Is it possible that Ben Johnson relies on Jared Goff more than Goff relies on him?
At least for this week, that appears to be the case after Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff delivered a brilliant outing, guiding the team to a 52-21 rout of the Chicago Bears and his old play-caller.
Goff and Detroit came out hot, both on the ground and through the air, capping their opening drive with ease against the Johnson-coached Bears. Early rushing touchdowns by Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery set the tone before Goff began piling up his own scores.
Inside a rocking Ford Field, Goff was flawless, completing 23 of 28 passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns without a single interception. His 156.0 passer rating was just shy of recording his third career perfect passer rating, which would have tied him for sixth all-time with three.
Per Detroit Lions PR on X, Goff matched an NFL record with his second career game featuring at least 300 yards, an 80% completion rate, and a passer rating of 155.0. He also stretched his team record of consecutive divisional games with a touchdown pass to 14, including nine straight versus Chicago.
Fans of the Lions can breathe easy again, as the team posts its fourth consecutive 1-1 start. The attack looked similar to last year’s explosive unit, thanks to excellent protection up front and big contributions from Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. St. Brown caught three touchdowns, while Williams and Brock Wright added the other two.
This lopsided victory contrasted sharply with the Week 1 loss to Green Bay, where Goff and coordinator John Morton faced heat for an offense lacking energy and chunk plays.
For now, Lions faithful can rest assured knowing the offense remains productive without Johnson calling the plays.
In addition, Goff carved his name into franchise history. With his third touchdown pass of the day, he passed Hall of Famer Bobby Layne’s 118 to take over second place in team history. Sitting at 121, Goff reached the mark 30 games quicker.
Catching the leader will be a far tougher task, as he still trails Matthew Stafford’s 282 by 161. Still, Goff owns a stronger touchdown rate (5.3%) than Stafford (4.5%), though just under Layne’s 5.4%.
He already overtook Layne for second in passing yards last year, and Goff now ranks top two in nearly every major statistical category for the franchise. Although wins are harder to find, Sunday marked his 40th regular-season victory, tying Greg Landry for third.
Performances of this caliber remind everyone why Detroit acquired him from Los Angeles in 2021 and rewarded him with a contract extension in 2024. After finishing top five in MVP voting last season, Goff again looked every bit like a franchise quarterback.
