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Sean McVay's new offense for Rams brings challenges, opportunity for Jared Goff
Lindsay H. Jones , USA TODAY Sports
The good news for Jared Goff this offseason was that the Los Angeles Rams hired a new head coach with a track record of working with young quarterbacks.
The bad news is that he has plenty to learn as he adopts Sean McVay's attack heading into his second season – and first full year as the Rams’ starter.
A new offense and coaching staff make this offseason especially critical for the passer's development, former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner told USA TODAY Sports. And how Goff handles learning the new plays and terminology will determine how much of a jump he can make in Year 2.
“I always thought it took about 12 months to get fully comfortable in an offense where you knew all the nuances and you could just play football. That's going to be the biggest thing for him, in this new offense: How comfortable can he be by the time training camp and the first game comes around?” Warner said in a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports. “Or is he back in that learning mode, where it's going to take another six to 12 months for him to actually show what he's capable of because he's done thinking and he's just reacting?”
McVay and Goff only have been able to work together on the field for the last few weeks, but the duo will have more extended practice time together at the Rams’ mandatory minicamp next week. That is crucial time to continue installing the offense in advance of training camp, when Goff will get his first real action against the Rams’ defense.
“I think what he’s done above the neck in terms of the way that he’s handled the different things and situations that we’ve put him in, been very pleased so far,” McVay said this week. “We know that game-like atmosphere, you try to create that so that you can mimic and emulate those situations in practice. But, until you’re actually live as a quarterback, that’s when you truly get challenged.”
After the Rams gave up a considerable haul to move up and draft him No. 1 overall last year, Goff threw five touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing just 55% of his throws in his seven starts. But the offense, which ranked last by a considerable margin in both yards (262.7 per game) and points (14 per game), was plagued by a nearly non-existent running game and a struggling line long before he took over.
The coaching change from Jeff Fisher, who was fired on Dec. 13, to the 31-year-old McVay, the former offensive coordinator in Washington, was made in part to energize a young group led by Goff. The Rams made other offensive additions, including signing veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth and former Buffalo Bills receiver Robert Woods, to try to give Goff more support.
But Warner, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, said Goff's relationship with McVay, as well as offensive coordinator Matt LeFleur and quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, will be more critical to his success.
“I think when players have their greatest success, it's when they're around somebody that either understands how they see the game or sees the game like that,” Warner, currently working as an analyst for NFL Network, said. “There are guys that are really good quarterbacks, but they don't have a guy who sees the game or designs the game the same way and they can struggle. That will be a big question mark going in, is Sean McVay and the staff they brought in, are they on a similar page? If so, I think there's a chance for Jared to get exponentially better. If not, it's going to continue to be a struggle.”
[www.usatoday.com]
Lindsay H. Jones , USA TODAY Sports
The good news for Jared Goff this offseason was that the Los Angeles Rams hired a new head coach with a track record of working with young quarterbacks.
The bad news is that he has plenty to learn as he adopts Sean McVay's attack heading into his second season – and first full year as the Rams’ starter.
A new offense and coaching staff make this offseason especially critical for the passer's development, former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner told USA TODAY Sports. And how Goff handles learning the new plays and terminology will determine how much of a jump he can make in Year 2.
“I always thought it took about 12 months to get fully comfortable in an offense where you knew all the nuances and you could just play football. That's going to be the biggest thing for him, in this new offense: How comfortable can he be by the time training camp and the first game comes around?” Warner said in a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports. “Or is he back in that learning mode, where it's going to take another six to 12 months for him to actually show what he's capable of because he's done thinking and he's just reacting?”
McVay and Goff only have been able to work together on the field for the last few weeks, but the duo will have more extended practice time together at the Rams’ mandatory minicamp next week. That is crucial time to continue installing the offense in advance of training camp, when Goff will get his first real action against the Rams’ defense.
“I think what he’s done above the neck in terms of the way that he’s handled the different things and situations that we’ve put him in, been very pleased so far,” McVay said this week. “We know that game-like atmosphere, you try to create that so that you can mimic and emulate those situations in practice. But, until you’re actually live as a quarterback, that’s when you truly get challenged.”
After the Rams gave up a considerable haul to move up and draft him No. 1 overall last year, Goff threw five touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing just 55% of his throws in his seven starts. But the offense, which ranked last by a considerable margin in both yards (262.7 per game) and points (14 per game), was plagued by a nearly non-existent running game and a struggling line long before he took over.
The coaching change from Jeff Fisher, who was fired on Dec. 13, to the 31-year-old McVay, the former offensive coordinator in Washington, was made in part to energize a young group led by Goff. The Rams made other offensive additions, including signing veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth and former Buffalo Bills receiver Robert Woods, to try to give Goff more support.
But Warner, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, said Goff's relationship with McVay, as well as offensive coordinator Matt LeFleur and quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, will be more critical to his success.
“I think when players have their greatest success, it's when they're around somebody that either understands how they see the game or sees the game like that,” Warner, currently working as an analyst for NFL Network, said. “There are guys that are really good quarterbacks, but they don't have a guy who sees the game or designs the game the same way and they can struggle. That will be a big question mark going in, is Sean McVay and the staff they brought in, are they on a similar page? If so, I think there's a chance for Jared to get exponentially better. If not, it's going to continue to be a struggle.”
[www.usatoday.com]
