Each of Goffs Plays in the first half against Seattle

[Tano]

This is going to be a very long post.

I reviewed each of Goff's plays in the first half to see just how bad or how not so bad he played.

The second half he drove to the 1 yard line and 4 runs couldn't get them in and then he hurt his thumb while driving the Rams to another field goal. After he hurt his thumb, I don't believe he was the same so not going to review any of his second half plays.

Anyway I tried to be non-biased as possible in these reviews. I said the good and the bad.

Take it anyway you want. This is how I viewed them.

Ist Series
Pass # 1
2nd & 6 – Rollout 5 yard safe pass to Reynolds to the left. Myself and another person believe Higbee was open further down the field but there was a defender in the direct line between Goff and Higbee and I think Goff decided to play it safe. This one falls under the Goff is not completely confident of his passes category.
Pass # 2
3rd & 1 – Incomplete to Reynolds to his left – stupid play imo since all 4 receivers within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage – reminds me of Boras consistently doing that – Goff was forced to throw it further left than he wanted to because a defensive player was almost between Goff and Reynolds – not a horrible pass – just a bad play design
Punt

Second Series
Pass # 3
2nd & 7 – Rollout right – pass knocked down by defender (50) – Reynolds should have gotten in way for a split second of 50 but since he didn’t 50 had a free shot at Goff. Woods and Kupp were both open down the right sideline – Goff had no chance on that one
Pass # 4
3rd & 7 – Goff drills a 9 yard completion to Kupp on the left sideline – no one else was open – very good pass
Pass # 5
1st & 10 – Goff scrambles to the left for 4 yards – no one was open – not a bad play by Goff
Pass # 6
2nd & 6 – Goff throws incomplete to Woods on right sideline – no one was open and basically threw it where only Woods had a chance to catch it – not a bad play by Goff
Pass # 7A
3rd & 6 – delay of game penalty – not a good play by Goff
Pass # 7B
3rd & 11 – Goff passes 12 yards to Cooper Kupp – very good pass since Kupp was barely open
Pass 8
1st & 10 – Goff passes 19 yards to Woods down right sideline to Seattle 45 – very good pass
Pass # 9
2nd & 7 – Goff scrambles 3 yards to Seattle 39 after deciding to not take a chance on a somewhat open Jefferson at around the 20 to 15 yard line. Plus Jefferson should not have slowed down and kept going to the left sideline at a 45 degree angle. Personally, I think he makes that throw in 2018 and completes it. Not a horrible play by Goff but not a good one either. However, I am putting this in the questioning Goff’s decision category.
Pass #10
3rd & 4 – Goff makes a very good to great throw to Woods for 11 yards to Seattle 28. Very tight window.
Pass # 11
1st & 10 – Jrry’s favorite Blythe play. Blythe is not blocking anyone and decides to help Edwards out and defender knocks Blythe right into Goff as Goff is about to throw a possible TD pass to Woods who got open free down the right side of the field. This one is on Blythe 100%.
Pass # 12
2nd & 10 – Goff scrambles left for 3 yards. For some reason, Goff was looking to the left the entire time when Brown was his check down to the right. Not one person was within 15 yards of Brown. This one is on Goff for not looking for his check down when no one was open. Bad play on Goff.
Pass # 13
3rd & 7 – Goff throws behind Jefferson at 20 yard line 2 yards short of 1st down who drops the ball. No one else was open and Goff had to get rid of the ball since 43 came in untouched to pressure Goff. Tough pass to catch but I think Jefferson still should have caught it since it hit his hands. However, it probably would not have been a first down. Not a good play by Goff but not a bad play either.
Field Goal

 

[Tano]

3rd Series
Pass # 14
3rd & 9 after two runs – Goff makes a very good throw to Kupp after a defender knocks Brown back and hits Goff right after he gets rid of the ball. Good effort by Kupp to gain 8 yards and almost get a first down.
Punt

4th Series
Pass # 15
2nd & 10 – Goff throws a quick out to the left to Reynolds for 6 yards to the 31. However, someone to the right of Reynolds (I think Jefferson – can’t tell) is one on one with the 4th CB and I think he may have been able to beat him. But Goff played it safe especially since it was 2nd & 10. I think maybe Goff is being too careful here.
Pass # 16
3rd & 4 – Goff throws a quick throw to Kupp for 6 yards to the 37. Very good throw in a tight window. Kupp was primary target and no need to look anywhere else since every pattern went 10 yards or less.
Pass # 17
1st & 10 – Goff throws a 13 yard pass to Reynolds to the 50 who is coming back for the ball. Reynolds primary target and he was open. Good pass.
Pass # 18
2nd & 4 – Goff throws 11 yards to Kupp in the middle of the field to the 33 yard line. Goff was getting pressured and had to get rid of the ball quickly. Good pass.
Pass # 19
1st & 10 – Goff underthrows Higbee on a deep pass down the right side of the field. Higbee was open. Goff missed him for a TD. Bad pass by Goff.
Note – Goff has had issues with his deep balls this year and this is something I hope he really works on during the offseason.
Pass # 20
2nd & 10 – Goff misses Woods on a 10 yard curl to the right. Goff wishes he had that one back too. He usually is very good on those types of passes. Bad pass by Goff
Pass # 21
3rd & 10 – No one is open and after scrambling for a bit throws it at Woods feet 5 yards from the 1st down. However, Brown had gotten open just to the right of Goff and if Goff had faked a pass to Woods and then flipped the ball to Brown – I think it would have been an easy 15 yard gain. Not a bad play by Goff just not a good one either.
Field Goal

 

[Tano]

5th Series – this is the series that ended with the most horrible decision ever by Goff imo.
Pass # 22
3rd & 7 – Goff passes to Reynolds for a 2 yard gain to the 19 yard line. No one was open and Goff was forced to throw it to Reynolds for a short gain.
Penalty – roughing the kicker – enforced to 34 yard line
Pass #23
2nd 8 – Goff rolls out right and throws a short pass to Woods for a 5 yard gain to the 41 yard line. Only play Goff had. Good play by Goff.
Pass # 24
1st & 10 at the 44 after Kupp jet sweeps right for a first down – Goff makes a good throw to Woods for a 13 yard gain to the Seattle 44. No other play was available. Good pass by Goff.
Pass # 25
1st & 10 – Goff rolls out to the left and throws on the run and across his body that is behind to an open Higbee about 10 yards down the field who drops the ball after it hits him in the hands behind him. A slightly tough throw to make running to his left but it could have been better. Higbee should still have caught it though. Not a bad pass by Goff
Pass # 26
1st & 10 at the Seattle 29 after Henderson gains 15 yards. Okay all – you can yell all you want at Goff for this one because I was yelling with you. Goff rolls out to his right and only Higbee is possibly open. Higbee is behind a CB but it would have been a tough throw to make but I have seen Goff do it. In addition, Goff had an easy scramble for at least 5 to 10 yards. However, Goff tries to lob the ball to a covered Woods about 10 yards in front of Goff and the ball must have completely gotten away from Goff because it went over Woods head by 10 yards and even worst was 5 yards to the left of Woods who was running right. No one was within 10 to 15 yards of the ball except for a Seattle player who intercepted it. It was just a horrible horrible horrible decision by Goff
Interception

6th Series
Pass # 27
1st & 10 at 25 after kickoff with about a minute before half. Goff throws a quick out to the left to Higbee for a 2 yard gain to the 27. Goff is in hurry up mode and Higbee was primary targtet and Goff took it. Not a bad play.
Pass # 28
2nd & 8 – Goff throws a quick pass to Brown who isn’t looking for the ball and hits him in the leg. WTH Brown? Browns fault.
Pass # 29
3rd & 8 – No one is open and Goff slides one yard short of the first down marker. This is one where Goff should have dived. Not a good play by Goff.

 

[Tano]

29 pass plays in the first half. McVay abandoned the run even though there were some decent gains by the running backs. Not sure why McVay abandoned the run since we had a lead for most of the first half.

 

[Loyal]

Tano the Masochist!

 

[Ellard80]

nice job tano... goff did have some good throws.

the pass to van jefferson on 3rd down - i looked at that one a couple times during the game. Goff had some pressure but if he threw a good pass on that jefferson would have gained a good chunk he had leverage on the corner and some space to run.

Jefferson didn't make a good effort to catch it, but because the pass was behind him he would have not gained much of anything.

 

[Tano]

Tano the Masochist!

I couldn't help myself.

 

[Tano]

nice job tano... goff did have some good throws.

the pass to van jefferson on 3rd down - i looked at that one a couple times during the game. Goff had some pressure but if he threw a good pass on that jefferson would have gained a good chunk he had leverage on the corner and some space to run.

Jefferson didn't make a good effort to catch it, but because the pass was behind him he would have not gained much of anything.

Yeah it definitely could have been a better pass but he was getting pressure to throw it so probably threw it quicker than he would have liked.

 

[jrry32]

It sounds like Goff was better than a lot of us thought. The INT is inexcusable. He just needs to tuck it. And the slide was painful because of the lack of awareness. But beyond that, it sounds like there were only a handful of plays that you felt he didn't execute well enough. QBs aren't perfect, and they don't have the benefit of watching frame by frame on All-22.

BTW, my recollection of one of the Brown checkdown plays is that Goff rolled out to the opposite direction to buy time and nobody was open. Goff trying to throw the football across his body to the opposite side of the field is not something I want him doing (and is something QBs are explicitly told not to do). But I have no issue with Goff playing it safe. That's what we've been asking him to do.

IMO, the two big mistakes was the Higbee underthrow and the INT. And Adams should have been called for illegal contact or holding on the Higbee underthrow.

 

[Tano]

It sounds like Goff was better than a lot of us thought. The INT is inexcusable. He just needs to tuck it. And the slide was painful because of the lack of awareness. But beyond that, it sounds like there were only a handful of plays that you felt he didn't execute well enough. QBs aren't perfect, and they don't have the benefit of watching frame by frame on All-22.

BTW, my recollection of one of the Brown checkdown plays is that Goff rolled out to the opposite direction to buy time and nobody was open. Goff trying to throw the football across his body to the opposite side of the field is not something I want him doing (and is something QBs are explicitly told not to do). But I have no issue with Goff playing it safe. That's what we've been asking him to do.

IMO, the two big mistakes was the Higbee underthrow and the INT. And Adams should have been called for illegal contact or holding on the Higbee underthrow.

Oh I agree he was just extending the play on the possible Brown checkdown but I feel he should have seen the flow of the play and just took the checkdown when no one was open and weren't going to get open. He isn't a Mahomes or Murray or Jackson who can run around until someone gets open. I agree this is in hindsight but sometimes it is best to take the check down and not try to extend the play.

Also the reason I did this was because I felt Goff played much better than people are giving him credit for and he did a good job for the most part. A few bad plays (ok one really horrible play) is being overplayed by everyone on how Goff played. He played well for the most part in the first half. If he can get rid of some of his poor decision making, he can be a very good QB.

Oh and you can add the Woods pass to the right was a very bad pass. Goff usually makes that pass in his sleep.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Thanks for taking the time to do this @Tano.

Much appreciated and a great read, man.

It sounds exactly the way I saw it. Seattle was just standing on our routes. It seems our receivers were just running into the coverage that Seattle had set up.

 

[RentonRamsFan]

I think it's been mentioned before, but I'm of the opinion that the coaching staff has drilled into Goff that it's better to do nothing than make a mistake. If there's any doubt, don't throw. Now, this will prevent mistakes, but I think it's what's making the offence stagnate. Our defense is elite, but not sustaining drives will tire them out - no matter how elite your defense is, being on the field too long is bad. Just my opinion but playing QB requires a certain level headed swagger still - some level of trust that your receiver can either go get it, draw a flag, or at worst, defend a possible interception.

 

[Tano]

I think it's been mentioned before, but I'm of the opinion that the coaching staff has drilled into Goff that it's better to do nothing than make a mistake. If there's any doubt, don't throw. Now, this will prevent mistakes, but I think it's what's making the offence stagnate. Our defense is elite, but not sustaining drives will tire them out - no matter how elite your defense is, being on the field too long is bad. Just my opinion but playing QB requires a certain level headed swagger still - some level of trust that your receiver can either go get it, draw a flag, or at worst, defend a possible interception.

Thing is - we had a huge TOP advantage in the first half.

 

[Merlin]

The difference between an average QB and a great QB are probably a handful of plays a game. And to be great you need to be able to consistently do it. Nice thing for Goff is that he's got all the talent you want. Just gotta get that mental side down.

 

[RentonRamsFan]

Thing is - we had a huge TOP advantage in the first half.

For sure I credit the Seahawks for making big plays against our defense - the 45 yard throw stands out in my mind. Our defense played well for sure, but our offence didn't score a single TD. I think what I'm trying to get at is that Goff is now being too careful if that's possible lol. Based on the analysis in this thread for each throw, some of the decisions called out seem to be saying the same thing.

 

[Tano]

For sure I credit the Seahawks for making big plays against our defense - the 45 yard throw stands out in my mind. Our defense played well for sure, but our offence didn't score a single TD. I think what I'm trying to get at is that Goff is now being too careful if that's possible lol. Based on the analysis in this thread for each throw, some of the decisions called out seem to be saying the same thing.

I agree he was too careful on two to three plays but every other pass was to the only guy that was open except for the horrible horrible horrible interception. I don't think I will get over that play for awhile. That changed the entire perception of the game.

Rams were leading 6 - 3 and had gotten to the 29 yard line and if Goff runs for 7 yards - it is 2nd and 3. Seattle takes that interception and moves down the field to tie the game. Then Seattle takes the second half kickoff and scores a TD. Then Goff takes it to the 1 and 4 runs can't get in.

Take away that play - it is probably 9 - 3 or 13 - 3 at halftime.

 

[RentonRamsFan]

I agree he was too careful on two to three plays but every other pass was to the only guy that was open except for the horrible horrible horrible interception. I don't think I will get over that play for awhile. That changed the entire perception of the game.

Rams were leading 6 - 3 and had gotten to the 29 yard line and if Goff runs for 7 yards - it is 2nd and 3. Seattle takes that interception and moves down the field to tie the game. Then Seattle takes the second half kickoff and scores a TD. Then Goff takes it to the 1 and 4 runs can't get in.

Take away that play - it is probably 9 - 3 or 13 - 3 at halftime.

The interception was mind boggling given how careful his other decisions were - it's what makes people judge Goff so poorly is that once in awhile he does this. I didn't watch the entire game, but I don't think he attempted a throw into the end zone - that doesn't seem like a team trying to win on offence.

 

[Tano]

The interception was mind boggling given how careful his other decisions were - it's what makes people judge Goff so poorly is that once in awhile he does this. I didn't watch the entire game, but I don't think he attempted a throw into the end zone - that doesn't seem like a team trying to win on offence.

Only one time in the first half did we have a receiver even get to the end zone and that was on the interception play. The other one - Higbee was 5 yards short of the end zone but I think that would have been a TD if Goff threw it a yard longer.

McVay seems to be extremely conservative on his pass plays this year and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that any time they do a longer developing play, Goff gets pressured/sacked/or hit.

And I consider the majority of them to be Blythe's fault. We need a much much much better center. He doesn't do a horrible job but since we don't have any all pros in the OL, we need the center to be an above average player. Right now - I consider Blythe to be average to below average.

 

[Merlin]

McVay seems to be extremely conservative on his pass plays this year and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that any time they do a longer developing play, Goff gets pressured/sacked/or hit.

Once again it's really not McVay. He's no different than any other OC where he's got routes in combos that the QB chooses. On a general play call (not short yardage situation or redzone) he has a mid to deep option in the route combination. You even see that on boot calls in fact where the entire half is used to give Goff answers at the different secondary levels. Now whether that player who is on the mid to deep route is a threat, or whether he can get open or has a favorable matchup, well, that is where we get into what is really going on here.

The problem lies with the players on the field. And it's across the board too. It is the protections in part. Our OL has been inconsistent and has degraded since we lost Whit but also the TEs have had the same issue.

And beyond the protections it's also the lack of a deep win option at wideout which we knew before the season. Most of us I think recognized that we have two top possession wideouts and a JAG in Reynolds. Sure would have been nice to see Van beast out his rookie season but that's obviously not gonna happen.

And it's also the QB going through a bit of a confidence crisis. He's not been the same guy. You can see it. I am still confident in him to some extent, I don't think he's ever going to be elite however I definitely see his value. But the guy is killing us too.

This is why I keep saying a break might be good for Goff. I know he's pissed to not be able to play through it. I know he's confident he can get back to that guy we saw vs Tampa. And I know he's going to hate seeing Wolford get us into the playoffs. But you know what? That anger might be what he needs to lead us on a playoff run.

 

[Merlin]

Oh and btw the above is not to say I don't recognize McVay's tendencies this year to concede drives. To call a run or screen on third and forever. But that also relates to the above directly IMO.