Jared Goff’s 2018 and 2019 seasons look very different on paper and on tape. He was an MVP candidate for most of the 2018 season, but ever since he put on a show against the Chiefs in that historic 54-51 win, Goff’s play has been on a decline.
Has he really regressed so much that he’s now worse than Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones and Baker Mayfield, though? In the eyes of most fans and analysts, probably not. But Chris Simms of NBC Sports feels those three quarterbacks are all better than Goff.
As he does every year, Simms is ranking the 40 best quarterbacks in the league heading into the 2020 season. He put Goff 24th, behind Darnold (23rd), Jones (22nd) and Mayfield (21st). Jimmy Garoppolo was also slotted ahead of Goff at No. 20, while Drew Lock was just one spot behind the Rams quarterback.
Here’s Simms’ brief analysis of Goff.
2️⃣4️⃣ Jared Goff
Experienced and accomplished with a really good arm. But his shaky accuracy and long delivery causes issues. And when the McVay offense is struggling, he doesn’t do enough to compensate. #SimmsTop40QB— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) June 10, 2020
Is Goff’s delivery a little elongated? Sure. But it doesn’t have much of an impact on his play. And while he did struggle with his accuracy last season, he was completing passes at a high rate in 2018 and the Rams’ offensive line issues a year ago had a lot to do with Goff’s inaccuracy.
He’s more proven than Darnold, Jones and Mayfield, and you could argue that Goff’s ceiling is higher than theirs, too. In 2018, he had 32 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions with a completion rate of 64.9% – all better than any season Darnold, Jones or Mayfield have had up to this point.
Darnold has 36 career touchdowns and 28 interceptions, while Mayfield had only one fewer interception (21) than touchdowns (22) last year. Jones was the best of the three last season (24 TDs, 12 INTs), but he led the league with 18 fumbles.
Again, Goff was not very good last season and there are legitimate concerns about his game, but his best season as a pro is still better than Darnold’s, Jones’ or Mayfield’s.
The Rams just have to hope his regression last season was more the result of the offensive line and running game struggling than it is about his own performance and ability.