Jared Goff’s standing among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks continues to divide the NFL fanbase. However, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe described Goff in just seven words.

In ESPN’s latest annual quarterback rankings, while the ranking had a new No.1 after three years with Josh Allen, Goff was ranked ninth, one lower than his ranking last year. While ranking below Drake Maye, Sharpe responded quickly to Goff’s ranking, which showcased his consistency over the years.

“Jared Goff has always been too super,” said Sharpe, reviewing ESPN’s ranking on the Nightcap podcast on July 22.

Sharpe’s comment on Goff, while reviewing the rankings on his Nightcap podcast alongside Bengals legend Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, highlights Goff’s reputation as one of the league’s most reliable quarterbacks.

While he could not rank at the top of ESPN's rankings, Goff has been consistent since being traded to the Lions in 2021. He recorded three straight seasons with over 4,500 passing yards and trails only Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees and Tom Brady for most seasons with over 4,500 passing yards.

Despite a turbulent and disappointing last season where the Lions missed the playoffs, Goff was still excellent. He threw for 4,564 yards, good enough for second in the league, and 34 touchdowns, second-best in the league. He also ranked third in passer rating with 105.5 and only threw eight interceptions.

Goff was able to put up these numbers despite being sacked for a career-high 38 times. He also suffered from poor playcalling from now-former offensive coordinator John Morton, who eventually had his playcalling duties taken from him by head coach Dan Campbell.

With Goff having a better offensive line and an offensive coordinator who suits the Lions more, Goff could be set for another spectacular season and could possibly lead the Lions to their first-ever Super Bowl.

However, one stat of Goff's proves that he has one aspect of the game that he still needs to improve on.

A surprising stat of Goff shows where he can improve 

There is no doubt that Goff has been one of the main reasons for the Lions becoming one of the best offensive teams in the NFL over the years. However, there has been one aspect where Goff has not been great. Comeback wins.

After an analysis by Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis on the best quarterbacks in the league in terms of winning games despite trailing in the second half of games, Goff was ranked as 21st overall with +0.04. 

Meanwhile, their divisional rivals, Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love and the Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams, were ranked second with a +0.31 and fifth with a +0.27, respectively.  

It can be argued that Goff has not gone trailing in the second half as much as some of the quarterbacks. However, with five of Detroit’s eight losses being by single digits, there have been instances of Goff struggling in such situations, with the biggest example being the Lions’ loss to the 24-29 Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16.

Hopefully, with the revamped roster, especially the offensive line, Goff might become more effective in such situations and could become better at one of his few weaknesses.

What are your thoughts on Sharpe's take on Goff? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Dhruv Vishnu Nair

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar