There's more work to do – more practices and three preseason games – but Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff feels good about taking another step toward playing real football.
For the first time since they ended the 2022 season with a win at Green Bay, the Lions played against an opponent other than themselves.
They went against the New York Giants in the first of two joint practices in advance of Friday night's preseason game at Ford Field.
The Lions have two more joint practices scheduled next week vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"It's so fun to go against another team for the last two weeks, three weeks – however long we've been here," Goff said after practice. "It's offense vs. defense. Who's going to win the day? Now it's Lions vs. Giants, and we get to feel like we're competing together and get a new jersey color out there. It's fun."
Fans who ringed the practice fields at the Lions headquarters in Allen Park reacted to the good plays by the Lions. Their presence added to the energy level.
One of those plays was a short pass to rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs who ran it into the end zone for a touchdown.
"He's pretty good, he's pretty good in space," Goff said. "He's really special. That's always our goal -- to get those guys who are special in space and he's one of them."
Goff has seen the offense grow in his third season with the Lions and his second under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
"We're much further along," he said. "If last year was 101, we're in 201 now. It's our ability to kind of do things at the next level.
"It's challenging for me as well -- making sure every day that I know what my rules are and my checks and all that stuff.
"I know everyone else is doing the same things and it's taking the next step these last few weeks and feeling like we're in a good place."
View photos from Day 11 of Detroit Lions training camp on Saturday August 5, 2023.
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dylan Drummond (83) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Red Wings players Lucas Raymond and Mo Seider and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Red Wings players Lucas Raymond and Mo Seider and Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
WWE wrester Sheamus and Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Red Wings players Lucas Raymond and Mo Seider Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31), Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton (1), and Detroit Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson (2) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Adrian Martinez (18) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Benito Jones (94) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Adrian Martinez (18) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
WWE wrestler Sheamus and Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Maurice Alexander (15) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end James Mitchell (82) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) and Detroit Lions kicker Riley Patterson (36) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
WWE wrestler Sheamus and Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3), Detroit Lions kicker Parker Romo (24), and Detroit Lions long snapper Jake McQuaide (50) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs (96) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (0) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (0) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Red Wings player Lucas Raymond and Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions long snapper Scott Daly (47) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Antoine Green (80) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Maurice Alexander (15) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky (79) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on August 5, 2023. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Goff was asked if he gets enough respect for what he has accomplished.
"I don't care," he said. "Don't care. Don't even know if I do or not. I just try to win games for this team. That's all."
