Jared Goff sets NFL record completing all 18 of his passes in Lions' 42-29 win over Seahawks

DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff threw a perfect game, setting an NFL record by completing all 18 of his passes to help the Detroit Lions beat the Seattle Seahawks 42-29 Monday night.

“I just gave the game ball to somebody else, so I feel awful,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “I knew he played a heck of a game. I did not know he was perfect.”

Kurt Warner had the previous league mark for the passes without an incompletion, going 10 for 10 for Arizona against Houston in 2005.

“It's a cool thing,” Goff said. “I’m just happy we got the win.”

Goff did throw an incomplete pass, but it was negated by a penalty.

“I was like, does that count?” he recalled wondering.

Goff also had a touchdown reception for the first time in his career, catching a pass from Amon-Ra St. Brown, and threw one of his two touchdown passes to the All-Pro receiver. Goff and St. Brown are the eighth duo in league history to throw and catch a touchdown from each other.

St. Brown lobbed a 7-yard pass to Goff on a trick play in the the third quarter and caught an 8-yard touchdown from the quarterback in the fourth.

Goff, who threw for 292 yards, completed his first 14 passes in Detroit's previous win at Arizona to set a personal record that lasted a little more than a week. He also threw a pass over the middle to Jameson Williams, who ran away from the Seahawks for a 70-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

The Lions (3-1) asked Goff to throw one more time from his end zone and he was sacked for a safety with 2:01 remaining, cutting their lead to 13 points.

The Seahawks (3-1) simply could not overcome an injury-depleted defense that could not stop Detroit on the ground or through the air.

“It shows we aren’t the team we want to be,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said.

Macdonald went for it on fourth-and-4 from the Detroit 39 early in the fourth and receiver Tyler Lockett negated a first down with pass interference, getting called for running a pick play that freed up Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a catch.

“They said he picked the guy, but I think we all saw he never made contact with him," Smith said.

Macdonald went for it again on fourth-and-goal from the Detroit 3 with 2:09 to go and Geno Smith threw a fourth straight incompletion.

The Lions took advantage and went ahead by 15 points with 5:23 left when Goff a high pass to St. Brown, who leaped for the catch and got both feet in the end zone.

Jahmyr Gibbs ran for two touchdowns in the second quarter and finished with 78 yards rushing. David Montgomery started the scoring barrage with a 1-yard touchdown run, capping a 10-play, 93-yard drive that took 7-plus minutes off the clock in the first quarter, and had 80 yards from scrimmage.

Smith was 38 of 56 for 395 yards with a 9-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end AJ Barner in the third quarter on a drive he extended with a sneak on fourth down. He threw an interception in the end zone to Kerby Joseph with a minute left, sealing Seattle's first setback this season.

“Even when we were down 14, we knew we had a chance to come back," Smith said.

DK Metcalf had seven catches for 104 yards and a costly fumble at the Detroit 37 in the first quarter.

Kenneth Walker, who gained 80 yards on 12 carries, had a career-high three touchdowns rushing.

Seahawks: DB Julian Love left the game with a thigh injury, another blow for a defense without banged-up DEs Uchenna Nwosu and Leonard Williams along with LB Jerome Baker.

Lions: DB Brian Branch was inactive with an illness, taking a key player out of the secondary, and Pro Bowl C Frank Ragnow was out with a pectoral muscle.

Seahawks: Host the New York Giants on Sunday night.

Lions: After an off week, play at Dallas on Oct. 13.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) catches a 8-yard reception for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith kneels on the field after a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Lions defensive end Levi Onwuzurike (91) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and forces a fumble but is recovered by Smith during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery falls into the endzone for a 1-yard rushing touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) recovers a fumble from Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf and runs downfield during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) hits Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) and forces a fumble during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff tosses the football into the stands after his rushing touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy acknowledged Monday that derogatory remark s he made last year about Native Americans were “insensitive.” But Sheehy rejected his opponent’s call to apologize, during a contentious debate in a race that’s emerged as pivotal for control of the Senate.

Three-term incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester had challenged Sheehy over remarks last year in which the Republican told a group of laughing supporters about bonding “with all the Indians...while they’re drunk,” while working cattle at a ranch on the Crow Indian Reservation

“Yeah, insensitive,” responded Sheehy, a former U.S. Navy SEAL. “I come from the military as many of our tribal members do. You know, we make insensitive jokes and probably off color-jokes sometimes.”

Sheehy then tried to turn the discussion to the immigration crisis but Tester kept pressing him.

“Tim, the statement you made degrades Native Americans across this country,” Tester said. “You’re a big guy, just apologize.”

“You apologize for opening the border," Sheehy retorted.

The acrimonious exchange, during the debate’s closing minutes, underscored the growing tensions between the two campaigns as the contest enters its final stretch. They are each jockeying for support from a small contingent of moderate Republican and Independent voters in the state who are considered crucial to victory in November.

Sheehy sharply criticized Tester over his ties to lobbyists, who have donated more heavily to the Democrat this election cycle than to any other member of Congress, according to the non-partisan group OpenSecrets.

“While I was fighting in Afghanistan, he was eating lobbyist steak in D.C.," Sheehy said.

Tester in turn accused Sheehy of wanting to outlaw abortion, even as the Democrat linked his own campaign to a voter initiative that would enshrine abortion as a right under the state Constitution.

“I want to see Roe reinstated,” Tester said of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade that has allowed some states to sharply restrict abortions. “My opponent, on the other hand, feels exactly the opposite. He feels he's more entitled to make that decision than the women are.”

Tester is the last remaining Democrat to hold high office in Montana and the race is on track to be the most expensive in state history. Republicans party leaders including former President Donald Trump handpicked Sheehy in hopes of toppling Tester, a 68-year-old farmer.

Republicans need to gain just two seats in November to take the Senate majority when a new Congress convenes next year. They are widely considered to have a lock on one, in West Virginia, meaning Montana could make the difference.

Montana has seven Indian reservations and almost 70,000 Native Americans, representing about 7% of its total population, according to U.S. Census data. It’s a voting block that’s long been considered Democratic-leaning. Montana Republicans in recent years have courted tribal leaders hoping to gain their support in elections.

Tribal leaders were highly critical of Sheehy's derogatory comments about Native Americans that emerged in audio recordings published by Char-Koosta News, the official publication of the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Sheehy did not respond when the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council asked him to apologize in early September. The council represents 11 tribes and First Nations in the U.S. and Canada.

Sheehy later downplayed the comments during a Fox News interview in which he suggested the audio was from “years ago” and had been edited to make him sound “like somebody I'm not.” But he did not deny the authenticity of the recordings on Monday.

Trump won Montana by about 17 percentage points in 2020. Seeking to capitalize on the former president's popularity in the state, Sheehy has frequently sought to lump Tester with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The Republican's objective is to highlight public dissatisfaction over the administration’s struggles to stem illegal immigration on the southern border.

“Democrats on the Hill refused to hold the administration accountable for the largest mass migration in the history of this country,” Sheehy said in response to a debate question about the border.

Seeking to blunt the attacks, Tester skipped the Democratic National Convention last month, declined to endorse Harris and avoids mention of her on the campaign trail. He's opposed the administration over tighter pollution rules for coal plants and pressed it to do more on immigration.

“Look, I'll be the first person to tell you that President Biden has not done a good job on the southern border,” Tester said Monday.

Tim Sheehy, left, prepares to debate U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, right, on campus at the University of Montana in Missoula, Mont., Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Ben Allan Smith/The Missoulian via AP)

Tim Sheehy prepares to debate U.S. Sen. Jon Tester on campus at the University of Montana in Missoula, Mont., Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Ben Allan Smith/The Missoulian via AP)

Tim Sheehy prepares to debate U.S. Sen. Jon Tester on campus at the University of Montana in Missoula, Mont., Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Ben Allan Smith/The Missoulian via AP)

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester prepares to debate GOP challenger Tim Sheehy on campus at the University of Montana in Missoula, Mont., Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Ben Allan Smith/The Missoulian via AP)