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January’s trade of Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Goff, like every transaction, will be rushed to the altar of judgment. Touchdown passes, interceptions, and yes, quarterback wins, will be just a few of the criteria by which Stafford and Goff will be compared in 2021.
Is it fair? Not really. Each quarterback’s respective team is in completely different spots when it comes to title contention. Also, there were draft picks two years out included in the trade. But will we still bend the knee and ask the almighty quarterback gods to reign down their judgment anyway? You betcha.
This leads us to today’s Question of the Day...
What are your expectations for Jared Goff in 2021?
According to ESPN’s fantasy football projections for the 2021 season, Stafford will outperform Goff statistically, but not by as far a margin as you might expect.
Stafford and Goff 2021 Projections
Player | Completions/Attempts | Passing Yards | Passing Touchdowns | Interceptions | Carries | Rushing Yards |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Completions/Attempts | Passing Yards | Passing Touchdowns | Interceptions | Carries | Rushing Yards |
Jared Goff | 385/597 | 4341 | 22 | 12 | 44 | 101 |
Matthew Stafford | 398/609 | 4564 | 25 | 12 | 35 | 131 |
Those numbers for Stafford seem extremely pedestrian for a guy who is supposed to be the missing ingredient for Sean McVay’s Super Bowl recipe. When you compare them to Goff’s projected output for 2021, at least on paper, this trade would end up being disastrous for the Rams.
It’s in my extremely well-adjusted opinion that Stafford will easily outperform those projections, but I think those numbers for Goff look about right. I could see the interception total being a tick higher and the passing yards substantially greater should the Detroit Lions find themselves trailing more often than not this year. But if Goff’s statistical output is something along these lines, would that buy him a vote of confidence from you and another season under center in Detroit?
Your turn.