It’s no secret that NFL fanbases can be pretty sensitive. Any perceived slight against their team, especially their quarterback, can spark outrage, and Detroit Lions fans are no exception.
While answering questions at the NFL Combine, Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson expressed his excitement about working with a mobile quarterback. What frustrated Lions fans was when he added, “I haven’t really been around that since I’ve been in the league.”
The future of the league is mobile quarterbacks
Where’s the lie? Jared Goff, a former first-overall pick himself, has been excellent these last three seasons and was even a strong MVP candidate. But for all the things he does well, Goff is a statue in the pocket. The keys to Detroit’s offense were quick passes, screen passes, and a dominant run game because Goff cannot reliably escape pressure and extend plays.
That’s all Johnson said and all of it is true. He never said Williams is or will be a better quarterback, but you can’t expect a brilliant offensive mind like Johnson to not be excited with the range of possibilities now open to him with a quarterback who can move around and go off-schedule.
Williams will not be running the Goff offense
While Williams does need to improve at the things Goff does well, and those improvements will come with time and experience, he brings a lot to the table that Goff simply does not. By being able to escape pressure, extend plays, and make these kinds of throws on the run, Johnson will now be able to create a whole new playbook.
The primary difference will be that Johnson can draw up more slow-developing plays. While he had some of these in Detroit, he could not be confident that the play would work if even one defensive lineman got pressure on Goff. With Williams under center, that won’t be a concern. Johnson can also include more designed rollouts and bootlegs, too.
Like Johnson said in his remarks, it’s ‘demoralizing’ to be on the other side of an athletic quarterback and watching him turn what should be a sack into a significant gain. Now the tables have turned, and he can torment other teams’ defenses, including the Lions.
