Jared Goff's performance from a clean pocket is key to unlocking the Lions offense

• Things aren't quite clicking on offense: After the first two weeks, the Detroit Lions offense ranks just 11th in the NFL in EPA per play (0.007).

• Struggling from a clean pocket: Despite playing behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines and attempting the second-most passes from a clean pocket (58), Jared Goff’s 48.7 PFF passing grade in those situations ranks last among all 32 qualifying quarterbacks.

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Following a strong 2023 regular season where they ranked fourth in expected points added (EPA) per play (0.074) and third in yards per game (394.8), the Detroit Lions were widely expected to carry their offensive momentum into 2024. This expectation was only heightened by the continuity of retaining offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

However, after the first two weeks, the Lions’ offense ranks just 11th in the NFL in EPA per play (0.007). The drop-off is especially evident in the passing game, with Detroit ranking sixth in EPA per play (0.123) in 2023 but dropping to 24th (-0.130) through two weeks in 2024.

After an outstanding 2023 campaign that saw Jared Goff post an 85.7 PFF overall grade — good for 10th in the NFL — expectations were sky-high for the Lions’ quarterback heading into 2024. Many believed he would pick up right where he left off, leading a high-powered Detroit offense.

But through the first few games, Goff has struggled to find that same magic.

Through two weeks, Goff has earned just a 44.4 PFF overall grade, 30th among 33 qualifying signal-callers. And this early dip in performance brings renewed focus to one of the most persistent critiques of Goff: his inconsistency under pressure.

The numbers support this concern. From 2021 to 2023, Goff’s 45.2 PFF passing grade under pressure ranked just 29th among 50 qualifying quarterbacks.

However, even Goff’s harshest critics recognize his effectiveness from a clean pocket, which often compensates for his struggles under pressure. Over the last three seasons, he ranks 17th in PFF passing grade from a clean pocket, while his 107.1 passer rating on these plays is the fourth-highest.

What’s concerning for Lions fans is that this hasn’t been the case through Detroit’s first two games of the 2024 season. Despite playing behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines and attempting the second-most passes from a clean pocket (58), Goff’s 48.7 PFF passing grade in those situations ranks last among all 32 qualifying quarterbacks.

Moreover, after registering just four turnover-worthy throws — PFF's lowest-graded pass attempts — throughout 2023, Goff has already recorded three in the first two weeks of 2024.

Naturally, this decline has significantly impacted the Lions' passing game. Last season, Detroit generated 0.395 EPA per play on pass plays where the quarterback was kept clean, the second-highest mark in the NFL. So far in 2024, they rank just 27th in such situations, managing only 0.012 EPA per play.

While it’s still early in the season, and there’s ample time for the Lions’ offense to reach its full potential, a key to that will be Jared Goff improving, particularly in the situations where he's excelled in the past.