Getty Jared Goff hangs his head during a game against San Francisco.
The Detroit Lions are bringing a new quarterback into the mix in Jared Goff, and many think he’s damaged goods given the struggle he had last season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Goff hasn’t looked like the same quarterback that carved up the league en-route to the Super Bowl a few years back, and that has left folks to completely give up on him as it relates to his future in the league and his future with the Lions.
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Recently, former NFL quarterback David Carr put together a piece for NFL.com in which he projected some of the stats for quarterbacks in the league next season that have changed teams. As he said, he believes that Goff could have a solid year, but it won’t be anywhere near the type of seasons he enjoyed under Sean McVay.
Carr wrote:
“Goff’s coming off a rocky season in which he suffered a thumb injury that might’ve caused him to lose some confidence and play tentatively in January. The former No. 1 overall pick has a chance to regain that confidence in the Motor City with an offense that looks to lean on the run with players like D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams and Kerryon Johnson in the backfield. The rushing attack will be critical to Goff’s success, as his new group of pass catchers won’t be nearly as dynamic as the one he’s used to playing with, especially after Detroit let its top two wideouts (Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones) walk in free agency. I see Goff having a solid year, but it won’t be near what we got used to seeing when he was paired with Sean McVay.”
Goff is projected for 4,300 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. While that might not sound great, it would be fairly solid overall for the Lions.
Even such, Carr isn’t sure Goff will ever look as elite as he did at times in Los Angeles.
Goff Has Put up Solid Numbers in the NFL
If there’s a reason to think Goff might be a bit better than many like Carr expect for the Lions, it’s his production during his career to this point. Clearly, Detroit isn’t just getting a pair of first-round draft picks and a third-round pick, they are getting a quarterback who was in the Super Bowl just two years ago. Goff, a former top pick himself in 2016 out of Cal, has been a dependable player who has won plenty of big games in his career in the rough and tumble NFC West. So far, he’s thrown 107 touchdowns, 55 interceptions, 18,171 yards and has been a two-time Pro Bowler in 2017 and 2018.
Obviously, Goff has had a better defense to work with than Stafford, which has obviously helped him big time. Still, it’s hard to ignore some of the impressive wins he has been able to put together. Just this postseason, the Rams won a huge road game against the Seattle Seahawks in which Goff was pressed into duty with a thumb injury and delivered a solid performance when the team needed him the most.
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Analyst Predicts Jared Goff to Have Successful Lions Career
Goff enters the Lions with a bruised ego considering how things ended in Los Angeles. The Rams were open about their hopes of dumping the quarterback, and once they zeroed in on Stafford, they found a willing trade partner with the Lions. Now, Goff is on the move. While many consider him a mere throw-in or a guy who’s contract is an albatross, it’s clear Goff has received some love for what he could still do in the league.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington tweeted after the trade that he isn’t giving up on Goff doing big things and being in the playoffs very soon. The reason? His overreaching talent.
It’s just a prediction so don’t freak out but I’ll just put it on the record and maybe I’m wrong but whatever: Jared Goff will be a starting QB in the playoffs within in the next 2 years.
I’m one of those people who can’t forget ability. Jared Goff led the Rams to a 54-51 win over the Chiefs just two seasons ago. He threw 413 yards, 4 TDs & 0 INTs. I know he had bad ones. But man, I guess I’m just glass half full. I think Goff has what it takes to win in the NFL.
The upside in this move for Goff is the fact he will land in Detroit with Brad Holmes, Aubrey Pleasant and Ray Agnew. There’s been tons of turnover and Rams folks coming to the Lions in recent weeks, and Goff will get to start fresh with folks who know his talent in a great spot for him.
To be clear, Darlington doesn’t say where Goff could be in the playoffs within the next two seasons, but it’s hard to imagine Brad Holmes giving up on him that quickly, so the implication could be that the Lions might be better than some are giving them credit for in the end after this deal.
Goff will have his chance to prove the haters wrong and stick it to the Rams in the future, and it’s clear he could be motivated to do so.
It’s clear Goff has talent, so it will be interesting to see if he can live up to this rosy prediction or if he fails to meet expecations as some think.
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