Crucial play - you may remember it (haha). Chark is open but he runs one way while Jared throws another way. They don’t come close to completing the pass, kick the field goal, and Josh Allen leads the Bills (in a hurry!) to the win.
Most people assume Goff threw a terrible ball. Right after the game, Campbell and Goff both defend the play call. Campbell says that Chark and Goff weren’t on the same page. Goff says, “I wish I threw a better ball.” The play becomes another arrow in the quiver of those who think Goff “sucks” or, at best, can’t be relied on to make the big play. Arguably the biggest narrative coming out of that game is that the Lions have turned the corner; they took the Mighty Bills to the wire but were failed by their QB. Allen delivered in the crunch; Goff didn’t.
That was also the main narrative on the board, though I was far from alone in saying - naw, that doesn’t seem right. Lots of reasons to think Chark ran the wrong route.
Only three things are possible given the outcome of the play:
- Goff threw a TERRIBLE pass.
- Goff misread the situation and threw to the wrong spot.
- Chark misread the situation and ran the wrong route.
Now, since many of you (and many pundits) seem to have missed Goff’s interview with Dan Miller a few days after the game, and since I still see that particular play invoked as an indication of JG’s shortfalls, even in the middle of what even his detractors agree is an otherwise strong stretch, I’m lifting up the key bit for you all.
Miller: When you look at that 3rd-and-1, do you just go back to what you said the other day, that I just wish I made a better throw? Was there something else you saw on tape?
JG: You know, I threw it kinda where I wanted to. Me and DJ just weren’t quite on the same page, and, yeah, there were other options on that play too. And that’s ultimately my job, to make those decisions and make them work and didn’t do it on that one.
And THAT, friends, is as close as you’ll ever see Jared Goff come to throwing a teammate under the bus - i.e., NOT AT ALL CLOSE. He still wants to shoulder the blame. It’s what he does. But he DOES eliminate the “bad throw” option (and history shows the guy is more than open to admitting to bad throws). That leaves you with either Goff messed up or Chark messed up.
Given how recently Chark got to Detroit, how much time he’s missed, and how much we’ve heard about Goff’s command of the offense - and how much input he had on it - I’m gonna guess Chark messed up.
Jared Goff reflects on Thanksgiving game, looks ahead to Jacksonville - go to 1:40.
