The Detroit Lions have emerged as the betting favorites to win Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, according to ESPN Bet.
However, not all analysts are fully confident that Detroit has what it takes to secure the Lombardi Trophy.
Nick Wright, host of First Things First, has voiced strong doubts about the Lions’ chances, pointing out what he believes is a significant weakness that other analysts are overlooking compared to other top NFL teams.
Wright’s critique centers around Detroit’s quarterback, Jared Goff,
who was selected first overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Although Goff led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl appearance, his performance fell short of capturing the title.
Wright downplayed Goff’s abilities, dismissing him as a major obstacle for Detroit’s championship aspirations.
“I don’t think you can be the best team in the league when you have a civilian at quarterback,” Wright remarked, followed by his co-host Kevin Wildes reacting with a skeptical “Come on.”
Wright elaborated that, in his view, Detroit with Goff under center is not better than teams like the Kansas City Chiefs or Buffalo Bills, adding that it is “very difficult” to win three consecutive playoff games with a quarterback he considers merely a “good guy.”
Wright stood firm on his opinion, stating, “You can be mad, that’s my opinion on the Lions,” while another co-host called his stance “dead wrong.”
The comments sparked backlash from fans, many of whom defended Goff and criticized Wright’s assessment.
One fan pointed out that Goff had once thrown a perfect 18-for-18 game with three touchdowns.
Another commenter humorously suggested Wright sounded like a “kid trying to sound important at the adult table.”
Others reminded Wright that even teams with less-celebrated quarterbacks, like the 2000 Ravens with Trent Dilfer, have won Super Bowls, implying Goff is certainly more capable.
Despite the criticism, Goff continues to excel, currently completing 73% of his passes, second only to Tua Tagovailoa among quarterbacks with over 1,400 passing attempts this season.
Many fans believe that Goff will use Wright’s disrespect as fuel to prove him wrong.
