Getty Jared Goff fires a pass for the Lions against the Eagles in 2021.
The Detroit Lions were forced to go without Jared Goff in Week 11, and given the short turnaround to Week 12, there was some question as to whether or not the quarterback would play in either game.
Goff sat down on Sunday, but apparently, there was almost a quick recovery that allowed the quarterback to play in the game in Cleveland. In the end, though, Goff couldn’t go and Tim Boyle was the starter. That might not be the case on Thanksgiving Day, however.
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NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport provided a Monday update as it relates to the health of the team’s quarterback. As he said, Goff almost played in Cleveland, so there’s a chance for him to make a quick turnaround providing he can continue to throw and feel healthy through the early part of this week.
“Tim Boyle, of course he started (Sunday), did OK, but certainly did not cement himself as anything for the future which means it is now all about the health of Jared Goff,” Rapoport says in the clip. “He is dealing with an oblique injury, it actually crept up before the last game. So that kind of difficult performance you saw in the last game was with Goff battling this oblique injury. He was pretty close to playing on Sunday, he gets out there, he throws a little bit more today, he thew late last week, perhaps he can be healthy enough to start on Thursday.”
Goff starting Thursday might seem like news to folks who figured injury would keep him out two straight weeks, but it’s clear he could make a recovery in time to play for Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. It will all be determined by how he does in practice and how much pain persists this week.
Boyle Gained ‘Incredible Experience’ Against Browns
The Lions, as Rapoport noted, didn’t get anything special out of Boyle in Week 11 that would lead anyone to believe the team would start him over Goff if Goff was completely healthy. Boyle threw for just 77 yards against Cleveland and had 2 interceptions in the game. The Lions didn’t turn Boyle loose at all, and he struggled in a big way to make impact throws for the team down field. Some of that was due to Dan Campbell’s offense, but Boyle himself may not have earned the trust in just his first NFL start.
Speaking after the game to reporters, Boyle admitted that he appreciated the experience he gained, even if his performance was far from perfect on the day.
.@timboyle_7 on his first career start in the NFL.
“Obviously, incredible experience for me. Every play that I got I was able to mentally bank and grow from. Early on in the first quarter, Jared told me early in the week that the first quarter in the first start is a blur. He was 100% right. It happened quick, you settle into the game. Overall good experience, but at the end of the day, didn’t play good enough to win. That ultimately falls on me. A lot of room to grow in that department.”
If Boyle does have to go again, the Lions will at the very least have a quarterback that has experience and has his first start under his belt.
Goff Trying to Rebound From Oblique Injury
The injury, as Rapoport noted, actually stems from prior to Week 10, but was clearly exacerbated by playing the game against Pittsburgh. That day, amid a tie, Goff couldn’t manufacture much offense down the field in soggy, cold conditions and was carried by a ground game which pounded out 229 yards and 2 touchdowns on the afternoon. Heading toward Week 11, Goff had an early setback with the oblique injury, but still almost started for Detroit. With some rest this past weekend and a Thursday game, it’s possible Goff could have enough time to make a recovery to play for the Lions against Chicago.
At this point, it will be worth watching to see if Goff can recover in time, or if Boyle will continue as starter. Only time during this short week will tell.
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