Jared Goff and Detroit Lions must prove they can keep Super Bowl dream alive without Ben Johnson
Sky Sports NFL's Neil Reynolds and Phoebe Schecter discuss Jared Goff as he prepares for his first meeting with former coach Ben Johnson; watch Goff's Detroit Lions against Chicago Bears live on Sky Sports NFL from 6pm Sunday
Friday 12 September 2025 09:22, UK
Jared Goff is gearing up for his first reunion with the offensive mastermind that helped him resurrect his NFL career as his Detroit Lions face Ben Johnson's Chicago Bears this Sunday.
The Lions lost their prized offensive architect in the offseason. Can they and Jared Goff keep their Super Bowl ambitions alive without him?
Johnson was hired as Bears head coach this offseason after asserting himself as one of the league's most-coveted string-pullers in Detroit.
From a bag full of trick plays to funky formations, Johnson turned the Lions into one of the NFL's great offensive spectacles. But after their Week One loss to the Green Bay Packers, Dan Campbell's side and their quarterback face some questions.
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"It was tough to watch last week because it just didn't even feel like the same Lions team," said Sky Sports NFL's Phoebe Schecter on Inside the Huddle. "We love watching them because of the excitement, the energy, the poise, the creativity.
"Ben Johnson brought that to the table. Now you do still have a lot of similar coaches within the organisation. I think from an offensive play-calling perspective they need to get the run going earlier. They need to be able to bring that play-action game in.
"This offensive line has got to be able to establish themselves early on. I felt like they were never able to move the ball or be the enforcers essentially. And so because of that when they did try getting the run game, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery only end up having 34 touches between them and didn't reach 100 yards. That's unheard of."
Detroit stormed to the No 1 seed in the NFC last season as they clinched a record of 15-2 as firm Super Bowl contenders, only to fall to the Jayden Daniels-inspired Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
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The Lions were dealt a blow in the offseason when star center Frank Ragnow retired at the age of 29, with Graham Glasgow replacing him in between the developing Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge.
Johnson had unleashed Gibbs and Montgomery behind a monstrous blocking line in one of the NFL's most dynamic and physically overwhelming running games last season. The Packers barely gave them a sniff.
"It really reminded me of last year with Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars when they had no answers," Schecter added. "And I thought that was so unusual to see for this team. What are the kind of answers that they can give Jared Goff?
"Some of it is Green Bay just did a really phenomenal job against them. They've got a real opportunity this week against the Bears' defense."
Goff finished the season-opening defeat to Green Bay 31 of 39 for 225 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the face of rampant Packers defense.
The former Rams quarterback ranked second with 4,629 passing yards last season while throwing 37 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions with a completion percentage of 72.4.
"Jared Goff is one of those that's going to be very interesting to watch because he was at his best in LA when Sean McVay was kind of guiding him and being a puppet on a string almost, certainly helping him be in the right situation," said Sky Sports NFL presenter Neil Reynolds.
"Under Ben Johnson, Goff led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns. So now we need to see Goff go back to doing it on his own because when he was first in Detroit it wasn't brilliant.
"We've got to watch and see how it plays out for him."
Johnson's Bears enter Week Two seeking their first win after surrendering a lead to lose 27-24 to JJ McCarthy's Minnesota Vikings in their season opener.
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