http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-736027-goff-offense.html
We can argue till the Vince Lombardi Trophy is hoisted in Houston next February the reasons for – and the dynamics and merits of – the Rams’ decision to finally hand their quarterback keys over to rookie Jared Goff.
The former Cal Golden Bear will make his long-awaited debut at the Coliseum Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. More than eight months after the Rams identified him as the future face of the franchise, it’s Goff’s turn to finally make good on their faith and investment.
In the process, prop himself up alongside fellow rookie quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott, who have lapped him over the first 10 weeks of the season.
And maybe, just maybe be the catalyst to a Rams revival.
“It’s been a long time, it feels like, since I’ve gotten out there and played,” Goff said. “I’m excited to get back out there and play.”
We can debate whether Jeff Fisher should have pulled the trigger sooner to replace Case Keenum with Goff, the first overall pick in April’s draft and a quarterback the Rams invested six draft picks into acquiring.
Or argue he should have held off even longer.
There are valid points to either position.
But there is sobering evidence to suggest Fisher and the Rams aren’t just right in their decision, they really had no choice. That is, if they still have hope of turning their season around and pointing themselves back in the direction of a playoff run.
Which they absolutely do.
Consider this: The Rams are averaging 15.2 points per game and haven’t scored two touchdowns in a single game in more than a month. In fact, they’ve managed to cross the opposing team’s goal line just twice over the last three games.
That’s abysmal by any measure.
To put those bleak numbers in perspective, think about it along these lines: The Rams have won four games this year while scoring the least amount of points in the NFL. Even the winless Cleveland Browns are averaging more points than the Rams, which, when you think about it, is astounding.
More than that, though, it points out how outstanding the Rams’ defense has been while surrendering just 19.2 points per game. That’s 10th best in the NFL, and it’s reflective of a defense that rests within the top 10 in most pertinent categories.
Week after week, the defense has delivered performances worthy of victories. And game after game, they’ve put the Rams in position to win.
But an offense challenged to strike fear in opponents vertically, unable to punish them on the ground and incapable of consistently scoring touchdowns simply couldn’t hold up its end of the bargain.
Another season has gone sideways as a result. But there is still time to get straightened out.
Which brings us back to Goff, for which so much is eventually expected but a lot is presently needed.
“He’s the No.1 pick. We traded a lot away to get him to be our future,” Fisher said. “And it’s his turn now.”
Goff doesn’t need to be Tom Brady the next seven games, and it would be foolish to expect nothing but smooth sailing as he settles in as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
That’s not realistic.
But it’s not unreasonable to have expectations, especially when you consider what Prescott and Wentz have done with the Cowboys and Eagles.
The Rams felt Goff was the superior player to those two, and still do. It’s why, upon trading up from No. 15 in the draft to No. 1, they decided on Goff over Wentz.
That Goff wasn’t as ready as Wentz and Prescott to start the season isn’t an indictment of Goff’s skill level as much as it was the transition from the offense he ran at Cal to what he does now with the Rams. It was never about arm strength or talent. It was commanding the offense and learning to play under center and recognizing defensive pressure points and offensive line protection calls.
And those things take time.
Goff made significant strides on the mental side of things over the last month or so and took that progress to the practice field, where he’s been flourishing now for a while.
It all came to a head in the Rams’ final practice before the bye week. Goff got the majority of first-team reps and put on a dazzling performance in which his gifted arm was on full display.
More importantly, he was decisive and in command of the huddle and at the line of scrimmage.
“I think it was one of the turning points,” Rams offensive coordinator Rob Boras said. “Obviously any time that you get extended reps, you have a better time to evaluate. We kept talking about the classroom, classroom, classroom, but now you got more reps against the first-team defense. So it definitely helped us see where he was and helped part of the evaluation process.”
Two weeks later – and two more weeks of the offense at a virtual standstill under Keenum – the Rams are turning to Goff.
Not just to get him much-needed experience over the next seven weeks with an eye on 2017 and beyond, but to provide the offense with a shot in the arm.
The Rams have been playing with one arm tied behind their back for weeks now, and inexplicably have still been competitive in every game they've played.
If Goff can just lift the offense even just a little bit and help increase the point average from 15 to 20 or so, it could make all the difference. The Rams believe he is capable of doing that, insisting they won’t scale back the offense in the least. If anything they’ll expand it even more as a result of Goff’s arm strength and skill set.
That should make for an interesting day at the Coliseum on Sunday.
And maybe the catalyst for a final push over the last seven games.
Contact the writer: vbonsignore@scng.com
alm::banghead::rant:
