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Seven things Solak thinks: The Chiefs will trade for a receiver, Goff is a sleeper MVP and more (I think ... Jared Goff is the sleeper MVP nobody's talking about. The Lions are 4-2 after a 20-17 win over the Packers. It finally seemed like a manageable game for the Lions, rather than a desperate second-half sprint to keep pace with an opposing offense that the Detroit defense had no prayer of stopping. Detroit now hosts another division rival, the undefeated Vikings, with the potential to hand them their first loss and pull closer to pole position in the highly competitive NFC North. If the Lions win that game, they'll be 5-2 and the Vikings would be 6-1. And Goff likely would have had a good day against the vaunted Brian Flores defense. Through six weeks, Goff has 150 completions on 223 attempts (67.3% completion rate). His passer rating of 112.5 is second only to Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. His total dropback EPA of 58.5 is just barely behind Josh Allen (58.6) for the league lead. He has thrown 14 touchdown passes and no interceptions, which ties 2019 Russell Wilson for the most touchdowns in a six-game, interception-free start to a season in NFL history. That Goff hasn't thrown an interception despite how often the Lions have been stuck in shootout game scripts is eye-popping. He has also been one of the least-pressured quarterbacks (30.8%, fifth lowest among high-volume passers). At first, that sounds like a disqualifying characteristic for an MVP, but 49ers QB Brock Purdy has the lowest pressure rate and Allen is sixth. High-performing quarterbacks benefit from good pass protection and also make the sort of plays that mitigate pressures altogether. This is where Goff has really impressed -- he's playing with an excellent rhythm. Here's a good example on a nice play design. The Lions bluff the screen to running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and Goff wants tight end Brock Wright (89) on the vertical. But a spiking defensive end collapses Goff's throwing platform. No biggie ... Goff resets with quick feet and dumps the ball to Gibbs instead of trying to force a late throw to Wright along the sideline. I love the rhythm and comfort with which Goff is playing this season -- this, more than anything, seems reminiscent of the Ben Johnson era and what was absent in the brief John Morton intermission last season. Drew Petzing and the improvements along the entire Lions offensive line have Goff playing with urgency but control -- comfort without laziness. Goff will never be an extended-play maven, and that lack of rushing production will always narrow his path to an MVP award. But on pure pass attempts -- no scrambles, no sacks, no nothing -- Goff has collected 82.2 EPA through six games. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is second at 59.6. I took a quick peak at the MVP odds and found Goff eighth behind Allen (makes sense), Purdy (makes sense), Joe Burrow (makes sense), Lawrence (I agree), Mahomes (ehhh), Maye (probably not) and Williams (missed too many games). Goff has barely better odds than Packers quarterback Jordan Love despite the head-to-head win. The next closest player? Gibbs. There's almost no shot that Gibbs wins the MVP over Goff if Detroit's season runs out with an NFC North title. The Lions are a fairly balanced offense (15th in overall pass rate, 11th in pass rate over expectation). For a running back to win the MVP over a quarterback, the production and talent disparity would have to be so obvious -- think Robinson vs. Penix -- that it would be a farce to select otherwise. Until proven otherwise, MVP is a quarterback award in the modern era.
Goff is far from a favorite at this stage, and rightfully so. Burrow is the one throwing the ball on every down, and the Bengals have the easiest schedule left. The AFC North, at least by record, is as competitive as the NFC North. If you're making me guess today who will actually win the award at the end of the season, I think I'd take Burrow. But if the question is which player could emerge from the void of hype-less-ness and become a favorite by December, Goff seems like the obvious choice.): https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50278890/week-8-seven-things-solak-thinks-chiefs-trade-goff-mvp
Week 8 NFL MVP tracker: Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, Caleb Williams on verge of crashing race (Jared Goff:
Goff has always been an uber-accurate passer, but he’s taken it to another level this season. His pinpoint accuracy and ability to process defenses quickly and get the ball to his playmakers have spearheaded a potent Lions attack. Goff has had a trove of throws with an infinitesimal window to hit. He put it right on the money. Boom. Move the chains. Goff leads the NFL with 298 passing yards per game and a 112.5 passer rating. He’s No. 3 in EPA per dropback (0.24), and third in success rate (50.8%). Despite defenses knowing exactly where he’s going to be in the pocket -- Goff sports a league-low 6.3% of passes on the move -- he’s diced up defenses. The highlight of Goff’s early-season stat barrage is his 14 TDs to zero INTs. The no-picks thing can be fluky; sometimes defenders drop easy ones. However, it speaks to Goff’s ability to play in rhythm within the offense and through pressure. On pure pass plays, excluding sacks and scrambles, Goff has an 82.2 pass EPA. No. 2 is Trevor Lawrence at 59.6. That is a massive gap. Other QBs might have more scrambling prowess, but Goff has been like Zeus with lightning bolts this season. It’s easy to point to the talent around him, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, etc. But it takes a next-level QB to distribute to the right playmaker on time like Goff has this season. If Goff performs against Brian Flores' Vikings defense on Sunday, he’s making the top five, easily.): https://www.nfl.com/news/week-8-nfl-mvp-tracker-joe-burrow-jared-goff-caleb-williams
The QB-WR Partnership Report: NFL Week 8 (7. QB Jared Goff WR Sam LaPorta - Passer rating: 139.1). 13. Jared Goff QB Jameson Williams WR - Passer rating: 131.3. 30
NFL Best & Worst: From Cam Skattebo’s Giant Spark To The Chiefs’ Offensive Sputter (Worst Story This Week: Officiating In Packers-Lions Game -
I’m not one to gripe against officiating, but it was so bad in the Packers-Lions game that it must be addressed. The Packers were penalized eight times for 81 yards, with seven of them coming in the second half. The calls included two questionable roughing the passer penalties, a strange intentional grounding call against quarterback Jordan Love (despite the fact that a receiver, tight end Tucker Kraft, was in the area) and a wild unnecessary roughness foul against defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt. On that play, Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown appeared to go down after a short catch but got up and kept running. Wyatt then tackled St. Brown but was hit with a flag, despite the fact that no whistle was heard. In the postgame pool report, referee Alex Moore did not definitively say whether a whistle was blown either. I wouldn’t say the Packers’ loss was on the refs. Green Bay blew its share of opportunities throughout the game. Kicker Trey Smack missed a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter and his 35-yard attempt late in the fourth quarter was partially blocked. There were drops. The run game continued to be a disaster even with lead back Josh Jacobs back in the lineup, producing just 60 net yards. But in a league in which many games are decided by a few plays, the officiating must be held accountable — just like the performance by players and coaches.): https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/cam-skattebo-sparks-giants-chiefs-offense-stalls-seahawks-defense
Three Biggest Winners From Oregon Ducks in NFL Week 7 (Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions - Penei Sewell and the Detroit Lions earned a critical 20-17 win at Ford Field on Sunday over their bitter NFC North division rival, the Green Bay Packers. Sewell, who moved to left tackle on the Lions offensive line this season, as he did with the Ducks, played a major role in Detroit’s win over the Packers.
On one play against the Packers, Sewell lines up as an eligible receiver as new Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing got creative. The Lions' offensive line is much better than last season, and Sewell deserves credit. In the win over the Packers, the Lions' offensive line only allowed one sack and helped running back Jahmyr Gibbs rush for over 116 yards on 29 carries. The Lions selected Sewell out of Oregon with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, a selection that has helped turn around Detroit’s franchise. Sewell is considered one of the best players under 25, and in the Motor City, he's helped the Lions win two NFC North titles and playoff wins.): https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/three-biggest-winners-oregon-ducks-nfl-week-7-penei-sewell-bo-nix
Grades:
Report card grades for every NFC team in NFL Week 7 (Detroit Lions: A.
The Detroit Lions come off the bye and win a crucial game against a Packers squad who were feeling really good about themselves. This NFC North is going to come down to the wire with playoff spots on the line. Expect the Lions to be buyers at the trade deadline.): https://www.thebiglead.com/report-card-grades-nfc-teams-week-7-2026/
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