The Detroit Lions dismantled the Jacksonville Jaguars 52-6 in Week 11, as the offense piled up 645 yards and scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions. Jared Goff also quickly re-installed himself in the MVP conversation, going 24-for-29 for 412 yards and four touchdowns while posting a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
Goff won NFC Offensive Player of the Week back in Week 4, after his 18-for-18 performance against the Seattle Seahawks. His performance in Week 11 seemed to make him a lock to win it again.
Not so much.
The Player of the Week awards for Week 11 were announced on Wednesday. Saints tight end Taysom Hill won NFC Offensive Player of the Week, after rushing for 138 yards and three touchdowns against the Cleveland Browns. He also had eight receptions for 50 yards, and completed a pass for 18 yards on two pass attempts as a quarterback (the other pass resulted in an interception).
Being labeled a tight end is short-changing all Hill can do. His offensive snaps last Sunday were split between tight end, quarterback, wide receiver, running back and fullback. He also plays special teams a good bit.
A unique performance is all that cost Jared Goff NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 11
Along with Goff's surface-level performance against the Jaguars, the seventh time in NFL history a quarterback has had over 400 yards and a perfect passer rating in a game (Goff has done it twice now), his EPA (Expected Points Added) was the highest for a quarterback in a game so far this season (+34.8).
Along with the interception on his two pass attempts, Hill also had a lost fumble against the Browns. He had 206 total yards, three touchdowns and two turnovers.
Goff had 433 total yards, four touchdowns and zero turnovers against the Jaguars. A strong argument can be made, leaving aside the uniqueness of what Hill did all-around, that Goff's Week 11 performance was markedly better.
A Lions' player has won a Player of the Week award on nearly a weekly basis this season, with a notable snub (Aidan Hutchinson in Week 2).
It took a unique performance from a unique player to keep Goff from taking home NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season, which says it all about how well he played in Week 11. And he probably should have won the award anyway.