Lions Encouraging Jared Goff to Throw It Deep More
On the surface, it appears the Detroit Lions are among the top teams in the NFL in passing the football.
Jared Goff has a group of wide receivers that is capable of getting open and securing deep balls, even on contested passes.
With the addition of rookie wideout Jameson Williams, the Lions' offense certainly has the potential of being real explosive.
When reviewing film of the entire offense, a different picture is painted, though.
While Goff has certainly pulled the trigger much more over the past five games, the team does not pass it deep nearly as much as other NFL teams do.
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According to PFF, Goff has attempted the 17th-most passes of 20-plus yards.
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Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has come out and stated that he has wanted to see more explosive plays incorporated into the offense.
"Jamo’s (Jameson Williams) been able to get over the top of defense a couple of times, and we’re able to hit him once. And, we haven’t hit him another time, so we feel good about our ability to throw it deep when presented with those opportunities," said Johnson. "Jared (Goff)’s done a nice job. It’s chemistry with those guys, and really, it’s trust in them that, give them a chance, they’ll come down and make a play. So, I think you’re seeing that come to life over the last couple games, and we’ll see if we can continue that trend.”
Detroit's veteran signal-caller has been under the microscope since he stepped foot in town, with his ability to throw it deep being called into question regularly.
Not being able to connect immediately with the No. 12 overall pick on deep shots has raised the eyebrows of several supporters who were expecting immediate fireworks.
"He’s been capable of making any throw, second level or deep, and like I said, it really comes down to us getting past the guys," Johnson explained. "Do we like the matchup on the outside, or we feel confident we’re going to get over the top of safeties? And then, like I said, the more reps we get with these wideouts, and see them come down and make a contested catch, the more trust he has to go ahead and pull that trigger.
"I would say he probably could have done it a little bit more last game, too. There were a couple other opportunities, so we’re continuing to encourage him to do that."
For Goff, having more receivers who have the ability to stretch the football has given him more confidence and more of a willingness to take downfield chances over the team's recent stretch of games.
"We’ve got guys that can really stretch the field now, and that’s number one, just having guys that can really do that, and guys that I feel comfortable with and fits in our offense," Goff said earlier this week. "And then, just time on task. Just getting reps with those guys and feeling good about it. DJ (Chark), you’ve seen over the last handful of weeks, catching those deep balls, and him and I have a good thing going. Kalif (Raymond), we hit on one, and Jameson (Williams), we hit a few weeks ago. As we continue to grow, hopefully we continue to hit deep balls and continue to get over the top of defenses. It’ll really change everything we can do.”
