.
Brian Burns #53 of the Carolina Panthers sacks Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions during the third quarter of the game at Bank of America Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
(Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle called for surface continuity across all NFL fields back in October after playing against the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium.
“The thing that just confuses me is if you’re not going to mandate grass, then why aren’t turf fields the exact same turf, so guys get used to playing on the same turf everywhere? But every field has a different turf,” Kittle said, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
Yetur Gross-Matos #97 of the Carolina Panthers sacks Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter of the game at Bank of America Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
(Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
“NBA guys don’t play on different wood, what are we doing? Hockey guys don’t play on different ices all the time. It’s ice. So I just wish we played on a surface that was similar every single week in, week out, so your body won’t just be dealing with different, crappy turf.”
