There’s no exaggeration in saying it. Jared Goff is currently one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. His strong finish to last season already hinted at it, and his performance this year is making it crystal clear. In the NFC, the Lions – who have their division under control after six weeks – are competing at the top of the conference with the Eagles and Niners. When it comes to quarterbacks, Goff has nothing to envy from Hurts and Purdy; he has more passing yards, a better completion percentage, more touchdowns, and he leads the league in passes over 20 yards.
But beyond the statistics, which can be deceiving in certain cases, Goff passes the visual test, he passes the test of sensations. During the NFL Game Pass broadcast, Martín del Palacio said to me, “we are witnessing the most mature version of Jared Goff,” and indeed he is. The QB who used to receive all the instructions from McVay before each play is long gone; this guy has transformed into a much more complete QB, thanks to Ben Johnson. Johnson has not only laid the groundwork for his growth but has also given him more freedom in decision-making. Some may think that Goff is protected in a system where the running game takes the spotlight, and that’s true. However, in Tampa, when David Montgomery was injured and the Lions couldn’t generate advantages on the ground, Goff carried the team on his back and was the one making the difference.
The Lions are currently one of the best teams in the NFL, and they are so because of their collective effort and the evident improvement of their defense… but they are also so because of their QB. A few years ago, the Rams reached the Super Bowl with Goff, but the difference now is that these Lions are up there because of Goff himself. He is one of the reasons that explain Detroit’s success.
Defenses dictate this NFL
