The game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions is a crucial divisional matchup for both teams’ 2024 NFL season aspirations, so Matt LaFleur made his opinion of star quarterback Jared Goff clear before facing him in Week 9.
LaFleur knows the Packers will have to work hard to contain Goff, who leads the NFL in pass completion percentage at 74.1 percent and averages 9.0 yards per pass. At the same time, the head coach of the Green Bay franchise has known the opposing quarterback for a long time, having coached Goff when he was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.
“I’m not surprised by the success he’s having. He’s playing the position as well as anybody in the game right now. The numbers say it all, he’s doing a great job. If you give him time, he’ll make you pay for it, he’ll find the right players. If you give him a glimmer of light to make the pass, he’ll take advantage of it. I’ve always been a big fan of his, but I won’t be on Sunday,” La Fleur opined emphatically about Goff’s high level.
La Fleur shared what it was like to coach Goff with the Rams in 2017. “He was the first pick in the draft and started seven times as a rookie. Even though he wasn’t very successful from a team standpoint, I always thought he approached the game the right way, kept his cool, and the moment was never too important to him. You know he has talent in his arm,” the Packers head coach concluded.
Jared Goff awarded by the NFL
Jared Goff was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for his strong October. The Lions quarterback became just the third player in league history to post a passer rating of at least 125.0 in four consecutive games. In addition, the former Rams player led the NFL with an 80 percent pass completion rate and a passer rating of 149.0 for the month.
Jared Goff’s performance in the 2024 NFL season
Goff has completed 140 passes on 189 attempts for 1695 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions this season, which is his fourth year with the Lions. The 30-year-old quarterback will look to continue leading the Detroit franchise to the top of the league, and to do so, he must win against the Packers this Sunday.
LaFleur must decide whether to play Love or Willis as starting quarterback
Despite his emotional praise for Goff, LaFleur is not so clear when it comes to his Packers’ quarterback position. After starter Jordan Love went down with a groin strain against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Malik Willis stepped in for the win, the coach will wait until the last minute to decide who will take the field against the Lions. As for Love’s injury, it has already been stated that it is a day-to-day issue.