Jared Goff will be having a fresh NFL start after his former team, the Los Angeles Rams, shipped him and three draft picks to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford.
But before his stint in the City of Angels ultimately fizzled out, he did guide the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance.
Now, the Pro Bowler from California will be spearheading the offense of a team that hasn’t won a playoff game in 30 years.
Though the expectations to reach the postseason are imminent, Goff is playing under a more relaxed environment in the Motor City.
The Dan Campbell Effect
The former tight end turned head coach is a stark contrast to his predecessor, Matt Patricia.
There were complaints about Patricia’s behavior and there were reports wherein the players partied knowing that they didn’t have to deal with him in the offseason.
Meanwhile, Dan Campbell is an enjoyable breath of fresh air and his press conferences are gold.
It was him who uttered that they have to “bite off knee caps” to win in the NFL.
In another interview, he described his coffee order as two Starbucks venti coffees with two espresso shots each.
Detroit Lions HC Dan Campbell has to have the most absurd coffee order of all time.
Two venti coffees from Starbucks with two espresso shots in each is more than 1,100 mg of caffeine.
That's the equivalent of drinking 10 Red Bulls…every single morning.pic.twitter.com/Y1JGZckke3
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) August 4, 2021
He also shared his experiences working at a cattle ranch and at a Chicken Shack.
Campbell keeps on giving, and his engaging atmosphere is rubbing off in a good way on the Lions.
But while he does exercises with his team at training camp, he emphatically points out that everyone must fight for their spots in the squad.
Bottom line, Campbell is just manifesting his love for the game, and he’s making headway on his players.
A head coach who is a bushel of good vibes will help Goff shake off the pressure.
Nothing To Lose
Despite the changes in the Lions’ front office and team roster, they’re still the odd man out in the NFC North.
The Green Bay Packers are poised to be the division champions once again with Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Robert Tonyan, and David Bakhtiari on offense.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears have a menacing defense anchored bt Khalil Mack.
Andy Dalton is a serviceable quarterback who will serve as a front act for Justin Fields.
The Minnesota Vikings nearly made the playoffs last season, and they have the likes of Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and Justin Jefferson.
By star power alone, it seems like the Lions will be finishing last in the division once again.
Expectations that low can do two things.
First, they play with nothing to lose and come up with a surprising string of victories.
Second, the lack of pressure makes them perform better.
When that happens, great things will happen.
"We're going to light the flame…you'll douse it with gasoline and that's what we need from you 🔥 " pic.twitter.com/qQYjkLgliD
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 8, 2021
It’s not that the Lions are devoid of talent.
D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson are bright spots in the Detroit offense.
As for Goff, he may rediscover his Pro Bowl form by playing under the radar.
He can do wonders when that happens.
Goff threw for 4,688 yards and 32 touchdowns the year he went to the Super Bowl.
He may do that again in a relaxed atmosphere.
Detroit residents will be ecstatic if Goff and company fire from all cylinders.
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