The Detroit Lions are 1-1 after Week 2, losing 20-16 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, September 15. Jared Goff had an average of 5.6 yards per attempt on 55 throws for 307 yards, thus it was a poor performance for the franchise quarterback. Now, NFL experts and writers are debating if Goff should be benched in favour of backup quarterback Hendon Hooker, or if the idea is absurd.
‘The disappointment is less about goff and more about Ben Johnson.’
In a September 16 Pride of Detroit piece, Detroit Lions beat writer and expert John Whiticar describes how “concerned” he is about Goff after watching him play in the first two regular-season games.
Whiticar describes his concern about Goff as “a bit concerned.” He also strongly rejects the concept of Hooker stepping in.
“Turning to Hendon Hooker is not in the realm of truth despite what some are saying online,” Whiticar wrote, “but there is actual reason to be concerned with Goff’s performance thus far. Goff is what I would consider a rhythm passer. He is most effective when the offence around him is clicking, and when that happens, you have an outstanding passer—get him in a groove and watch him work. The problem emerges when neither Goff nor the offence are in sync, resulting in problems all around.”
Whiticar said that during the Buccaneers game, Goff rarely targeted receivers more than 20 yards downfield, “a poor combination for any passing offence.”
He said, “He also made several inexplicably awful decisions, resulting in an interception and other near-misses. Though he felt pressure at times, it wasn’t overwhelming. He appeared rattled, plain and simple. He never established his rhythm as a passer, and that sank the entire offence.
Whiticar, on the other hand, places the responsibility on Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, claiming that the “disappointment is less about Goff and more about Ben Johnson.”
He went on to say: “Goff needs to improve, without question, but he is just one piece of a struggling offence.”
Hooker ‘Has Barely Played NFL Football’
In a September 16 essay for A to Z Sports, NFL writer and commentator Mike Payton also stated that benching Goff in favour of Hooker is not the solution. He even believes that having Hooker play instead of Goff “is just insane.”
“For starters, Hooker has barely played NFL football,” Payton said. “He attended his first OTAs, minicamp, and training camp this offseason. He played three preseason games and did okay against second, third, and fourth-string players.”
He said, “The Lions were unsure if he would be their backup quarterback heading into the final week of camp. They essentially made that decision on the final day. He’s not ready to be a starter right now, and it will be a while before he is. There’s a lot for him to fix up this season.”
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