Good article, and a sane viewpoint that goes against the grain for the kneejerk media.
I don't read it as: "It's good for a QB to start poorly, because that means they have a chance to become Eli Manning."
I do read it as: "A QB can flourish even after a horrendous start to his career. Example: Eli Manning."
What the article offers is a step back, an acknowledgement of what we saw from Goff, and a discussion of why that doesn't doom him, or define his career, before stating some factors that could contribute to a turnaround in year 2, an upward trajectory, and a successful career. It doesn't claim those things will happen, and it doesn't claim that starting poorly was good for Goff.
(Though perhaps it benefitted him by getting Fisher out of the building? wait... this was Goff's plan all along...?:mrburnsevil
As far as not seeing anything positive from Goff, there were plenty of plays where he flashed his skill, talent, instinct, guts. No, not solely in the New Orleans game, though you can look at that first half for sure, and see Goff's potential. No one wants to, but you can also go back to college, and look at the traits that made him a high first-round prospect at the position, that failed to consistently materialize in last year's debacle. It's a safe bet the guy didn't forget how to play the game, and it's more likely the scheme and demands put on him became obstacles rather than guardrails for his success.
I want Jared to succeed. I believe he will. I won't pretend those things aren't true. But I want to be clear that I think he should be judged fairly.
Goff's career has only just begun. Brooks simply makes the case that we can't know what his future will be, since we've seen QBs start poorly, and go on to moderate and even great success, and there's no reason to believe such a thing is impossible for Jared. With the coaching move, and the search for reliable targets, the Rams look to be putting him in a much better position to succeed than he found himself in last year. So folks can write him off if they want, and it will look sensible given the numbers and narrative thus far. There's just still so much more opportunity for Goff to grow, and be successful, and it's silly to overlook that.
Edited for an extra 's'
