By this point, we know full well what Jared Goff is as a quarterback. Good, bad, ugly, in-between etc. If you created a mobility scale of your grandmother to Lamar Jackson, he's on the geriatric end for sure. If he has to take off and run, a couple moments so far this season notwithstanding, it's not pretty.
Defensive play callers know what pressure does to Goff, even it blitzing won't get through one of the best offensive lines in the NFL very often. So sending extra rushers is a risk worth taking more often than not, just to throw Goff off-rhythm when they do get home.
The Seattle Seahawks sacked Goff to end the Lions' first offensive series on Monday night. They started their second series in more typical fashion, with two David Montgomery runs that totaled 15 yards. On 2nd-and-6, Goff hit wide receiver Jameson Williams for a 10-yard gain and a first down. That got the ball rolling, as the Lions went 93 yards on 12 plays with a Montgomery touchdown to end the series.
Back to Goff's first pass attempt of the series. Under duress, he did a full 360, squared his shoulders and fired that dart to Williams.
Goff did a full 360 and delivered a strike to Jameson Williams
— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2024
📺: #SEAvsDET on ABC
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Often, Goff (or most any other quarterback, for that matter) would have fallen down in that situation and just lived to play the next down. But Goff, 1. Stayed on his feet. 2. Composed himself enough to get back square to his target and 3. Fired a pass into a tight window.
Goff is what we call a good "anticipatory thrower" when he's on his game. He knows where his options are, and is decisive to get the ball to them. Credit should also go to Williams on this one, if only because he didn't assume Goff would go down and he made a clutch grab.
Here's a small sampling of the Twitter reaction to Goff's 360.
That's one of the most athletic things I've ever seen Jared Goff do 😭
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) October 1, 2024
#Lions’ Jared Goff made this look about 100 times easier than it really is. Wow. pic.twitter.com/ds3OIIuGQF
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) October 1, 2024
People (everyone) will tell you Goff is not very mobile. But for one shining moment on Monday night, he was an athletic magician in the pocket when under duress.
