Los Angeles Rams: Why They Really Won't Play Jared Goff
Sep 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) reacts against the Minnesota Vikings during a NFL game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
After the abysmal showing of the Los Angeles Rams offense in the season opener, calls are growing louder for the start of the Jared Goff area.
Fans saw this team give up a wealth of draft picks in order to secure the young man from Cal in hopes he could become the franchise guy moving forward. Yet head coach Jeff Fisher continues to stubbornly refuse to play Goff. Most believe his reasoning stems from believing Goff is not ready and needs more time to learn the offense. The best place to do that is on the sideline where he can observe without taking the hits.
Some however aren’t buying that. This new era of NFL football means the rookie quarterback should start right away. Nothing offers better teaching than live action. Besides, Fisher can’t keep delaying the inevitable. Not with the offense performing so poorly. It needs a spark and Goff is their best hope. What is the real reason for the delay?
Noted draft expert Matt Miller of Bleacher Report posed that question to sources and they responded with a rather succinct answer.
“Why isn’t No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff playing? As one NFL scout told me, “They can’t put him behind that line.” Is that the case, or have the Rams already ruined a promising quarterback prospect with their handling of him?”
One can understand the hesitance of the coaches to subject Goff to that offensive line. It’s not good. The stats will say they only allowed 18 sacks in 2015 but that’s misleading. Part why that happened is because the team ran the ball 429 times. Case Keenum was only sacked twice on Monday Night but the tape reveals he was pressured often.
The sources say they’ve already ruined Jared Goff by handling him as they have, but it may be about preservation as well. Keep in mind the targets he’d be throwing to behind that front. Kenny Britt? Tavon Austin? Brian Quick? None of these players have been able to prove they can win consistently in matchups against NFL cornerbacks. Behind a good line that would be a big problem. Behind the one L.A. is dealing with? Suicide.
Even so Fisher may not have a choice. The outside pressure in Los Angeles is ten times bigger than what he had to deal with in Houston and Tennessee thanks to the media exposure alone. Unless the offense can get off the mat in a hurry, he may be forced to play the rookie regardless.
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