On Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff will make his 74th straight regular season start and his 78th straight start including the playoffs. That's the second-longest active streak in the NFL for a quarterback, behind only Josh Allen.
The way quarterbacks have fallen to injury so far this season, though it has subsided a bit over the last couple weeks, the Lions' lack of a good plan behind Goff has been exposed. No team easily survives the absence of their starting quarterback, but the drop-off from Goff to Josh Dobbs is as drastic as it gets when it comes to a drop-off from starter to backup.
Goff has generally been protected better than he was last season. But as we always say, all it takes is one awkward hit, one awkward landing, etc. to sideline him for a notable stretch of time. Right now, any games Goff misses can be put in the loss column without hesitation.
It's down the list of areas where general manager Brad Holmes has left something to be desired, but we're still waiting for the "emphasis" he proposed a few offseasons ago regarding the No. 2 quarterback spot.
Jacoby Brissett's audition for the Lions' QB2 spot has arrived
In Week 5 the Lions will take on the Arizona Cardinals. While it's a proverbial "revenge game" for offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, a close look at the quarterback who should've been on the QB2 radar months ago is also here.
Jacoby Brissett was very productive running Petzing's offense in Arizona last season. In four games this season, he has over 275 passing yards or multiple passing touchdowns three times (both once).
With a 1-3 record, and a Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Chargers that's looking less and less impressive, how long Brissett will be the Cardinals' starting quarterback is set to become a question. A growing run of losses, which seems likely to happen, stands to bring a transition to rookie Carson Beck at some point.
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Brissett is in line to have a ton of success against a Lions' pass defense that has been an insult to the word awful. Some changes appear to be coming this week, rightfully so, but there's an "arranging deck chairs on the Titanic" vibe there until shown otherwise.
As he becomes a prime trade asset for the Cardinals, Brissett has a chance to audition for other teams over the next month. The team that should be at the front of the line to trade for him will be on the opposite sideline on Sunday, with the offensive coordinator that coaxed the best play of his career out of him last season on that same sideline.
Of course facing such an abysmal pass defense this week complicates a freshened evaluation of Brissett. Ultimately though, that shouldn't matter when it comes to the Lions' interest in upgrading their situation behind Goff.
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