Marin Catholic grad and No. 1 NFL draft pick still looking to imporove.
The Los Angeles Rams shocked the world when they traded up for the first overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft but nobody was happier than Novato-born Jared Goff. Ultimately, the Rams – newly relocated from St Louis – had the option of selecting fellow quarterback Carson Wentz but opted for Goff and he has managed to earn the starting role from Case Keenum midway through the regular season.
Former Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, who was fired this week, made the decision to hand Goff the starting role after sitting under Keenum for the first half of the campaign. With the Rams still just about in playoff contention, Goff has had to try and carry a very weak Los Angeles offense to victory; and it just hasn’t gone to plan for the former Kentfield Marin Catholic high school star.
As of December 13, Goff has been on the losing side in all four of his professional starts and it will take some time for the Rams’ quarterback to adjust to the pace of the NFL. With Fisher now out of the franchise, Goff could prosper from some improved and tweaked play-calling that may suit his style. In four appearances, Goff has completed just 55.1% of his pass attempts so far, throwing four touchdowns and five interceptions; a pretty dismal stat line.
After going all-in to land the pick to draft Jared Goff, it would stand to reason that the Rams will seek an offensive minded coach next.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 12, 2016
To be fair, Goff has looked assured at times despite facing a number of the best defensive units in the professional game – and the Rams’ youngster will only improve as he learns his trade at the top level. Los Angeles has scored more than two touchdowns just once since Goff took over under center and his meagre 65.3 passer rating must improve if the Rams are to end the season on a high note.
Goff has struggled so far during his brief tenure in the NFL but he may benefit if given the opportunity to show off his extensive skill set. When he gets going, Goff is lethal under center; as shown by his 100+ passer rating performance in the defeat to the New Orleans Saints in November. The Rams have slipped out of playoff contention but NFL fans can still place a wager on the Super Bowl in bet365’s American Football betting markets ahead of the postseason.
Running back Todd Gurley also needs to step up and be counted in order to ease the pressure on Goff’s young shoulders. The second-year back has struggled for form this year but he could also profit from the change in direction at head coach. In short, Los Angeles has two young stars in Goff and Gurley and could be set for plenty of success in the coming years.
If those two fulfill their potential, L.A. fans will expect an exciting decade or so at their new stadium when it opens. Whether Goff breaks through at the very top or not, one thing is for sure: the people of California should be very proud of how far he has come since his days as a back-up at Marin Catholic prior to his junior season.
One Comment
No matter who the coach is, any quarterback needs protection from a decent offensive line, which the Rams lack at present. They will need to build that up in the next couple of years before the new stadium opens to be competitive and get people interested. The defense right now is fairly decent.