Jared Goff bounced back from a five-interception performance in Week 10 with his best game of the season the following week. The Detroit Lions quarterback led his team to a 52-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11, where he threw for 412 yards and four touchdowns.
With the way the Lions have dominated their opponents this season, they look like the best team in the NFL. However, Nick Wright doesn’t think a team with Goff as its quarterback should be seen as the best in the league.
Nick Wright Downplays Jared Goff and the Lions
During a segment on “First Things First,” Wright labeled Goff as a “civilian” quarterback. He talked about how all the elite quarterbacks are in the AFC, and the Lions star can have a game like his five-interception one on any given week.
“I don’t think you can be the best team in the league when you have a civilian at quarterback,” Wright said. “Jared Goff is great when he’s protected but has a game like last week in him; he has it in him. … The whole NFC, by the way, might have civilians at quarterbacks if Stafford doesn’t get back to the old Stafford. All the superheroes play in the AFC.”
“I can’t say this team with Jared Goff at quarterback is better than the [Kansas City Chiefs or the Buffalo Bills.] I can’t. I won’t. And so, I think they’re the best team in their conference right now, I think they’re a good bet to make the Super Bowl, and they don’t have to beat any of those superheroes at quarterbacks in the playoffs.”
Wright further added that winning three playoff games is tough for a team without one of the “superheroes” that are in the other conference no matter how well Goff is playing. The Fox Sports analyst doesn’t believe that Goff belongs in the same category as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or even Joe Burrow, which reduces the Lions’ chances of winning the Super Bowl.
He did mention that Detroit is the best in the NFC but pointed out obvious things that the NFC North franchise could suffer if it reaches the Super Bowl. Players like Mahomes, Allen, and Jackson can carry the team on their backs, but in Goff’s case, it often looks like the same things Brock Purdy was doing on the 49ers last year.
Certain quarterbacks perform well when surrounded by elite players, and once some of those players go down, their performance usually falls off. The Lions can only hope that this isn’t the case with Goff and that he can lift the team no matter how much adversity it deals with come playoff time.
Lions Are the Favorites To Win the Super Bowl
Despite question marks about their quarterback, Detroit is by far the best team in the NFC. On the back of its win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Lions now have the best odds to win the Super Bowl. Dan Orlovsky said that Goff had played himself out of the MVP race after he threw five interceptions in Week 10 against the Houston Texans, but the 30-year-old quarterback currently has the third-best odds to win the award.
The Lions are 9-1 on the season and are currently on an eight-game winning streak. Goff has a legitimate chance of winning the MVP as both the candidates ahead of him, Jackson and Allen, will likely lose more games than his team.
SEE MORE: NFL Playoff Picture and Bracket Week 11
In 10 games this year, Goff has thrown for 2,492 yards, 20 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He is completing 73.0% of his throws with a passer rating of 112.1 and a league-best 9.2 passing yards per attempt.
The Lions have built a roster around Goff’s strengths, and the quarterback has undoubtedly contributed to making them a contender. However, come playoff time, certain issues could be exposed. Goff should be able to learn from last year’s NFC Championship Game, where his team blew a 17-point lead against the San Francisco 49ers.
Detroit has a clear path to make its first Super Bowl, and all eyes will be on Goff whether or not he handles the pressure and proves all of his critics wrong.