Hold On...Lions QB Jared Goff STILL Hasn't Thrown an INT This Season???

Kelvin Sheppard promised his defense would hold up its end. In Arizona, it did.

The week before, the show had played the sound of the Lions defensive coordinator going at it with the media over his blitz calls against Carolina. Everyone said the results didn't back him up. Sheppard puffed out his chest anyway, insisting that come hell or high water, his unit would hold up its third of the team: offense, defense, special teams.

"And the defense held it up against Arizona," Rich said. "I do not care about their record."

Rich was clear that this wasn't a soft opponent on paper. He knows Jacoby Brissett, given time, can find Michael Wilson, Trey McBride and Kendrick Bourne, even without Marv, with Bourne putting in "some mad work." Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier can put up points too. Detroit's defense did its job anyway.

Then the offense did the rest, and Rich declared one debate over. "We are done wondering if it's Ben Johnson, okay?" he said. Drew Petzing had a big spot in Arizona, the place he no longer coaches, and it was a nice win for the Lions' offensive coordinator. After a first quarter that did not look good offensively, Detroit put up 45.

Jared Goff threw three touchdowns and ran for a fourth. Jahmyr Gibbs had 151 yards on the ground and 56 in the air, his third career game with 200 or more yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. That's tied for the second most in NFL history before turning 25, and only LaDainian Tomlinson has more. Jameson Williams finally found the end zone, twice, with Amon-Ra being taken out of the picture. Sam LaPorta did his job.

"Offensively, they are going to put points up," Rich said. "They hired Drew Petzing, and I think that's fixed."

If the defense keeps doing what it did, Rich said, his prediction that the Lions would win the division is entirely possible. Detroit is 3-2, keeping pace with Minnesota and Green Bay heading into the bye.

The bigger story of the day happened at the podium. Dan Miller, the voice of the Lions since 2005, lost his wife Cindy to cancer this week. She leaves behind Dan and his four children. Rich said he doesn't know Miller personally but has heard about him, and the reaction around the team said everything.

Dan Campbell held a game ball at his postgame press conference. "This ball goes to Dan Miller and his family," Campbell said. "It's been a tough road for Dan. It's for him. Dan is salt of the earth, and I know this has been hard. But now I know Cindy's at peace, and we love you, Dan."

"Just a high class moment out of Dan Campbell," Rich said. Goff also dedicated the win to Miller and got choked up doing it. Rich, who spent time in Michigan himself, said moments like that go a long way with the fans and everyone else. "Just the humanity of it all."

He believes it leaves the Lions a tighter group, more of a family than ever.

They will need it. After the bye, Rich said, the rubber meets the road: Green Bay and Minnesota at home, with the Vikings bringing one of the best offenses in the league against what Rich called arguably the best defense. Later comes Chicago at home on Thanksgiving, trips to Atlanta and Tennessee, and a schedule that jams all three road division games into the final month, along with a Monday night home date against the Giants.

The studio saved the last word for the quarterback. Through five games, Goff has 1,500 yards, 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. "He's been spectacular," came the verdict. You can make an argument, someone added, that this is the best offense in the league.