On the Nov. 18 edition of FS1's "First Things First", after the Detroit Lions beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11, here's what Nick Wright said about Jared Goff.
"I don't think you can be the best team in the league when you have a civilian at quarterback. I can't say a team with Jared Goff at quarterback is better than the Chiefs or the Bills. I can't. I won't. In the modern NFL, I think it's very hard to win three straight playoff games with a guy, even if it's a good guy, at quarterback. That's what I feel they have. You can be mad. That's my opinion on the Lions."
That's quite the take, lame or otherwise. Goff's five-interception outing in Week 10 against the Houston Texans was still pretty fresh when Wright offered that opinion, so the root of it feels like it was there.
Goff had an excellent outing Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, going 32-for-41 for 283 yards with three touchdowns and an interception (109.7 passer rating). Over the three games since Wright called him a "civilian" (code word for "just a guy'?), Goff has completed over 71 percent of his passes with five touchdowns, one interception and a 101.7 passer rating.
Nick Wright tried too hard to offer a 180 on Jared Goff
On Friday's edition of "First Things First", Wright, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes discussed the Lions-Packers game and Goff's MVP candidacy was a topic.
After Wildes mentioned where Goff sits in one set of current MVP odds, he told Wright to "tread lightly" (surely knowing what Wright was going to say based on pre-show meetings) and "don't do it". Wright wanted to simply "answer the question."
.@getnickwright thinks Jared Goff will win MVP… and you’ll never guess what made an appearance during his explanation:
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) December 6, 2024
“When he does, we should all give him a round of applause.” 👏🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/RaHXleKyuE
"I think Jared Goff's gonna win the MVP", Wright said. "I'm not being a smart-a**, I'm not being sarcastic, and I can...I'm gonna lay out how I think it's gonna happen."
After Broussard inquired a bit about Goff being his pick for MVP right now, Wright continued.
"I'm not saying I think he should, or he would be mine right now", Wright said. "I'm saying, I text my gambling group chat today and you can get Goff a 10-to-1, and I love it. I think it's down to 8-to-1 right now, and here's why."
"I think the Bills are very live to lose this week to the Rams". Wright added. "And the next week, with Nance and Romo on the call, we are going to get Goff-Allen. And they are going to, at some point during that broadcast, throw up both of their numbers. And Goff's absolutely running away with it."
Wildes called for the graphic of Goff's numbers and where he ranks league-wide during the Lions' 11-game winning streak, then Wright continued his take.
"And his numbers compared to Allen's are way better", Wright said. "And I think the Lions win that game, and all of a sudden Josh Allen has lost two in a row..."
Wright noted what could work against Eagles running back Saquon Barkley in the MVP race down the stretch (low usage against bad teams, with one tough opponent left).
Wright pulled out a weird clapping hands prop that Wildes is clearly not wild about, saying when Goff wins MVP he should get a "round of applause."
"I think he should win it (MVP), Wright said. "Find someone else on TV today who say he's gonna win MVP."
In a matter of three weeks, Wright has gone from calling Goff a "civilian" that can't be the quarterback of the best team in the NFL to saying he'll win MVP. Opinions are allowed to shift based on new information, but Goff has not done anything other than what he's done all season lately. So Wright's change of opinion, which took an unserious turn at the end, lands as disingenuous when it's all said and done.