The "Goff has to step up in year 3" narrative bugs me

[LesBaker]

I've been hearing and reading it this off season and I just disagree with it.

OK............yes if he gets even better I'm going to be very happy, we will all love that. But if he plays exactly like he did last year for the rest of his career, well I'm still happy. I don't see the argument having much validity. And I don't know why that's a big part of the discussion surrounding him.

I think we would all like to see him play like Warner, but if he does what he did last year I'm fine with that. He wasn't average at anything, he was good to excellent any way you slice it.

Here is my case for why that discussion is not valid and is a waste of time.

1. He played 15 games. Averaged 253 yards per game, would have broken the 4,000 barrier if he played 16 games..........which would have been good enough for #8 overall on pass attempts than a lot of guys in front of him.

2. 8 YPA..........good enough for #3 overall and .09 of a yard, less than 4 inches short, of being #1 overall.

3. 12.9 per catch.......probably in the top 5 I can't find that stat. Maybe top 3.

4. A rating of 100.5..............good enough for #5 overall.

5. And by the way how about this. A 4-1 TD to INT ratio. And that is good enough for top 5 overall.

6. He was first alternate at QB in the NFC, lets not forget that. Think of the list of players at the QB position in the conference. Only 3 get voted in, so the fans, players and coaches must believe he was the 4th best overall QB. Derek Carr and Alex Smith were the AFC alternates..........anyone want to make a case for them being better than Goff? So players, fans and coaches think he is a top 7 QB right? That's how I see it anyway.

His pocket presence was really good IMO. He got himself out of some noisy/collapsing pockets and got off a pass many times last year or just threw it away.

So when I read or hear talking heads say "he needs to take the next step" I'm left with nothing to say except "or what?" because if he doesn't the team still has an excellent QB.

His completion % is 62%, which I can live with because he doesn't hesitate to throw it away if nothing is there or he feels a pass would be a risk. He takes great care of the ball which is how McVay has coached him.

What is the big improvement supposed to be?

If it is his completion % then all he has to do is complete 3 more passes per 100 thrown which isn't a "big step" and he's going to be about top 5 in that category.

Where, or what, is "the big step" or "next step"?

I just don't see it.

 

[CanadaRam]

Goff will be better than last year, period.

Don't worry about the talking heads

 

[tempests]

He needs to speed up his internal clock on some plays and be more productive throwing on the run.

I'd like to see him improvising and creating something after the play breaks down. Statistically his completion % needs to come up.

He needs to show he can bring the team from behind in the 4th quarter.

Those things should come with experience.

Next playoff game, he -and the entire Ram offense, defense, special teams - need to be better than they were against Atlanta or they're getting bounced in the first round again.

 

[Tron]

I've been hearing and reading it this off season and I just disagree with it.

OK............yes if he gets even better I'm going to be very happy, we will all love that. But if he plays exactly like he did last year for the rest of his career, well I'm still happy. I don't see the argument having much validity. And I don't know why that's a big part of the discussion surrounding him.

I think we would all like to see him play like Warner, but if he does what he did last year I'm fine with that. He wasn't average at anything, he was good to excellent any way you slice it.

Here is my case for why that discussion is not valid and is a waste of time.

1. He played 15 games. Averaged 253 yards per game, would have broken the 4,000 barrier if he played 16 games..........which would have been good enough for #8 overall on pass attempts than a lot of guys in front of him.

2. 8 YPA..........good enough for #3 overall and .09 of a yard, less than 4 inches short, of being #1 overall.

3. 12.9 per catch.......probably in the top 5 I can't find that stat. Maybe top 3.

4. A rating of 100.5..............good enough for #5 overall.

5. And by the way how about this. A 4-1 TD to INT ratio. And that is good enough for top 5 overall.

6. He was first alternate at QB in the NFC, lets not forget that. Think of the list of players at the QB position in the conference. Only 3 get voted in, so the fans, players and coaches must believe he was the 4th best overall QB. Derek Carr and Alex Smith were the AFC alternates..........anyone want to make a case for them being better than Goff? So players, fans and coaches think he is a top 7 QB right? That's how I see it anyway.

His pocket presence was really good IMO. He got himself out of some noisy/collapsing pockets and got off a pass many times last year or just threw it away.

So when I read or hear talking heads say "he needs to take the next step" I'm left with nothing to say except "or what?" because if he doesn't the team still has an excellent QB.

His completion % is 62%, which I can live with because he doesn't hesitate to throw it away if nothing is there or he feels a pass would be a risk. He takes great care of the ball which is how McVay has coached him.

What is the big improvement supposed to be?

If it is his completion % then all he has to do is complete 3 more passes per 100 thrown which isn't a "big step" and he's going to be about top 5 in that category.

Where, or what, is "the big step" or "next step"?

I just don't see it.

The 12.9 yards per catch was #1 in the league if I am remembering correctly. Good post and agree.

 

[Merlin]

Yeah I got tired of posting historical second year seasons by the greatest QBs ever. It's BS. People be people, basically. See what we want to see.

His QB rating for year two was outstanding. Where he has to go from there is mature into that QB who can still kill your defense even when the run is taken away. And this is where I give McVay & Snead cred, in that they ensured he'd have the weapons to do that. Just comes down to him working hard (which he does) and continuing his growth.

 

[jjab360]

You're right. He doesn't need to be better technically, as long as he doesn't regress you can compete for a SB with his play from last year and a greatly improved defense.

However, it's pretty much expected for young QBs to take that next step, especially with the continuity we've built around him from a coaching and personnel perspective. And if he does continue to improve, we could potentially be talking about a dynasty and not just a competitor.

 

[PressureD41]

I think the talking heads simply want to see him improve when the game is tight, and how he does coming from behind etc. And I think in general terms we all want to know this answer "before" it happens. Can he bring the team back. But he has shown he can do this as he done it a couple of times already. Well we got about 80 days until the real bullets start to fly to get these answers.

_______________
Hooked on the horns since 84

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Goff is 23 years old, just came off a tremendous season, anyone who doesn’t see this guy is going to be something special, well perhaps they’re just hugging their “bust” opinions and Wentz dolls way ave too tight

Meh, you just have to consider the source and move on

 

[Florida_Ram]

I feel ya @LesBaker .

If he takes a small step back statistically in 2018 many will say, see I told you he's a product of McVay's system and nothing special.

If he merely duplicates his 2017 stats, many will say he's capped out and we have seen his maximum ceiling.

If he hoists the Lombardi this coming season but it was the defense that carried the team in the end, he will be labeled as a very solid game manager that rode the coattails of the defense and he was simply coddled in the Sean McVay QB friendly system.

His expectations were way too low in 2017 because of his 2016 debacle.

Just one year later his 2018 expectations are under major scrutiny because McVay got 75% or more of the praise for his 2017 success.

(McVay deserves a ton of the credit but an NFL quarterback still needs to have NFL starting talent to succeed the way he did in 2017 no matter how good his coach and system was.)

A big piece of the pie from NFL pundits and plenty of Rams fans are still not buying stock in Jared Goff.

 

[dieterbrock]

NFL has a lot of film on him.
He’ll have to up his game a lot just to come close to last year performance

 

[Mojo Ram]

I haven't heard much of that narrative. Technically this is Goff's 3rd season but i still consider 2017 under McVay his rookie year as a professional football QB.

2016 saw him drafted, then watching for 9 games from the sidelines holding a clipboard(which probably resembled a tic tac toe board), and saw him thrust into the final 7 games where an ALREADY legendary bad offense allowed Goff to showcase his skills in how to get sacked, throw picks and fumble away games that didn't need his help in losing anyway.

The narrative we've all heard is how much better he got from 2016 to 2017. Well yeah of course, everyone who was on that 2016 squad that carried over to McVay's team last year got better...because the whole thing was a dumpster fire in 2016.

THIS is Goff's sophomore season as a professional QB. I expect to see that true leap that many other good QB's in their 2nd season take....happen THIS year for Goff.
It's coming...i can FEEL it.
[av]http://www.moviewavs.com/0093677609/MP3S/Movies/Star_Wars/proceed.mp3[/av]

 

[nighttrain]

NFL has a lot of film on him.
He’ll have to up his game a lot just to come close to last year performance

Cooks > SW = much better Goff
train

 

[CGI_Ram]

If Goff repeats 2017 the rest of his career he’ll be going to the HOF.

That said; he’s going to get even better.

I love Goff. His entire make up. We found a winner.

 

[nighttrain]

If Goff repeats 2017 the rest of his career he’ll be going to the HOF.

That said; he’s going to get even better.

I love Goff. His entire make up. We found a winner.

ive said this before, Goff's ceiling is on him, nothing else. This kid is going to be great

 

[Juice]

I have heard a little bit of this rhetoric. We have our franchise QB.

 

[PressureD41]

@nighttrain I agree and hearing he been working out w/ his teammates 1-2 per weeks all off season just adds to the hype of this coming season and beyond. Goff gets the true work load he needs to put himself in a great spot to be a top QB in the league. Damn it its like 80 days until the regular season gets going.
Lets hope Goff can take some of the work load off Gurley's plate and keep him fresh for the playoffs.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

NFL has a lot of film on him.
He’ll have to up his game a lot just to come close to last year performance

Yeah thats definitely been put forth, personally i think it’s pretty weak, his growing experience trumps that narrative as it always has with so many great QBs before him

Unless of course you feel he’s Incapable of progressing from the age of 23

 

[FarNorth]

Cooks > SW = much better Goff
train

I believe Goff will get better, not because he has to or because of others' expectations, but because that's who he is and what he does. He has an inner drive to be as good as he can be. This still seems to get overlooked because of his low key demeanor.

Goff put in a tremendous effort last year to make himself and the offense better after being caught in the Fisher- Boras train wreck. He is not going to stop now just because he has had some success, especially not with Cooks added into the McVay offense. We will see how high Goff's ceiling is, but imo it's very high.

According to my crystal ball, barring injuries we are likely to see the possession and midrange passing game executed to an extremely high standard with all three main receivers used interchangeably and a lot of successful deep pass plays. I expect Gurley to improve as a receiver as well, notwithstanding how good he was last year. Guess we'll see about the tight ends but they should have lots of opportunities given how good the other receivers will be.

 

[Florida_Ram]

And @LesBaker , another reason compiled with the constructive criticism about the 2017 version Goff .

The super hard core critiquing fans and NFL pundits are primarily focusing on his big game loses vs the first Seattle game, the Vikings, Eagles and playoff loss vs the Falcons. They don't care who, what or why those losses happened. Those are games that the QB gets the blame for more often than not.

According to pure stats in late games, this is another site that the so called experts are throwing Goff under the buss for in 2017.. Some reasons are legit even outside of silly statistics but it seems that 4th quarter comebacks inside of 5 minutes are a HUGE barometer of how NFL quarterbacks are measured.

%Passes Comp, Late & CI Jared was ranked #19. It's only one piece of the stat pie but other than the Cowboys and Titans games, Goff was not your typical late 4th quarter hero.

[stats.washingtonpost.com]

 

[Akrasian]

He should be better. I don't think he's near his top, yet. However, things can go wrong.

He could have a nagging injury. They happen.

Gurley likely will not have as good a season. It happens - it's hard to be THAT good two years in a row.

There could be injuries elsewhere.

Against that, we have:

A more experienced TE group, likely to produce more.

An upgrade of the top WR. (top, not necessarily in production, but in expectation). I think Cooks will be amazing. Watkins in some ways may be more talented, but between his never really learning the playbook, not fully running every route, and the concussion - well, I expect Cooks to be the team leader in yardage, and I don't think it will be close. He apparently already knows much of the playbook, hustles consistently, and is fast. Very fast - with good hands.

Plus, of course, Goff AND McVay should be better in 2018