Lions QB Jared Goff Doubtful for Sunday's Game Against Seahawks

Former Cal standout likely to miss his second straight game. He needs to get on the field to prove himself

Former Cal standout quarterback Jared Goff missed last weekend's game against Atlanta because of COVID issues, and he is likely to miss the Lions' game this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks because of a knee injury.

Goff is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game. Goff did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, and his backup Tim Boyle took the first-team snaps during practice and is likely to make his second straight start on Sunday.

Goff's problems come at an inopportune time, as he was playing his best football of the season before missing the game against the Falcons.

He threw three touchdown passes with no interceptions in the 30-12 upset of the Arizona Cardinals on December 19. His passer rating of 139.7 for that game was his best of the season and his second-best since the start of the 2019 season.

Goff has not played since, and he wants to play Sunday.

"He's frustrated and he wants to go," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said.  "But he'll know when he's ready. We'll know when he's ready, but yeah, he was trending the right way and then when these things pop up, shoot, man you want to get back out there, so yeah he is frustrated."

The Lions are 2-12-1 with two regular-season games remaining, and Goff needs to show that he can be Detroit's starting quarterback next season and years to come. 

Campbell said this week he is open to the idea of Goff being the Lions' starting quarterback in 2022 and beyond.

Dan Campbell was asked on 97.1 if Jared Goff can be the team's long-term quarterback: "Yeah, I mean I don't see why not. He's playing pretty good ball now."

— Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network (@Justin_Rogers) December 28, 2021

Yes, Goff is playing pretty good right now, but he needs to get on the field again to prove he should be the answer to the Lions' quarterback concerns.   Otherwise, they may go after a quarterback in the 2022 draft or by way of trade.

In the 20-16 loss to the Falcons, Boyle performed well but made one crushing mistake, throwing an interceptions in the closing seconds after the Lions had reached the Atlanta 9-yard line.

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Cover photo of Jared Goff by Kirthmon F. Dozier, USA TODAY Sports

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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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