By Sunday 
Last year, Jared Goff cooked.
The Lions’ offense? Top of the league.
Playoff position? One-seed, baby.
Confidence in Goff? Surprisingly… sky-high.
But as we inch toward the 2025 season, one huge piece of that offensive puzzle is missing—and no, it’s not a left guard or slot receiver. It’s Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator and certified Goff-whisperer, who packed up his playbook and peaced out to greener (or at least, newer) pastures.
So now, Lions fans are left with a very familiar feeling: Is Jared Goff about to fall off a cliff, or just reload with a new cast and keep the show rolling?
The Stats Say “Elite,” The Playoffs Said “Oof”
Let’s not sugarcoat it—Goff balled out last season. He posted career-highs across the board:
- Passer rating: 111.8
- Yards per attempt: 8.6
- Success rate: 54.7%
- Touchdowns: 37
If there was a spreadsheet for confidence, Goff would’ve been lighting up the Excel cells in bright Honolulu blue.
But then came that playoff game. You know, the one against the Commanders where Goff turned the ball over four times (three picks, one fumble), completed barely 57.5% of his throws, and gave every Lions fan a flashback to “oh no, not again” territory.
New Season, New Questions, Same Old Goff Vibes
With Ben Johnson gone, it’s open season for hot takes.
“Was it Goff, or was it Ben?”
“Can he handle protection shakeups?”
“Will the real Jared Goff please stand up?”
To be fair, this isn’t Goff’s first time staring down a narrative knife. He’s been the young QB with promise, the guy shipped out as a trade afterthought, the “placeholder” in Detroit who quietly turned into a franchise pillar. And each time, somehow, he’s wriggled out of the doubt and made us look a little silly.
Protect the Goff at All Costs (Seriously)
One thing’s for sure—if the Lions’ reshuffled O-line doesn’t give Goff enough breathing room, we may see some regression. The man thrives with rhythm and time, not chaos and sack dances. Losing Ben Johnson already takes away his safety net. Losing pocket protection too? That’s a sitcom with a very sad ending.
So Now What?
Well… now we wait.
We wait to see if Jared Goff is truly the guy who elevates an offense or just the guy who flourishes when all the conditions are perfect. We wait to see if he can outpace the doubters one more time and throw a few deep balls at the “it was all Ben Johnson” crowd.
And if he does?
Well, don’t be surprised if we’re all tweeting: “Jared Goff. Still Him.”
Keywords:
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
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