Once upon a time, there was a quarterback from Cal that was drafted No. 1 overall. He resided in the “City of Angels,” where, in his third season, he took a Rams team to the Super Bowl. Los Angeles would turn their backs on the young quarterback, and it would be the greatest thing to ever happen in Detroit Lions history! In 4 short years, Jared Goff has taken the Lions to heights the team has never seen before. They were a half away from playing in the franchise’s first Super Bowl and now are on a mission to go even farther this year. Goff has the Lions off to an amazing 12-2 start of the season, including a mid-season 11-game winning streak.
Goff Opening Eyes This Season
Jared Goff is currently the 4th betting odds favorite to win Most Valuable Player this year and is having a tremendous season. He has the Detroit Lions at the top of the NFC, looking to close out the year as the top seed in the playoffs. It seems like every week, we are seeing Goff and the Lions doing something that we have never seen before. Whether it is “The Detroit Lions haven’t done this since (insert year here),” throwing a perfect game where a quarterback has more touchdown receptions than incomplete passes, or being the first quarterback to win a game throwing 5 interceptions coming back from a double-digit deficit.
Every week, Lions fans enjoy this team making history, and Goff has gone viral around the state of Michigan and the nation. His name has been chanted at Ford Field, on the road in visiting stadiums, at Red Wings, Tigers, and Pistons games, and even at local concert venues.
Sunday against the Bills was no different for Jared Goff. Fans knew this would be a tough game against the Bills, with Josh Allen playing like the MVP front-runner and a depleted Lions defense. Many NFL analysts and sports enthusiasts would even say that this could be MVP candidate vs. MVP candidate with the dueling quarterbacks. Goff knew he had to put the Detroit Lions on his back, and he did!
Goff would make history again this season, becoming the 1st quarterback in NFL history with 400 plus yards 5 touchdown passes, and no interceptions in a losing effort. He hit seven different receivers for 494 yards with a 64% completion percentage. By the way, the 5 passing touchdowns included 3 different receivers, a running back, and an “eligible” offensive lineman.
Goff’s MVP-Like Season Continues
The Detroit Lions are the most injury-ridden team in the league, with most of their starting defense on the shelf. This past Sunday against the Bills added three more players to hit the injury bug, including Defensive Tackle Alim McNeill (knee), Running Back David Montgomery (knee), and Cornerback Carlton Davis. When is enough enough? The Lions have been dealing with this all season and still have the best record in the NFC. The next-man-up has so far filled in nicely, but is it sustainable?
This team may have to rely on Jared Goff, Ben Johnson, and the offense to simply outscore opponents in shootout-type games. The highest-scoring team in the NFL should be up for the challenge. Goff may have league-leading stats, but what he brings to the Lions should not go unnoticed. When it comes down to a team needing a single player for their success, is there anyone more important than Jared Goff for the Lions?
Final Thoughts
Jared Goff might be the most underappreciated and overlooked quarterback in the National Football League. He’s a former first-overall pick. He got 1 team to a Super Bowl and another to its closest chance to ever get to the Super Bowl. They didn’t want him in LA; he was an afterthought in the Stafford trade, and Detroit thought he was a bridge quarterback.
Yet he’s doing things this season that not only Lions fans have never seen, but NFL fans in general have never seen. Put some respect on my man’s name, Jared Goff! This was his game to remind you that he is a dark horse in this MVP race!
