Ranking the NFL Starting Quarterbacks
#15 Jared Goff (Detroit Lions)
Whether you’re a Lions fan or not, it’s tough to root against Jared Goff. He was kicked to the curb by the Rams after the 2020 season, and in their first year with a new quarterback, L.A. won the Super Bowl. Not to mention, the quarterback Goff was replaced with was the clear difference-maker for that team.
But since then, Goff has come back from the dead to help turn the Lions into a legitimate Super Bowl contender. He’s played particularly well during the last 2 seasons:
Goff has excelled in Ben Johnson’s system, just like he excelled in Sean McVay’s system for most of his time in L.A.
But here comes the back-handed compliment…Goff is really good, and I do mean really good, when the play works as designed. That means a clean pocket, routes breaking on time, and the defense not throwing too many wrenches into the mix.
This is not meant to be a knock on Goff, necessarily. While every quarterback is good when the play works as it should, some are better than others. Goff is very much in that category, which is no small thing:
For instance, Goff finished as the 2nd-highest rated quarterback in the NFL last season when kept clean, according to PFF. The year prior, he ranked 3rd.
The issue for Goff has always been his ability (or inability) to perform when things are not pristine around him. For instance, when facing pressure over the last two seasons, Goff had the 31st and 29th highest passer rating in the NFL respectively (PFF).
And while Goff played some great football in 2023, when he got to the NFC Championship Game, he couldn’t get it done in the face of pressure (3-13, 26 yards).
Not all pressure is the same, I get it. But this has been the issue for Goff throughout his entire career. You can even go back to his performance in Super Bowl LIII against the Patriots and see it. When under pressure that night, Goff completed just 4 of 14 passes for 47 yards and a back-breaking INT (PFF):
The impact of scheme on Goff’s performance can also be reflected in how he executes on straight drop-back passes versus play-action.
Last season, his passer rating was 22.4 points lower on straight drop backs than on play-action. 21 quarterbacks had a smaller gap between the two. The year before, his passer rating on straight drop backs was 34.3 points lower, which was the 2nd-largest gap in the NFL.
This has been the story throughout much of Goff’s career.
Why is this significant? Generally, the reads and throws on play-action are more prescribed. The play-design tends to influence defenders, generate larger windows, force hesitation in the pass rush, and create more completions. Which means the success of the play is more dependent on the play-design itself.
Straight drop backs, on the other hand, are more dependent on the quarterback’s ability to read, react, and make the right decision.
Goff’s performance has been elevated by some great play-action schemes during his career.
You can also make the same argument about Goff needing a good running game to thrive off of. In fact, during his two best seasons (2018 and 2023), he had his two best rushing attacks, both of which were among the NFL’s best in each of those seasons.
Bottom line - Goff knows how to execute an offense and is a talented passer when he has time and space to throw. He is very good at what he’s asked to do. That’s been enough to get to a Super Bowl and 2 NFC Championship Games, something many quarterbacks haven’t been able to do.
It might even be enough to win a Super Bowl some day.
Check out the rest of the rankings here:
#32 Bo Nix (Denver Broncos)
#31 Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
#30 J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)
#29 Gardner Minshew (Las Vegas Raiders)
#28 Will Levis (Tennessee Titans)
#27 Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns)
#26 Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts)
#25 Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers)
#24 Daniel Jones (New York Giants)
#23 Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders)
#22 Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)
#21 Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)
#20 Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
#19 Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints)
#18 Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
#17 Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)
#16 Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)
#15 Jared Goff (Detroit Lions)
#14 Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)
#13 Kirk Cousins (Atlanta Falcons)
#12 Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
#11 Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers)
#10 Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers)
#9 Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
#8 C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)
#7 Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers)
#6 Aaron Rodgers (New York Jets)
#5 Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams)
#4 Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)
#3 Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
#2 Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
#1 Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)