Jared Goff is fending off shots, both overt and indirect.
Goff struggled in Sunday’s 16-16 tie against Pittsburgh, going 14-for-25 for 114 yards, an average of just 4.6 yards per attempt. The questions have gotten louder about whether he is the quarterback of the future in Detroit.
“Jared Goff is terrible (Charles Barkley voice),” former NFL player Terrelle Pryor wrote in his Instagram story earlier this week. “Myself and [Colin] Kaepernick can go on field this second and do better.”
Pryor started 10 career games at quarterback for the Oakland Raiders, and later spent several seasons as a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns, Washington Football Team, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. He hasn’t played QB since 2013, and has been out of the league since 2018.
More concerning for Goff than the idea of actually getting replaced by Pryor is a tepid endorsement from Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
“Well, it’s hard to say that he shouldn’t be the guy right now. It’s hard to say that, man, because [if you say], ‘Oh man, make this throw’ — well again, every time we try to throw it and dropped back, just about, our protection breaks down,” Campbell told reporters Monday. “And so until we can do things right around him… Now, yeah, there’s throws we want to see that he needs to make. There was a dart that we threw to ‘Lif’ [Kalif Raymond] that we should make and he’s pissed off about it, too. But ultimately, I still think right now, he’s the guy that gives us the best chance.”
Part of Campbell’s answer elicits memories of the song ‘Right Now,’ by early 2000s pop-punk band SR-71: “She may not be Miss Right, she’ll do right now.”
The Lions acquired Goff and two first-round picks from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Matthew Stafford. Given that they have yet to win a game so far this season and considering Goff has more turnovers (10) than TD passes (eight), it’s unsurprising that Campbell is neglecting to give Goff a glowing endorsement for posterity.
