My question, really - which isn’t the one Slappy’s stat responds to - is how good is the passing game when the running game isn’t working? The problem with the Bills game was the defense, not the heavy reliance on the passing game. Unless you think running the ball more would have increased the likelihood of a Lions win in that one. I don’t.
Just for giggles, I looked at Slappy’s games - the ones the Lions over the last 3 seasons when rushing for “102 or less” (pretty suspect break point, @KingSlappy!) Here’re how many pts the opponents scored in those 8 games:
29, 31, 30, 28, 37, 37, 38, 48. 34.8 ppg given up w/a low of 29.
Pretty sure that’s yer biggest culprit in the losses.
You have to understand that Stafford didn’t have this administration, particularly Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell. But if the team is constructed offensively they way they currently are I’m not sure if Stafford fits that!
When enough defensive attention/resources are devoted to stopping our productive run game, our pass game flourishes. The run game flourishes when enough defensive attention/resources are devoted to stopping our pass game. So I say…
His scheme with Goff was a bit superficial. the motion was subterfuge and got figured out by BB and Shanahan by focusing on LB lane discipline and dropping into coverage. McVey didn’t have the wherewithal in that SB to change on the fly and empower his young QB to check out of pass looks into runs against a light front
So McVey covered his own ass by throwing his young QB under the bus created the narrative that Goff ‘couldn’t’ adapt and brought in a veteran QB to a SB ready team who basically brought his own scheme in.
Shotgun pass pass pass pass
That kind of offense is going to be less consistent and it showed late that season. Happily for them the team got hot for the playoffs
fact is Jared Goff is a perfect fitting puzzle piece to our RB’s, they compliment each other greatly, in fact Goff’s number of yards and TD’s would sink without them. But my heart says Goff doesn’t need a run game to play well by himself, that said-he is better yet, with our RB’s.
Is goff capable of carrying the team if the run game is stagnent for a game? History in detroit says yes. Is that a recipe for season success? NO. Goff excels best when the run game is working in tandem w the pass game and the PA is clicking.
The question IMO was clearly if the run game is not working that game can Goff win you the game?
What some read was : is Goff better with no run game……
Sometimes trying to have a nuanced discussion on here is impossible. No team or QB is better with zero run game. Obviously it helps all QBs.
I think for the most part all offenses function best when they have a run game. And hence all QBs are better off with a run game. This point seems so obvious that the point that anyone would think they need to state that seems again almost impossible but yet here we are.
The Lions built a team around what Goff is good at. There are certain blocking styles that if you aren’t good at, you aren’t getting brought to Detroit. If you are a WR/TE/RB that doesn’t block, you aren’t coming to Detroit.
Good news = all but 1 of our offensive starters are under contract for 2025. I’m sure Brad has a plan for 2025. Who to bring back. Which contracts to extend. Which guys we are looking at in the draft.
Mahogany looks ready to step in at LG in 2025. I’m sure we are hoping to get at least 1 more year out of Decker but winning a SB could change things a bit. We might have a couple guys that were just gutting it out for a ring and Decker/Rags could fit into that category
They need an o-line a 1000 times more than we need a RB. With a great o-line you can even have Jamaal Williams have a career year. Now does Goff need a high end o-line? Hell yes he does. Not even debatable.
In fact, I think his pass protection has slipped a little this year and I think we need to address it now.
Regardless the answer is still the same. You need a viable run game to consistently win. Sure you may win a game or two without one but you’re not winning long term, in poor weather or in the playoffs without one.
See Matt Stafford he couldn’t win it all in DET because he never had a viable run game.
Without one teams can apply pressure with just 4 down linemen and drop 7 into coverage. Play two deep or 3 deep safeties and force everything underneath. Which makes it extremely difficult to consistently complete drives.
In Monty’s press conference yesterday he basically said the oline is the engine for the entire offense and Sonic and Knuckles wouldn’t exist without them. He’s right.
Just ask Jamaal Williams what a good oline can do for you
