2. Multiple passing touchdowns for Jared Goff
Goff’s home-road splits this season are ugly to the point they don’t necessarily need to be rehashed, and his career record in colder weather games is not fantastic either. The Jets’ pass defense is also very stout, but they have also not allowed a touchdown to a running back in five of their last six games. So exactly how will the Lions score points on Sunday?
Goff isn’t likely to have big passing numbers during Sunday’s game. But when things tighten up in the red zone, he’ll need to make good, quick, confident decisions when the running game perhaps becomes a dead end. He is playing noticeably more confidently lately, it’s just a matter of transferring that confident play to the road. Having a fully healthy set of weapons around him will help.
An efficient, turnover-free (or least turnover-minimal) day for Goff will mean more to the Lions’ chance to win Sunday than any raw numbers he has through the air. But a couple passing touchdowns when it matters most is not out of the question, when points will be at a premium in this game and scoring touchdowns instead of settling for field goals will make a difference.