I have been doing some digging as this is a complicated trade to look at on many levels. The reason folks think McVay is amazing is he took shit production from Fisher’s 2016 team (32nd in points scored) to 1st in points scored in 2017. I am not sure a team has gone from worst to first in one season like that. McVay gets all the credit for that as Goff was a typical rookie (bad). What happened?
McVay used Gurley like the workhorse he was at that point. Gurley was really good in 2015 and 2016 despite his offense being terrible. But in 2017 and 2018 Gurley BLEW UP. 40 combines TDs in those years. Goff was the QB then and in those two seasons the Rams went 24-8 and they went to the Super Bowl in 2018.
We have D’Andre Swift. Swift averaged 4.6 YPC in 2020. Swift was also not used correctly and not nearly enough. Can Swift turn in a Gurley-like performance? Maybe.
Point is I see the Lions looking for a game manager and building a running game that matches what the Rams and Saints did. And then they want a passer who can take advantage of teams who are forced stop our running game. I think Swift and even KJ are going to run the rock a LOT in 2021.
Sean is saying the QB was holding them back. Brad is saying nope, your QB COULD be better but your got away from your formula that gave you success. Run the football and THEN pass the ball. Campbell talked about this kind of thing too with the Saints.
If Swift blows up in 2021 this team is going to surprise some people as Goff can function when his running game is good.
Last point:
The Chargers got rid of Drew Brees after five seasons in San Diego. They had P. Rivers on the roster ready to take over. Drew was injured (shoulder) and folks at the time were down on Drew as a starting QB. Drew was drafted in 2001 and the Saints grabbed him and never looked back. Rivers was drafted in 2004 and he took over for Drew in 2006 full time. Why did the Chargers do that? Because the Chargers quit on Jared Goff. No one other than Sean Payton saw what he saw and signed Drew ad the rest is history.
I don’t know what Jared Goff has to offer the Lions but his story is still unwritten. S. Payton build his career on the back of Brees as his QB and Brees was a cast off. Jared Goff has 107 career TDs (and 55 INTs) while Brees had 80 TDs after five years and 53 INTs. I find the Goff to Brees after five seasons interesting.
OIf the formula is run well and then let the QB do his damage Swift is gonna get his shot at being the lead dog and Goff has seen that movie before. And it might work better than most believe. I am 100% interested in Goff as a Lions starter in at least 2021.