Why Lions need QB to change 'bad on the road' narrative in 2025

Jared Goff remains one of the NFL's better quarterbacks. Since he was traded from the Los Angeles Rams to the Detroit Lions in 2021, he has been a strong starter, carrying over to Detroit the level of individual play and team success he had in Los Angeles.

The big difference so far is that Goff helped the Rams get to a Super Bowl in the middle of his five-year run with the team that drafted him first overall in 2016. Now in his fifth season with the Lions, his current team has fallen short of NFC champions status during its two playoff runs.

For Goff to help the Lions, 1-1 going into Monday night's tough interconference matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, to win a third consecutive NFC North title and get to Super Bowl 60, he must change the one big knock on him in Detroit — being a much lesser QB in road games.

Goff, meanwhile, has thrived playing most of the Lions schedule indoors at Ford Field, with another annual extra division road game vs. the Minnesota Vikings. Is it just perception Goff drops off his play away from Detroit? Here's exploring the narrative:

Jared Goff's Lions game stats: Road vs. home

First, let's look at whether there's a significant difference in Goff's regular-season numbers in games played in Detroit vs. away games:

In almost the same sample size since 2021, 32 road games vs. 35 home games, there's no doubt Goff is a better pocket-passing quarterback when operating at Ford Field.

The narrative, however, has been a bit exaggerated because he still has a respectable-plus passer rating and a winning record. In prime time games, Goff is 11-2 with the Lions going into Week 3 Monday night at Baltimore. He is 5-1 when playing on the road at night, anomalous to his overall away stats.

Why is Jared Goff not as good on the road for the Lions?

Goff has done well with the Lions, raising his game to his best days with the Rams and benefiting most from playing four years with offensive assistant Ben Johnson, the Lions' play-calling coordinator from 2022-2024. Johnson left to become the head coach of the division Bears in 2025. The Lions tried to keep some continuity by replacing Johnson with former Broncos passing game coordinator John Morton, who was on Johnson's staff in Detroit in '22.

The Lions' offense is predicated on strong offensive line play and a resulting prolific running game for effective balance. When the Lions run well, Goff is facilitated in the downfield passing game, excelling most when hitting on big plays (often to speedy wide receiver Jameson Williams) off play-action.

Those fundamentals tend to break down more on the road vs. the controlled environment at home, from crowd noise to weather. Goff doesn't operate well when opponents are able to stop the ru. Case in point was the 46 rushing yards the Lions produced in losing at Green Bay in Week 1. Back home in Week 2, Goff went off for 334 yards and 5 TDs at 11.4 yards per attempt. In that game, the Lions rushed for 177 yards in routing Chicago.

Goff needs a smooth support system more so than QBs to play well because of his limited mobility. When the running game is rolling and he's protected, he can pick apart opponents in coverage. That ideal storm of efficient passing isn't the consistent forecast while not playing in Ford Field.

Why is it key Jared Goff changes his road narrative in 2025?

The Lions offense has started night and day, scoring 13 points in losing at Green Bay and then blowing up with 52 points at home vs. Johnson and Chicago. Baltimore is a tough road test, given the Ravens won the last meeting there 38-6 in 2023.

Detroit was able go 15-2 last season because it had 14 games total in indoor environments, with only the road games at the Packers, Bears, 49ers being played outdoors. 

Between Green Bay and Baltimore, the Lions have two such games in the first three on the 2025 schedule. Before the end of October and their Week 8 bye, the Lions will also travel to Cincinnati and Kansas City. Washington, Philadelphia and Chicago all host them in the second half of the season. The Lions will play more than twice as many true outdoors games than they did in '24 and most of them are tough.

The Lions weren't able to beat the Commanders in the divisional playoffs, blowing home-field advantage and the NFC's top seed last season. Based on Goff's recent road history, they will be hard-pressed to win near 15 games again.

The Bears (0-2) and Vikings (1-1) are battling issues in the division, but the Packers look like the new team to beat in the North with their dominant defense. The Lions have more traps in their schedule and less margin for error in the attempt to win the North, repeating a second time. 

Goff had an outstanding 2024 season, taking advantage of a favorable schedule that in essence had some road games that felt like home games. He put up big overall stats to finish fifth in NFL MVP voting. But the immediate playoff upset at home to Washington kept Detroit well short of its reasonable Super Bowl expectations as the No. 1 NFC seed.

This season, can Goff rewrite his regular-season road narrative to get the Lions well-positioned again in the NFC playoffs? If not, the road (literally) to the Super Bowl will get a lot more difficult when it counts the most.

Matthew Stafford Announces $5 Million Grant for Los Angeles Schools

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is making a powerful impact off the field with a generous $5 million grant dedicated to improving education in Los Angeles schools. The grant will fund a variety of initiatives designed to enhance learning opportunities for students in underserved communities across the city.

Stafford’s donation will be used to purchase new technology, support after-school programs, and provide tutoring services to students who need extra help. The goal of the initiative is to ensure that all students, regardless of their background or financial situation, have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed both academically and in extracurricular activities.

"Los Angeles has been my home for many years, and it’s given me so much. Now, it’s time for me to give back to the community that has supported me every step of the way," Stafford said in a statement. "This grant is my way of helping to create opportunities for the next generation, so they can follow their dreams and excel in their education."

The grant will specifically target schools that serve low-income neighborhoods, where access to high-quality education can often be limited. By improving resources like classroom technology, sports facilities, and academic tutoring, Stafford hopes to level the playing field for students who might otherwise struggle to succeed.

In addition to funding technology and academic support, Stafford’s grant will also be used to enhance sports programs, giving students the chance to develop skills and build confidence through athletics. Stafford, a former athlete who understands the importance of sports in a young person's life, believes that extracurriculars like sports can play a vital role in fostering leadership and teamwork among students.

“This is about more than football,” Stafford explained. “It’s about creating opportunities for kids who deserve them, and helping them achieve their full potential.”

With this donation, Stafford is not only making a difference in the lives of students but also setting an example for other athletes and community leaders to use their influence and resources to drive positive change. His $5 million commitment is a significant step in helping to create a brighter, more equitable future for the students of Los Angeles.

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