The blame always seems to find Jared Goff first in Detroit — but if Lions fans are being honest, the numbers, the film and the context all tell the same story: the quarterback under center isn’t holding this team back, he’s holding it together.
Jared Goff has somehow become Detroit’s favorite scapegoat, and it makes little sense to anyone actually watching the games. When things go wrong, the finger-pointing often starts — and ends — with the quarterback. But a deeper look at the context and the numbers tells a very different story. Goff is not the problem in Detroit. In fact, he remains one of the biggest reasons the Lions have stayed competitive and relevant.
Consider what Goff walked into this past offseason. Detroit lost its starting center, its right guard and its offensive coordinator — three pillars of offensive continuity. For most quarterbacks, that kind of turnover leads to regression. Timing suffers. Protection breaks down. Efficiency drops. Instead, Goff responded with one of the most complete seasons of his career.
Statistically, this year ranked among Goff’s best. He finished with 4,564 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, posting a 105.5 passer rating — the second-highest of his career. It marked his third straight season throwing for more than 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns, a level of consistency few quarterbacks in the league can match. Those aren’t empty numbers either. Goff ranked third in the NFL in passer rating on throws traveling more than 10 yards downfield at 117.6, disproving the tired narrative that he can’t push the ball vertically.
When plays break down, Goff has been even better. On non-first-read throws, he ranked among the league’s elite, completing 73.8 percent of his passes, third-best in the NFL. He led the league with 1,937 passing yards and 96 first downs in those situations, while ranking second in touchdowns (15) and passer rating (107.2). Those numbers reflect processing, anticipation and command — traits that don’t show up on a highlight reel but win games on Sundays.
Production followed consistency. Goff recorded six games with more than 300 passing yards and four games with at least three touchdown passes. He threw a touchdown in all 17 games this season, becoming the only player in franchise history to do so. His 23-game streak with a touchdown pass is the longest active streak in the NFL, another testament to his week-to-week reliability.
Historically, Goff’s résumé continues to grow. He now has 48 career 300-yard passing games, tied with Matt Ryan for the second-most through 10 seasons in NFL history. He also owns 69 games with a passer rating of 100 or better, second-most through 10 seasons. Of his 32 career 300-yard games, 24 have come in a Lions uniform — a reminder that some of the best football of his career has happened in Detroit.
In any six-game span in NFL history, Goff owns the highest completion percentage (82.8%) and highest passer rating (140.1). That level of sustained excellence doesn’t belong to a quarterback holding his team back.
Detroit has flaws. Injuries, defensive inconsistency and coaching turnover have all played roles. Blaming Goff may be convenient, but it’s inaccurate. The numbers are clear, the film backs it up and the results speak loudly. Jared Goff isn’t the problem in Detroit — he’s one of the constants holding it together.