By the Numbers: Matthew Stafford vs. Jared Goff
The week is finally here.
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions are traveling to Los Angeles to take on Matthew Stafford and the Rams at SoFi Stadium.
It's a battle of two quarterbacks and two teams -- the Rams are 5-1 and in second place in the NFC West while the Lions are 0-6 and in last place in the NFC North -- that are headed in completely opposite directions.
Through six games, Goff has thrown for just seven touchdowns, to go along with a lowly 9.5 yards per completion and 250.8 yards per game.
He's also totaled a QBR of just 32.9 (ranked No. 29 in the league) and a TD% of 2.9 percent (ranked No. 28).
Meanwhile, Stafford, with his new team in L.A., has put up MVP-caliber numbers through six weeks. The 33-year-old has produced 16 passing touchdowns, to go along with 13.2 yards per completion and 306.3 yards per game.
Additionally, he's amassed an NFL-leading QBR (75.0) and a TD% of 8.0 percent (the second-best mark in the league).
Stafford also leads the league in number of yards per passing attempt (8.67), while Goff sits at No. 29 in yards per attempt (6.3).
Then, there's this: Stafford threw for four touchdowns in the Rams' 38-11 victory over the N.Y. Giants in Week 6. That's as many total touchdowns as Goff has thrown for since Week 2.
In fact, the first-year Lions passer has produced zero TDs the past two weeks.
As Detroit head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Sunday after the Lions' latest loss (34-11 to the Cincinnati Bengals), Goff needs to step up his play.
"I think he’s going to need to put a little bit of weight on his shoulders here, and it’s time to step up and make some throws and do some things,” Campbell said. “But, he needs help. He needs help. And look, I told him out there, he knows this, but some of that stuff, we’re getting these holding calls, well, it’s cause he’s drifting back in the pocket 10 yards deep. That’s not fair to those guys, either, if you hang on to the ball. It’s like I told you, this is a collective effort now. Everything goes hand in hand, but I want to see him step up, I do. I do. Cause I think he can do it.”
Goff and Stafford are set to square off Sunday at 4:05 p.m. (EST) in Los Angeles.
