Jared Goff didn't need big Week 8 numbers to continue streak of phenomenal play
In Sunday's 52-14 dismantling of the Tennessee Titans, the Detroit Lions had just 47 offensive plays with 225 total yards. Which isn't to say the offense didn't contribute or wasn't efficient, going 5-for-5 in red zone. But the defense and special teams largely carried the day.
Jared Goff has been on quite a hot streak lately. He entered Week 8 as the fourth quarterback in NFL history to have three straight games with a passer rating of 140 or better. He had also thrown for at least 280 yards yards in three straight games, with plenty of epic numbers comparing his incompletions to the touchdowns the Lions have scored.
Due to the sheer lack of Lions' offensive plays against the Titans, Goff went 12-for-15 for 85 yards with three touchdowns in the game. Completing an even 80 percent of his passes cashed in the Week 8 bold prediction for him from Garrett Podell of CBS Sports.
"Goff will have a difficult time maintaining a completion percentage around 80% against his Week 8 opponent in the Tennessee Titans since their 59.6% completion percentage allowed this season is the fourth-lowest in the NFL. I'm betting it won't matter as Goff, St. Brown and Co. steamroll their way to another high-scoring victory with Detroit's quarterback completing at least 80% of his throws."
-Garrett Podell, CBS Sports
Low Week 8 passing volume did not derail Jared Goff's streak of phenomenal play
Let's take a look at the recent run of phenomenal (and/or historical) play Goff extended on Sunday.
Goff now has the highest completion percentage (83.0 percent) and passer rating (146.5) over any five-game span in NFL history.
The comparison of "incompletions vs. Lions offensive touchdowns" over this recent stretch of games is indeed getting out of hand.
Goff posted the highest passer rating in the month of October in NFL history (149.8). If he doesn't win NFC Offensive Player of the Month for this month, something is wrong or there's another top candidate that's easy to forget at the moment.
Goff is the first player in NFL history to have two or more touchdown passes, complete at least 72 percent of his passes and post a passer rating of 110.0 or better in five straight games.
Goff is literally setting some kind of historical mark(s) every week at this point. This run won't last forever, but when incompletions become a notable occurrence you know a quarterback is playing at a rare level.