Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is being unfairly scapegoated following the team’s 16–9 loss to the Eagles
Sure, the Detroit Lions looked bad against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday evening, November 16, with their 16-9 loss in a slow-moving game. The offensive was totally out of sorts, and the Lions were 0-for-5 on fourth down in the defeat, so it’s easy to see those kind of plays and get down on the offensive leaders.
Some Detroit Lions followers are quick to point fingers at quarterback Jared Goff would be best to look at the real numbers and research. Following the loss to the Eagles, social media was lit up with comments from Lions loyalists who were putting the blame on anyone and everyone, but as the team’s quarterback, Goff got the brunt of it.
Of course, it’s not that simple. Remember that coach Dan Campbell took over play calling duties from offensive coordinator John Morton for this game, so having a totally new play caller could have easily made things difficult on Goff. But, aside from that, his numbers from this season are solid and speak for themselves, and that’s a point being made by Detroit Lions beat writer and analyst Mike Payton of A to Z Sports.
Don’t Make Detroit Lions Quarterback Jared Goff the Scapegoat
On Tuesday, November 18, Payton took to X to share his conclusions about Goff and the criticism that the quarterback has been getting. In the post, he makes it clear that he thinks the criticism is not founded.
“The mobile guys are getting sacked more than anyone,” Payton notes. “He also has a higher completion percentage under pressure than (Matthew) Stafford, (Patrick) Mahomes, and (Jordan) Love and the 8th highest passer rating. He’s not perfect, but he’s not the worst.”
For those who say Goff isn’t good in bad weather, Payton replies that the signal-caller has thrown for 15 touchdowns and four interceptions in cold weather as a Detroit Lions player. He’s also completed 64% of his passes in those games.
“His passing stats against winning teams are just as good, if not better than Mahomes,” he adds. “The guy you tell me is perfect in every way.”
He wraps up his post on X with a strong and poignant message: “You’re letting your emotions dictate your beliefs.” Payton adds, “Jared Goff had a bad game Sunday. No doubt about it. You’re crazy if you think this happens all the time and you’re crazier if you think they need to get rid of him now.”
Detroit Lions Followers Make Their Voices Heart
Followers were quick to make their thoughts known on Payton’s X post. “I file that loss under the Dan Campbell column. I get that his who ‘thing’ is being aggressive. But constantly passing up points or pinning your opponent back adds up. Doesn’t do the o line or Goff any favors,” one said. “If you compare Goff’s bad games to everyone’s else’s good games, then yeah he’s gonna be worse,” another said.
“Crazy how he can play MVP caliber football 90% of the time but people will still act like he’s the worst QB ever after one poor game,” another follower said on the team’s Instagram.
So, the moral of this story is that the NFL is complicated. You really can’t pin the Eagles loss on one person, and that person being Goff. Now, it’s time to move onto the New York Giants game, and let’s face it: The Giants are no Eagles. Even if we win this one, we’re going to have to be stronger, as an entire team, to really compete to the playoffs, and that’s not all on Goff.
Cleveland Browns Trade Pitch Swaps Myles Garrett to NFC for Outrageous Draft Haul
The Cleveland Browns have been adamant that there is no Myles Garrett trade coming, but potential godfather offers so insane could be coming down the pike that the Browns would have to consider them.
No deal, or real conversation, is going to happen until the offseason. However, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report on Tuesday, November 18 put together a handful of trade proposals that would no doubt catch the Browns’ collective eye. Perhaps the most intriguing, and the realest, involves a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles that sends Cleveland first-round picks in 2026, 2027 and 2029.
“According to Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, the Eagles were reportedly willing to give as many as three first-round picks up for Garrett at the trade deadline,” Kay wrote. “After rating as the league’s top total defense in 2024, Philly has fallen to the middle of the pack in that category. The club also took a step back in sacks and has accumulated a lowly 21 across the first 10 games of 2025. If the Eagles continue to struggle and crash out of the playoffs early, Garrett would be the perfect addition to help this squad return to prominence in 2026.”
Browns Likely to Draft Quarterback Next Offseason
Philadelphia is going to be picking late in the first round next April and probably in 2027 as well. Still, first-round picks of any sort are incredibly valuable, particularly to a team like the Browns that is already in the middle of a successful youth movement that began by drafting seven rookies in 2025, five of whom are already in the starting lineup on a regular basis.
Cleveland has already amassed two first-round picks in 2026, its own and one it got from the Jacksonville Jaguars via a trade. Adding a third will unquestionably position the Browns to land a top quarterback in a much stronger class at the position next year than the one in 2025 — from which the team selected two signal-callers.
Dillon Gabriel has gotten six starts and has been underwhelming. Shedeur Sanders filled in for Gabriel during the second half of last weekend’s game against the Baltimore Ravens to disastrous results. There is still time for each player to flip the script, but all signs point to Cleveland needing a rookie QB next spring.
Myles Garrett’s Timeline Doesn’t Sync Up With Browns’ Rebuild
Flipping Garrett makes some sense considering he is approaching his 30th birthday and just signed a massive $160 million extension that keeps him under contract through 2030. Garrett is a surefire Hall of Fame player when he’s finished in the NFL, but his timeline doesn’t appear to fit Cleveland’s.
Even if the Browns hit on a QB next spring, the best-case scenario is probably contention in 2027 once Deshaun Watson’s albatross of a contract is off the books (for the most part) and the rookie classes of 2025 and 2026 have real experience on their resumés.
The Washington Commanders found success immediately with Jayden Daniels last season but fell off a cliff this year. A better model to examine might be the New England Patriots, who appear to have built a more sustainable, not to mention younger, roster around second-year QB Drake Maye that looks like it should have real staying power.
If the Browns can turn Garrett into three first-round picks in their early 20s and playing on rookie deals, then divide the rest of his salary up to round out the roster in free agency, that is something the front office has to seriously consider.
