As we prepare to enter Week 7 in the NFL, the Detroit Lions embarrassingly represent the lone winless team at this juncture. The Lions have showcased tremendous effort for their first-year head coach Dan Campbell, but that effort and composure seemed to be lacking in their most recent loss, a 34-11 drubbing at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals. With the Los Angeles Rams on the immediate schedule for Sunday, things are going to get harder before they get easier. Campbell is a passionate leader, but even he couldn't hold back from venting some frustration with his starting quarterback Jared Goff in the wake of their sixth consecutive defeat.

“Goff needs to step,” Campbell said. “He needs to put a little weight on his shoulders, and it’s time to step up and make some throws.”

Campbell appears to be losing faith in his signal-caller. The former No. 1 overall pick has performed at a rather pedestrian rate thus far. The California native has thrown for just seven touchdowns in six contests, and his 6.3 yards per attempt represents his lowest output since his rookie campaign. Goff was especially poor against the Cincinnati Bengals, completing 28-of-42 passes for just 202 yards, which represents a mind-blowingly low 4.8 yards per attempt. Goff threw a single interception and failed to find the end zone.

As Campbell continues to search for the recipe to lead Detroit to their first victory of 2021, the possible benching of Goff has reportedly revealed itself as a tempting option. The issue with going down that possible road is simple. The Lions currently lack a capable backup quarterback. Benching Goff would thrust David Blough into the starting lineup.

A 26-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Purdue who originally signed with the Cleveland Browns at the conclusion of the 2019 NFL Draft, Blough has 184 career passing attempts to his name, all of which occurred during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns as a member of the Lions. The sample size is rather small but has nonetheless been overwhelmingly disappointing. Blough holds a career completion percentage of just 54.35% while throwing more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (four). His 5.6 yards per attempt average represents that of a quarterback who is even less willing to push the ball down the field than Goff currently is.

The Lions' failure to secure the services of a capable backup quarterback falls squarely on the shoulders of general manager Brad Holmes, and has all but ensured there will be no quarterback controversy in the Motor City. Despite his current form leaving plenty to be desired, Goff will continue to give the Lions the best chance to win on a weekly basis.