Jared Goff traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford in a Saturday night QB swap. The Los Angeles Rams made big news on a week usually reserved for the Senior Bowl. Adam Schefter announced the news just before 7:00 pm PST. Jared Goff, 2 future 1st round picks, and a 2nd round pick are headed to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford.
After a disappointing season for the Rams, many called for a quarterback change. In an offseason when as many as 18 teams could be looking for a new pivot, it seemed this was an excellent time to explore other options. It became very apparent after the end-of-season press conference that the organization didn’t have confidence in Goff moving forward.
That was Tuesday! It didn’t take long to pull the trigger after reports of a conversation with Brad Holmes surfaced. It appears the Los Angeles Rams have their quarterback of the future… Or did they just trade him away?
Jared Goff The 1st Overall Pick
Remember in 2016 when the Rams shocked the NFL world by trading up from the 15th overall pick for the 1st overall pick? It was the return to L.A., and they drafted the University of California All-Star Jared Goff to be the franchise’s new face. It didn’t come cheap, as they surrendered their 15th pick, two 2nd-round picks in 2016, and one 3rd-round pick in 2016. There is more, as it also cost a 1st and 3rd round pick in 2017.
That is a lot of picks, but hey, it was the team’s future. That year under head coach Jeff Fischer, Goff was brought in halfway through the year and went 0-7 as a starter. He went 112/205 for 1089 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. The following season, LA brought in wonder coach Sean McVay, and Goff flourished, leading the team to an 11-5 record and the NFC West title.
In the divisional round, the Rams would lose 26-13 to the Atlanta Falcons. It looked like things were moving up for LA after 12 straight seasons without a winning record. The following season, Goff went 13-3 and led his team to the Superbowl (argue what you want about it being McVay), where he would fall to Tom Brady and the Patriots. Despite not making the playoffs in 2019, the Rams still had a winning record in the toughest division in football.
Of course, we all know what happened this season as the Rams faltered with a chance to win the division. They finished at 10-6, and Goff, with a broken thumb, was able to lead the Rams to a victory over the Seahawks. A loss of 18-32 to the Packers in the Divisional round. Where Goff went 21/27 for 174 yards and 1 touchdown, it’s probably his fault they lost, though, right? That’s where the short fairy tale would come to an end.
The Numbers: Goff vs. Stafford
Matthew Stafford has career passing numbers of 3898 completions on 6224 attempts for a completion percentage of 62.6%. An impressive 45109 yards, 282 touchdown passes, and 144 interceptions. It puts him in great company with “insert your random NFL stat here”. Not bad for 12 NFL seasons (2 were abbreviated due to injury).
Meanwhile, in his short five seasons, Jared Goff has 1536 completions on 2421 attempts for 63.4%, 18171 yards, 107 touchdowns, and 55 interceptions. This includes his rookie season, where he came in mid-way under Fischer and lost all seven games for a horrible team. I guess in terms of sheer volume, Stafford is the way to go.
Jared Goff throws too many interceptions at a rate of 2.3% per pass attempt, which happens to be the exact same as Matthew Stafford’s over his career… Okay, but those TD numbers—are you seeing those? Stafford 4.5%, which crushes Goff by 0.1%. But the terrible teams that Stafford has been on! Detroit’s made the playoffs the same number of times that the Rams have over the last 15 seasons, a total of 3 times.
Here are some of the numbers I want to explore more. Jared Goff is 42-27-0 in 69 games started—nice! That’s a winning percentage of .609 in the regular season. Goff also has a 3-3 playoff record and a Super Bowl appearance at age 26. Of course, both were first-overall draft picks, with Stafford being taken by the Detroit Lions in 2009. How does Stafford compare?
Like Goff, Stafford struggled early, going 3-10 in his first 13 starts. But he would soon lead his team to a 10-6 record in his third year. The Lions would lose 45-28 to the New Orleans Saints. Stafford had a 4-12 season followed by a 7-9 season. He made the Pro Bowll in 2014 after an 11-5 record and another playoff appearance. He lost. He made the playoffs in 2016. He lost.
Stafford has a career record of 74-90-1, which is a winning percentage of .448%. Don’t give me the impression that he hasn’t had any weapons or a team around him, as Calvin Johnson was one of the most game-changing WRs who has played the game. He can throw the deep ball, I hear. Well, I can confirm from a source that Jared Goff can throw the ball 50 yards downfield. They did follow up with the statement that they had not seen it for a while.
Jared Goff Traded To The Lions, But How Do You Feel Joshua?
I was working tonight when the news broke. It didn’t take long for me to formulate my thoughts on the trade. So here is what I think about Jared Goff being traded to the Lions.
WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!!!! In an offseason where the rest of the NFL plucks your coaches like the discount rack at Macy’s, do you think it’s a good idea to up and change quarterbacks? It’s not even like the Rams improved! I did all that research so I could rant freely!
You traded Goff, four first-round picks, two seconds, and two thirds for a 32-year-old Stafford and a Super Bowl appearance. You lost half your coaching staff, and instead of keeping the stability of a quarterback who has had four straight winning seasons under the current coach, they get fleeced by Detroit! Rams fans don’t remember anything before Sean McVay became head coach.
Even in the playoff losses for the Rams, can you look back and blame Goff? Against Atlanta, he threw for 24/45 for 259 yards and a TD. They shut down Gurley and the game plan. Are we going to put the Super Bowl loss on Goff? Please! He didn’t win the game but Bill Belichick did against McVay. Search the audio from after the game…
With a broken thumb this season, Goff beat the Seahawks off the bench. In the divisional game against the number one team in the NFC, he was 21/27 for 174 yards and a touchdown. The Rams definitely didn’t lose that one, as the number one-ranked defense couldn’t get a play.
Instead of a quarterback and head coach going into their fifth season together, with offensive pieces around them like Cooper Kupp, Cam Akers, Robert Woods, and Van Jefferson, a new quarterback has to learn the systems, develop chemistry, and figure out how to win in the postseason.
At least they still have Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, sigh.
Sports Talk Lines NFL Coverage
I do not like the trade but will have to wait and see what the season brings in 2021. What do you think? Let me know in the comments section if you think the Rams made the right choice!
Sports Talk Line is your home for the latest NFL news and coverage. From what’s happening right now to what the future of the NFL holds. For that make sure to check out our Senior Bowl coverage as we go towards the NFL Draft! Steven VanOver, Connor Livesey, and Tom McAllister were all over the game today. If you missed it check out the game highlights here and also analysis from the day on the Sports Talk Line Youtube Channel.
And, of course, follow me on Twitter @JoshuaGriffith0 as I cope with losing my Gentle Giraffe…
Also Read: Jalen Johnson Brothers: Meet Rod, Kobe Johnson And Rodez Watson
