The Detroit Lions have spent the last two years building their reputation as NFC North kings. Two straight division titles, a 15-2 record last season, and a 6-0 sweep through divisional opponents established them as the team to beat. But in Las Vegas, the betting odds tell a different story. The Green Bay Packers, bolstered by their stunning acquisition of star linebacker Micah Parsons, are suddenly being picked as favorites to reclaim the North.
If Jared Goff is worried, he certainly isn’t showing it. In fact, the Lions quarterback has never sounded more confident.
“Vegas has been wrong before, right?” Goff told reporters Tuesday, just days before Detroit’s season opener in Green Bay. “Who knows, we’ll see. They’re a good team, they added a good player, and we’re all 0-0.”
The Packers may be rising as a trendy pick, but the narrative has shifted against Detroit in shocking fashion. Despite last year’s dominance, oddsmakers and even analysts on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football dismissed the Lions entirely. Not one of the three experts picked Detroit to repeat as NFC North champions. To many Lions fans, it felt like a slap in the face. To Jared Goff, it felt like fuel.
Asked about the drop in confidence surrounding his team after losing two top coordinators and two starters from the offensive line, Goff grinned. “Love it,” he said. “I mean, it’s confusing because I don’t even know, where do we stand externally? I don’t know what people think, and I don’t really care. But are we supposed to be good? Are we supposed to be bad? All these different storylines, you can’t ride that roller coaster, and we don’t. We shall see. Time will tell. We’re gonna try to win this first one and move on from there. But yes, I like being on this side of it more when they doubt us.”
Doubt, in fact, seems to energize him. And as for the Parsons trade that shook the division, Goff was as calm as ever. “There were some rumors going on there, so I guess I wasn’t really surprised when it happened,” he said. “But yeah, he’s a great player and adds to an already competitive division.”
Still, if anyone has earned the right to brush off the hype, it is Goff. Over the last three seasons, no quarterback in the NFL has thrown for more yards or touchdowns. Patrick Mahomes is second in both categories. Entering his fifth year in Detroit, Goff has proven himself not just a capable leader but an elite passer. Now with new offensive coordinator John Morton, his role will expand even further.
The departure of longtime star center Frank Ragnow means heavier mental demands for Goff at the line of scrimmage. Morton is trusting him to command the offense, make adjustments, and carry more responsibility than ever before. Goff says he welcomes the challenge.
“I really try to see how much I can handle every week,” he explained. “I try to ask for more, more, more, and it’s kind of their job to governor that. We’ve done a good job over the past handful of years doing that and this year it’s ramped up a little bit, which is great, and I’ve owned it. I’m in my 10th year and feel like there are certain things I can help with, and Johnny’s been awesome, listening as well as giving me feedback when he disagrees with something I think, and I think that’s important.”
For Detroit, continuity has been their strength. Under Ben Johnson, the Lions fielded a top-five offense in three straight seasons. Much of that success was built behind one of the NFL’s strongest offensive lines. With Morton now taking the reins, and with a reconfigured line in front of him, Goff knows the spotlight will shine even brighter on his leadership.
The challenge could not be greater. Detroit’s first test comes against Green Bay’s defense, which ranked top five last year and just added one of the most feared defenders in the league. Micah Parsons, a game-changing talent, now lines up in the division, ready to test Goff’s protection and composure.
But Goff’s tone was far from nervous. It was almost defiant. “Hopefully we come out of the gates firing on all cylinders,” he said. “In reality that’s kind of hard to do right away, but yeah, we want to catch up to speed as quickly as we can.”
For the Lions, the path forward begins Sunday. The odds are against them. The analysts are doubting them. Their rivals just made the move of the offseason. Yet Jared Goff has sent a message, loud and clear: Micah or no Micah, his team is not backing down.
And if his words prove true, the rest of the NFL may soon realize that doubting Detroit is a dangerous game.