After Sunday’s frustrating 27-13 loss to the Packers, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff took a moment to reflect on where things stand offensively under new leadership. His message? Growing pains are part of the deal, but that doesn’t mean the Lions can’t still be great right now.
“Anytime you’re with a coordinator for the first year, it’s the first year of the coordinator,” Goff said after the game. “And that doesn’t mean we can’t be great right now; we should be great right now. But there are hurdles you’re going to have to face and improve on.”
Jared Goff on new coordinators
Adjusting to John Morton’s System
The Lions’ offense looked out of sync against Green Bay, particularly in the red zone where they settled for field goals instead of touchdowns. Goff’s words point directly to the challenge of adjusting to new offensive coordinator John Morton’s system. Timing, rhythm, and chemistry don’t come overnight, even for a veteran quarterback and a unit that still features big names like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta.
Goff didn’t use that as an excuse, though, he emphasized that Detroit still expects to play at a high level, regardless of how new the system is.
Jared Goff John Morton John Morton Detroit Lions offense
The Road Ahead
The Lions will have a chance to bounce back quickly when they host the Chicago Bears in Week 2. For Goff and the offense, that means cleaning up communication, executing better in the red zone, and finding the explosive plays that were missing in Week 1.
Bottom line: Goff knows the hurdles are there. The difference between another frustrating week and a bounce-back win at Ford Field will be how quickly the Lions can clear them.