Jared Goff has been playing the best football of his NFL career. The former Rams QB has been a great fit in the Lions offense since coming to Detroit. But there are still question marks about his importance and ability to lead the franchise to the promised land. Nick Wright is a doubter and doesn’t believe Goff can do it when it matters the most.
Wright doesn’t believe the Lions, who put up 52 points this week and are 9-1 in the league, are the best team in the NFL. He blames Goff for that, calling him a civilian surrounded by a great team:
“I don’t think you can be the best team in the league when you have a civilian at quarterback.”
He believes Goff will continue to deliver as long as he’s surrounded by great support staff and remains protected. But his 5 interception game proves he will always be the guy who will turn the ball multiple times once or twice every season.
Goff threw five picks in week 10 but bounced back in week 11, throwing for 412 yards, 4 TDs, and no interceptions, completing nearly 83% of his passes.
Wright believes all the best QBs in the NFL, the players who are game-changers, play in the AFC. Those names include Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, Lamar, and Herbert. He believes the Lions are the best team in the NFC and can make the Super Bowl because they won’t have to face these teams or QBs.
But they are no better than the Chiefs and the Bills simply because they have Goff as their QB. Nick pointed out that in today’s NFL, it is hard to win playoff games with a serviceable QB.
Goff has been efficient this season, but he hasn’t needed to single-handedly carry the Lions out of trouble. The team is consistently on the front foot, built to win, and resilient. Even when Goff threw those five interceptions, Detroit still came out victorious.
Goff’s postseason record stands at 4-4. Last season, he threw for 837 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in three playoff games. In the NFC Championship Game, the Lions and Goff scored 24 points in the first half but stalled in the second, managing only a meaningless late touchdown.
During the Rams’ run to the Super Bowl, Goff passed for 712 yards but had just one touchdown and two interceptions, underlining a common narrative: he excels in the regular season but hasn’t consistently proven himself in the postseason.
The Lions, however, understand his limitations and have built their system to maximize his strengths. They believe Goff can lead them to a Super Bowl, regardless of outside opinions—Nick Wright included.