49ers' Fred Warner: Jared Goff Better Than He Was with Rams, Among NFL's Best QBs

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner has high praise for Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff ahead of their matchup in the NFC Championship Game.

Speaking to reporters about the upcoming clash, Warner said Goff is "a lot better" now than he was when the 49ers used to play him twice per season during his time with the Los Angeles Rams:

"Not to say that he wasn't good when we played him back when he was with the Rams, but I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now with the way that he's playing. I think he finished, what, top three in passing yards this season. I think, just the delivery of the football, his decisiveness, obviously with the amount of playmakers that he has on that side, I think he's the one that's leading that group."

Goff and the 49ers are very familiar with each other. Sunday will be his 10th career game against them. The only other team he's played more during his NFL career is the Seattle Seahawks (11 games).

San Francisco has had a lot of success against Goff with a 6-3 record in the previous nine games. The three-time Pro Bowler last went up against this defense in his first game with the Lions in Week 1 of the 2021 season. He went 38-of-57 for 338 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in a 41-33 loss.

This is a much better Lions team than that one. Goff has elevated his level of play with a better supporting cast around him. He completed 74.3 percent of his attempts for 564 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in playoff wins over the Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 49ers defense showed some cracks against the Green Bay Packers before getting a late Christian McCaffrey touchdown to steal a 24-21 win.

If San Francisco is unable to create pressure on Goff and stop the run, this Lions offense has proven they are more than capable of picking apart anyone.