Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Goff's future
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zn.
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September 16, 2016 at 1:06 am #53057
znModeratorDifference between Carson Wentz, Jared Goff is the reps
David Carr
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/nfl/article101807917.html
When the Eagles made the decision to trade Sam Bradford and put in a rookie quarterback, a lot of heads were spinning. I’m sure that in Philly they were ready to completely lose it.
But the kid, Carson Wentz, comes out and plays great and what we saw the other day was exactly what we saw in the preseason and exactly what we saw in college. The downfield accuracy is there. The arm strength is there. He’s able to move. The mental processing is there. He’s going to make some mistakes, but all young guys are going to make mistakes. It’s a process. But just like my brother Derek, the game wasn’t too much for him. I wasn’t surprised. I think a lot of us were expecting this.
I was in the minority back in the spring when they were going back and forth between Carson and Cal quarterback Jared Goff as far as who should be the first pick in the draft (Goff went to the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 1 overall pick and Wentz No. 2 to Philadelphia), but there were significant differences in where they were coming out of college and in their ability to make a quick impact in the NFL.
It’s all an estimated guess by everyone who is throwing their two cents in. I wasn’t really that concerned about the level of play that Wentz went up against at North Dakota State, an FCS school. I was more concerned about what Cal asked Goff to do in college as opposed to what North Dakota State asked Wentz to do in college from an offensive perspective.
Wentz was in a more pro-style offense. It wasn’t necessarily the intangibles. (He showed his leadership qualities when he got hurt and worked his tail off to get back on the field.) It was more what they asked him to do at the line of scrimmage. He checked at the line. He moved protections. He threw on time and in rhythm in pro-style concepts. The arm strength was there. Everything was there. He was the clear No. 1 guy for me, and I think for a lot of people.
Watching his first preseason game, it was the same stuff. He wasn’t flustered. It wasn’t too much for him because mentally he was prepared for it. What coach Doug Pederson was asking him to execute, he had seen all of that, and the most important thing when you’re getting into that situation is what you’ve done before.
NFL quarterbacks have to learn protections. They have to learn where the hot guys are and which adjustments to make. In Wentz’s first preseason game, he faced a defense rushing seven and the Eagles only had six blockers. One guy was free. Wentz pointed it out to his slot receiver. The slot receiver made the adjustment. Wentz threw a little 8-yard slant against Cover Zero, with no deep help, and it was a successful play. Right then, you knew. It was his first action in the NFL and right then you knew he understood protections, he understood how to get the ball out with timing – he knows how to beat a blitz.
He was not afraid of the moment. That one play spoke volumes because that’s the hardest thing to teach. If you have that when you come in, you’re already a leg up on everybody else.
Goff, on the other hand, was never asked to throw hots. He was never asked to see the coverage and understand who you’re throwing against. Cal’s system is based on progression – you throw it here or you throw it here. Cal isn’t worried about what coverage the defense is in. They’re not worried about protections. Cal’s plan: Our scheme is going to beat what you run.
That’s great in college. You can score a lot of points doing that. But it doesn’t help you as far as understanding where to go against two-man, where to go against Cover Three, what routes beat certain coverages. You end up going from your X to your Y to your Z and that’s it, and for the most part you can do it, but it doesn’t help you transition your game into the NFL.
I’m not saying that Goff wasted his whole college career in an offense that’s not going to help him transition, because he threw pro-style concepts. This is a small piece to the puzzle. But that piece is huge in the NFL because you’re going to get tested to see if you know your protections, to see if you know where to go against a blitz and if you haven’t had those reps, like Goff hadn’t, you’re behind. That’s why he’s not starting in Los Angeles and Wentz is starting in Philadelphia and it really is that 5 percent to 10 percent of those reps throughout his college career that helped him be ahead.
September 16, 2016 at 1:13 am #53059znModerator.
In a nutshell:
NFL quarterbacks have to learn protections. They have to learn where the hot guys are and which adjustments to make.
Goff…was never asked to throw hots. He was never asked to see the coverage and understand who you’re throwing against. Cal’s system is based on progression – you throw it here or you throw it here. Cal isn’t worried about what coverage the defense is in. They’re not worried about protections. Cal’s plan: Our scheme is going to beat what you run….it doesn’t help you as far as understanding where to go against two-man, where to go against Cover Three, what routes beat certain coverages.
…that piece is huge in the NFL because you’re going to get tested to see if you know your protections, to see if you know where to go against a blitz and if you haven’t had those reps, like Goff hadn’t, you’re behind
I quoted this cause I see it that way. He has to catch up on reading defenses, knowing when to audible and what to audible to, calling protections, and understanding sight adjustments.
That’s why he’s behind IMO, not coaching.
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September 16, 2016 at 10:38 am #53077
ZooeyModeratorThat is the first intelligent contrast between the two quarterbacks’ readiness to play this season that I’ve read.
Everything the media says is along the lines of “Wentz is starting, Goff is #3, so Goff sucks.”
September 16, 2016 at 11:04 am #53078
sdramParticipantI liked Carr’s analysis too. Pre draft I preferred Wentz – obviously – not at the same level of understanding as David Carr who I really like to listen to. My thing pre draft was that a large, mobile QB with a rocket arm would be better particularly from a long term perspective.
But I didn’t ever dislike or not want Goff either. I like them all. Goff also has a great arm just not quite as big or mobile. I liked what I saw from Goff in the preseason – sure, he had some hiccups and looked a bit lost when a play broke down but don’t all of them? Once he adjusts to the speed of the game, I think that will improve tremendously. See Peyton Mannings rookie year to verify that. Goff can certainly throw the ball accurately – and I think that all the rest of it will come because he’s ready and able to work hard to improve.
So, this retirement thing is ok – as long as the wife goes to work all day and the dog doesn’t question my judgement.
September 16, 2016 at 11:59 am #53079ZooeyModeratorIIRC, the pre-draft reports agreed that Wentz would be ready to start sooner, but there were also a lot of voices who thought that Goff was the better prospect for the long term. Well, the first part of that proves true: Wentz was ready to play sooner.
The other shoe will take a while to analyze.
And my position before the draft was that I would prefer a #1 WR – which I’ve been saying a long time – and I was fine with Keenum while Mannion developed, and someone else developed (coulda been Prescott? Take one every year, I say), but that I had no preference between Wentz and Goff.
They took Goff.
I am okay with that, and don’t expect to make a judgement on whether it was the right call or not for years. But I will NEVER question the decision itself because it made complete sense to me. The decision-making process was sound. Whether they made the best choice or not remains to be seen.
September 16, 2016 at 1:00 pm #53084
wvParticipantI’m not the least bit concerned about Goff. I saw enough in preseason to be fine with that pick.
I dont like to talk about fans (posters) much, but lets just say
many of them often rush to judgment about all kinds of things.1/16th of the season is gone. 15/16ths to go.
w
vSeptember 16, 2016 at 1:18 pm #53088
Eternal RamnationParticipantOne of the knocks on Wentz coming out was the level of competition. I too preferred Wentz and I considered the level of competition argument meaningless. NDSU has put quite a few players in the NFL.I think Goff will be just fine but it will take a while.
September 16, 2016 at 1:20 pm #53089
nittany ramModeratorI dont like to talk about fans (posters) much, but lets just say
many of them often rush to judgment about all kinds of things.1/16th of the season is gone. 15/16ths to go.
w
vTrue but the Rams lost 28 – 0. That would be cause for concern if they had lost to the best team in the league, and they lost to one of the worst. So I get its only one game but on the other hand I can understand why people are upset. In this circumstance I don’t think the rush to judgement is necessarily unwarranted.
September 16, 2016 at 1:31 pm #53090znModeratorThat would be cause for concern if they had lost to the best team in the league, and they lost to one of the worst.
This is the assumption I question.
The media said they were one of the worst but they had no good reason for it.
Kelly has gotten things out of qbs before people were dismissing. (Eg. Sanchez’s best games were all with Kelly).
And that defense was far better than its record under Tomsula/Mangini
That defense did not play like one of the worst ones in the league.
I often see this, where people are dismayed the Rams lost to a team so bad, and then turns out they were just wrong about that team being that bad.
Now that’s not to say the Rams should have lost and should have looked that bad doing it, but in this case, like many cases in previous year, I question the extra added lamenting that comes from assuming a team was “one of the worst” when in fact there’s good reason to doubt that it was.
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September 16, 2016 at 3:00 pm #53092nittany ramModeratorThat would be cause for concern if they had lost to the best team in the league, and they lost to one of the worst.
This is the assumption I question.
The media said they were one of the worst but they had no good reason for it.
Kelly has gotten things out of qbs before people were dismissing. (Eg. Sanchez’s best games were all with Kelly).
And that defense was far better than its record under Tomsula/Mangini
That defense did not play like one of the worst ones in the league.
I often see this, where people are dismayed the Rams lost to a team so bad, and then turns out they were just wrong about that team being that bad.
Now that’s not to say the Rams should have lost and should have looked that bad doing it, but in this case, like many cases in previous year, I question the extra added lamenting that comes from assuming a team was “one of the worst” when in fact there’s good reason to doubt that it was.
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Fair enough. But like I said, losing to anyone 28-0 is cause for concern. Of course there’s the odd outlier here and there but for the most part playoff caliber teams don’t lose to anybody by 28 points. They don’t get shutout. And that’s the crux of it, because we were expecting the Rams to be a playoff level team. Why did we believe that? Well, speaking for myself I believed it because Fisher believed it and said as much.
Now, could the Rams still be a playoff team? Sure. But the way they played the first game doesn’t bode well for that. Maybe the 9ers are a decent team but that doesn’t really take the sting out of this loss because of what that loss most likes says about the Rams.
September 16, 2016 at 3:05 pm #53093ZooeyModeratorFair enough. But like I said, losing to anyone 28-0 is cause for concern. Of course there’s the odd outlier here and there but for the most part playoff caliber teams don’t lose to anybody by 28 points. They don’t get shutout. And that’s the crux of it, because we were expecting the Rams to be a playoff level team. Why did we believe that? Well, speaking for myself I believed it because Fisher believed it and said as much.
Now, could the Rams still be a playoff team? Sure. But the way they played the first game doesn’t bode well for that. Maybe the 9ers are a decent team but that doesn’t really take the sting out of this loss because of what that loss most likes says about the Rams.
Right. That’s where I am on that. Maybe the 9ers ARE better than people expected, and maybe they DID have the element of surprise because it was a new coaching staff all the way around, but a good team doesn’t lose that way, even to another good team. And while I cannot deny that the 9ers might be better than expected, I am not convinced that they ARE, either. Watch what Carolina does to them on Sunday.
September 16, 2016 at 3:08 pm #53094znModeratorRight. That’s where I am on that. Maybe the 9ers ARE better than people expected, and maybe they DID have the element of surprise because it was a new coaching staff all the way around, but a good team doesn’t lose that way, even to another good team.
Sure they do. In fact there are several Rams victories over the last few years where the Rams were the ones who looked good in a game like that…against good teams. Heck on the other side of the coin, even the 70s Rams suffered some inexplicable blowout losses like that.
What good teams DON’T do is do is lose like that constantly during a season.
September 17, 2016 at 1:08 am #53129znModeratorGoff is Rams’ backup QB for now, but his former coaches believe he’ll work out long term
By JACK WANG / STAFF WRITER
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/goff-729272-tried-quarterback.html
THOUSAND OAKS – Less than five months ago, Sonny Dykes was the picture of optimism. Jared Goff, the only quarterback he’d started in three years at Cal, was not only entering the NFL, but doing so as the No. 1 overall pick.
“He’s ready,” the coach told Bay Area television station KTVU in April, shortly before the draft. “He’s one of those kids – you don’t ever know how somebody’s going to transition from college football to the NFL – but I can’t imagine anybody’s going to be as ready as he is.”
But earlier this week, in a stadium roughly 70 miles south of his high school, the Rams’ prized rookie was stuck on the sideline, a first for a top-drafted quarterback since 2007. He didn’t even dress in what turned out to be an embarrassing 28-0 loss to the 49ers, relegated to street clothes as the team’s third-string signal-caller.
Goff could still turn into a franchise player. But if it happens, the journey will likely consist of small steps rather than giant leaps. On Friday, Rams coach Jeff Fisher announced that Goff will back up veteran Case Keenum on Sunday against the Seahawks, jumping Sean Mannion on the quarterback depth chart. That this represents a promotion has forced those who once coached Goff to reconsider his developmental timeline – though it has not shaken their faith in their former pupil.
“He’s right where I thought he’d be,” Dykes said this month, in an act of revisionist history. “He’s 21 years old. I knew there’d be a period of adjustment.”
Mazi Moayed, Goff’s coach at Marin Catholic High School, was more forthright.
“It was surprising at first,” he said, “but it makes sense that he’s not (the starter) right now. I think in the long run, it’s going to help him.”
Goff himself has echoed those sentiments. On Friday, he insisted that he has prepared exactly the same way for the past several weeks. Monday’s game, which he watched in a white hoodie, simply meant a chance for him to absorb the game from a different angle.
“I tried to just take it into perspective,” he said. “Just tried to learn, tried to see everything from the sideline, tried to understand things.”
Offensive coordinator Rob Boras praised Goff’s study habits, saying that the quarterback hasn’t relaxed his study habits at all. A good sign, now that there’s a chance Goff could actually enter the game.
“They’re always one snap away,” Boras said. “It’s hard when you’re 21 years old to recognize that.”
The stakes are higher now. Fisher has long insisted that he will not rush Goff’s development, but there is pressure that comes with the Los Angeles spotlight. Against the 49ers, Keenum went 17 of 35 for 130 yards, throwing two interceptions along the way. If he puts up similar numbers Sunday against a more formidable Seattle defense, it may be difficult to justify leaving Goff on the bench.
Would the rookie, who had plenty of preseason struggles, be ready?
“I just remember a calm, skinny kid,” Moayed said, recalling the first time he met Goff. “I was like, ‘That guy can just play catch.’ He’s out there, he’s just calm, cool, he’s in control. Just playing catch with the guys, making it look easy.
“God willing, he’ll be doing that before long at the stage he’s at. I don’t see it being any different at that level. It’s just a matter of time.”
September 17, 2016 at 2:09 am #53130znModeratoroff the net from jrry32
Goff and Wentz both had things going for them that arguably made them more “pro ready.” Wentz had his offensive scheme. Goff had his polished mechanics and mental acuity. From there, it all comes down to which one you think will be a tougher fix. Will it be tougher to get Goff up to speed on a NFL scheme or will it be tougher to fix Wentz’s lower body mechanics and inconsistencies with mental processing speed?
For me, I chose the former as the easier fix. Frankly, I still don’t believe it was the wrong decision. QBs like Goff typically take a little longer to get up to speed in the pros. It just means there is a bigger learning curve. When you look at some of the best rookie seasons, you’ll notice a common theme (outside of Dan Marino). The QBs are all supremely physically talented (RGIII, Russell Wilson, Marcus Mariota, Ben Roethlisberger, etc.). The thing about guys like that is they can come in and do damage quickly because NFL teams don’t have film on them. NFL teams have to adapt to their style of play. Goff is a traditional pocket passer. NFL teams have seen that before. Goff is the one who has to adapt to NFL defenses. It’s why guys like Jameis Winston, Peyton Manning, Derek Carr, Eli Manning, Joe Flacco, etc. weren’t as great as rookies. When you win with your mind, skills, and mental acuity, the NFL is a big transition.
However, what you find is that the longer careers go, the more you separate the wheat from the chaff. The guys who made an impact early due to their physical talent either learn to win with their arms and minds or they never become effective starting QBs for the long haul. On the other hand, the guys who win their minds and their arms just continue to get better the more experience they have.
Look at where Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston were last year, now watch their respective Week 1 games from this year. I’m not saying that Mariota is a bad player. I am saying that Winston started out well behind him and has now passed him because he overcame the mental learning curve.
In that vein, it is no surprise to me that Wentz is more capable of producing better numbers early on. He’s an athletic QB with a rocket for an arm. The true test for how good each will be will come down the road when both guys have an opportunity to overcome the mental learning curve and defenses have film on both.
I don’t think anyone would argue with the assertion that Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck are perhaps the two most pro ready passers of the past 20 years. Yet, Marcus Mariota and RGIII were both far more effective rookies. However, Manning and Luck improved significantly once they overcame the NFL mental learning curve.
The gist of this is that I expect Goff to be an upgrade on Keenum when he plays. However, he might not perform better than Carson Wentz as a rookie. That all said, I would be hesitant to take that as an indictment of Goff because that sort of thing will be more ascertainable in Year 2.
Case Keenum was already three quarters of the way to the finish when Goff started the race. A lot of backup caliber QBs “beat out” top picks, but their team opted not to start them because they recognized that it wouldn’t take much game action for the rookie to pass them. Same is true here imo.
September 17, 2016 at 12:52 pm #53146
InvaderRamModeratorcollege qbs from a pro system have a distinct advantage over other qbs. this has been discussed at length. no surprise.
it’s why i preferred wentz before the draft.
but i like goff too, and there were plenty of analysts out there who liked goff.
so we’ll just have to wait and find out. no big deal. sounds like there’s a lot of nervous nellies out there. ha!
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This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by
InvaderRam.
September 17, 2016 at 12:55 pm #53148InvaderRamModeratoralthough actually before the trade i was for drafting prescott. again. oh well. what’s done is done. just gotta hope this works out cuz if it doesn’t, this sets the rams back several years.
at least they didn’t have to sign him to a huge contract like in year’s past. that would really set them back.
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This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by InvaderRam.
September 17, 2016 at 3:34 pm #53168nittany ramModeratorsounds like there’s a lot of nervous nellies out there. ha!
As an Anxious Annie I take umbrage at that remark.
I was a Wentz guy too. He just seemed like he had more physical tools and upside than Goff. Plus as you said he played in a pro style offense. The only knock on him was that he wasn’t ready to play in the NFL – yet he’s starting and did well in his first outing.
That said, I’m not dissatisfied with Goff. His struggles in preseason haven’t soured me on him.
September 17, 2016 at 4:11 pm #53173InvaderRamModeratorsounds like there’s a lot of nervous nellies out there. ha!
As an Anxious Annie I take umbrage at that remark.
I was a Wentz guy too. He just seemed like he had more physical tools and upside than Goff. Plus as you said he played in a pro style offense. The only knock on him was that he wasn’t ready to play in the NFL – yet he’s starting and did well in his first outing.
That said, I’m not dissatisfied with Goff. His struggles in preseason haven’t soured me on him.
yeah. i don’t want it to sound like i’m trying to put goff down. i like some things he did in preseason. and ultimately he may have more upside than wentz. it’ll just take longer to get there. it’s always hard to make comparisons but palmer, rodgers, and brady all sat before taking on a starting role, and they did well. and there’s probably guys who showed promise early but hit a wall in terms of development.
but understandably. as rams fans. we’re tired of preaching patience all the time.
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This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by InvaderRam.
September 17, 2016 at 10:55 pm #53206znModeratorIf Rams offense is off, is it time for Jared Goff?
Rich Hammond
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20160917/if-rams-offense-is-off-is-it-time-for-jared-goff
LOS ANGELES >> In terms of the Rams’ offense, it’s too early to worry, but not to wonder.
The NFL’s highest-paid offensive coordinator got fired this week, two games into the season and one day after his team (Buffalo) scored 31 points. The Rams, in last week’s season-opening loss at San Francisco, were shut out, had 10 punts and 10 first downs and never crossed the 49ers’ 20-yard line.
That’s not to say Rams offensive coordinator Rob Boras is on the hot seat going into Sunday’s home opener against Seattle at the Coliseum, but so far, the Rams’ offense hasn’t met even mild expectations.
“For everybody across the board – playing and coaching – it just wasn’t good enough, it wasn’t up to our standards,” Boras said of last week’s loss. “We all need to do better, starting, obviously with me at the coordinator position. But I think, to a man, everybody recognizes that we have a lot more in us.”
Will it come out this week? The Rams face a Seahawks defense that allowed only 214 yards and 11 first downs in a 12-10 victory over Miami last week, and traditionally is tough against the run and the pass.
The Rams, meanwhile, will send out quarterback Case Keenum, who admitted that he was so rattled last week against a mediocre San Francisco defense that he was “seeing ghosts” when he looked at coverage. It’s a near-certainty that the Seahawks will force Keenum to prove he can play better.
It worked for the 49ers, who loaded up at the line of scrimmage and held star running back Todd Gurley to 47 yards on 17 carries. Keenum, with some often bland playcalling, completed 17 of 35 attempts.
“Offensively, we couldn’t make plays,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “It’s a combination of bad decisions at the quarterback position, and drops at the receiver position.”
More disturbingly, an anonymous 49ers player told NFL Network that, based on the way the Rams lined up and went in motion, the 49ers could determine which routes their receivers would run.
That sounds a bit far-fetched, and perhaps is a mental ploy, with the 49ers knowing that the teams meet again in December, but given how ineffective the Rams looked, it doesn’t seem impossible. Boras said he “did not have the perception” that the 49ers were jumping his play calls.
“Didn’t play up to our standard, didn’t coach to our standard, didn’t see it coming,” Boras said. “I think, across the board, coaches (and) players would say that we thought we had a great week of preparation and then obviously just didn’t live up to our standard, playing-wise (and) coaching.”
Boras might take some heat, but it’s not entirely deserved.
Formerly the Rams’ tight ends coach, Boras took over as coordinator last December after the firing of Frank Cignetti. Boras had never been an NFL coordinator, but in his four games last season, the Rams averaged 22.8 points and went 3-1. They had averaged nine points in Cignetti’s final four games.
Boras actually had the right idea last week. Knowing the 49ers likely would load up to stop Gurley, the Rams passed the ball on six of their initial eight plays. They actually moved the ball into 49ers territory, but then Keenum threw three consecutive incomplete passes.
The Rams never got going from there. They went a dreadful 3 for 15 on third down and Keenum was never enough of a threat to make the 49ers veer from their stop-the-run strategy.
So, Seattle could follow it. The Seahawks feature game-altering safety Kam Chancellor, who excels at creeping down toward the line of scrimmage and making plays. If the Rams can’t throw the ball against a talented Seattle secondary, Gurley once again might not find much running room.
“We’re going to have to take our shots,” Fisher said. “You make a couple of plays down the field, it changes things. But, we always subscribe to the philosophy that even if it’s loaded, we still have to find a way to (run the ball), especially at the end of the game.”
So, good luck, Case Keenum. The Rams already have elevated rookie quarterback Jared Goff to be Keenum’s backup this week. If Keenum, a former undrafted free agent and a practice-squad veteran, has another poor game, it’s reasonable to think the Rams might consider handing things over to Goff.
For Keenum and the Rams’ offense, it needs to be bounce-back time.
“I’ve got a chip on my shoulder,” Keenum said. “I’ve had it for a while. So, it’ll still be there, the same one.”
September 18, 2016 at 2:21 pm #53232znModeratorEx-Rams QB Jim Everett: Jared Goff ‘will be pressed into duty’
Alden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES — In reacting to the Los Angeles Rams’ handling of Jared Goff, the pessimists point to recent history, noting that each of the past five quarterbacks taken first overall started his first NFL game, and that four of them (Matthew Stafford, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston) have already made the Pro Bowl. The optimists frequently point to Aaron Rodgers, like Goff a Cal product, who spent his first three seasons on the bench and then blossomed into arguably the game’s best quarterback.
Jim Everett, the Rams’ quarterback in Los Angeles from 1986-93, has a counterpoint.
“Jared Goff is not playing behind Brett Favre,” Everett said in a phone conversation. “Aaron Rodgers really had three years to get his body physically ready, his mind mentally ready, and be able to compete against a guy and see one of the greatest competitors on the planet. As much as I like Case Keenum, he is not Brett Favre. So Jared Goff, at some point, will be pressed into duty.”
Everett — taken third overall in 1986 by the then-Houston Oilers, who flipped him to the Rams — settled in Southern California after his NFL career ended in 1997 and serves as an analyst on the Rams’ pregame show for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles. Everett remains an ardent Rams fan and watched closely as Goff struggled through the preseason, going 22-of-49 with four turnovers. Regardless, Everett said he saw a guy who “can visualize the deep ball as best as any quarterback on that team.”
“I’m not saying that he’s ready timing-wise, I’m not saying he’s ready huddle-wise,” Everett added. “I’m not there every day to know him leadership-wise, team-belief-wise. I don’t know about all those things. But I can tell watching him throw that he can visualize the 20-plus-yard throw as good as anybody. And when he gets confident, he’ll be just fine.”
Giving back: A record number of Rams players and executives purchased season tickets for local charities and school groups to attend home games this season, according to the team. They include Tavon Austin, Mark Barron, Kenny Britt, Michael Brockers, Jamon Brown, Aaron Donald, E.J. Gaines, Cory Harkey, Will Hayes, Johnny Hekker, Lamarcus Joyner, Lance Kendricks, Jake McQuaide, Alec Ogletree, Brian Quick, Robert Quinn, Greg Robinson, Eugene Sims, Greg Zuerlein, Keenum and Goff, in addition to chief operating off Kevin Demoff, general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher. Defensive line coach Mike Waufle and each of his defensive linemen will make a $100 donation to help fight homeless in Los Angeles for every sack the Rams record this season. The program, “Sack Homelessness,” generated more than $200,000 in four prior years in St. Louis.
All Geeked out: The average resale price for Sunday’s game was $233 as of Saturday afternoon, according to the secondary ticket marketplace SeatGeek. That is $94 higher than the most expensive ticket to any game played in St. Louis since the company began tracking data in 2010. The Rams’ average resale price for all their home games this season was $189, which ranks 11th in the NFL. In St. Louis over the past six seasons, it was $72. Last season, it was $76, giving the Rams by far the NFL’s largest ticket-price jump from one year to the next, according to SeatGeek. The Rams opened up 5,000 additional seats for their return to Los Angeles Coliseum and are expecting an attendance of around 90,000.
Preserving history: Rams Hall of Famers will be on hand for the anticipated home opener. Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Tom Mack, Orlando Pace, Jackie Slater and Jack Youngblood will help light the Olympic torch following the coin toss, starting a tradition for every Rams game at the Coliseum from 2016-18. Family members of George Allen, Deacon Jones and Merlin Jones will also be in attendance. During halftime, Pace, Dickerson, Faulk, Mack, Slater and Youngblood will be presented with the Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence.
September 19, 2016 at 10:54 pm #53380InvaderRamModeratorwentz looks decent today. not spectacular but decent.
i think we see goff at some point this season when he’s ready. just wondering how long it takes to get there.
September 20, 2016 at 12:32 pm #53409
JackPMillerParticipantWhat helps Wentz is Coaching. His Head Coach is a former NFL QB, same with the the offensive coordinator and QB coach. Jared Goff has Fisher, Rob Boras is a former Olineman is the OC, and we have a former TE as the QB coach.
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JackPMiller.
September 20, 2016 at 7:26 pm #53448
Isiah58ParticipantWhat helps Wentz is that he has gone up against Chicago and Cleveland. He will not face a top 10 defense until week 11. Conversely, the Rams play a top 10 defense every week it seems.
“Marge, don't discourage the boy! Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals! Except the weasel.” - Homer Simpson
September 22, 2016 at 1:00 am #53548znModeratorFisher will not be pressured into change on offense
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Jeff Fisher was laid-back, typically California cool, during a brief visit at the Los Angeles Rams’ new headquarters this week. No worries. No sweat. At least as it appears.
“I’ve never looked over my shoulder,” Fisher told USA TODAY Sports.
Meet the Felix the Cat of NFL coaches. Fisher hasn’t coached a team to a winning record since 2008. Hasn’t won a playoff game since 2003. Ranks third on the all-time list for NFL career losses with 157.
Yet he’s not flinching, even while working on the last year of his contract. Talk about nine lives. Most coaches – especially in places like Cleveland or Washington – would have been long gone by now.
In the case of Fisher, and general manager Les Snead, it has been widely reported that the Rams are expected to complete extensions that keep them in place.
This makes Fisher a very fortunate man, apparently in the right place at the right time, too, because Rams owner Stan Kroenke wants stability with his football operations amid the franchise’s relocation from St. Louis. And, well, Fisher’s been in that position before, having moved with the Tennessee Titans from Houston in 1997 as coach.
“No additional pressure,” Fisher added. “This has been a great opportunity. Stan and I have a great relationship. Everything’s fine.”
Fine is surely a subjective term here. The Rams (1-1) came through with a monster defensive showing against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday to make a splash in their grand opening event – the first NFL regular-season game in Los Angeles in 22 years – but after the 9-3 win will head into Sunday’s game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only team in the league yet to score a touchdown.
Whatever buzz was created with the selection of Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick overall in the NFL draft in April – the Rams traded a bundle, including next year’s first-round pick and two second-rounders this year, to move up from the 15th slot – has been doused by the quarterback’s inability to get on the playing field.
It’s not like Goff is trying to take Tom Brady’s job. Case Keenum, the Rams starter, matches up with the team’s zero TDs as statistically the worst quarterback in the NFL with a 57.8 pass efficiency rating.
Even worse, the quarterback the Rams didn’t choose with the top pick, Carson Wentz, is on fire for the Philadelphia Eagles as the first rookie since at least the merger in 1970 to win his first two starts without throwing an interception. And Wentz is rolling with a certain swagger that would play well in Tinsel Town.
Sure, it’s early.
Early enough for this to be a bad look for a team with the 32nd-ranked offense.
The Rams drafted NFL rookies of the year the past two years in D-tackle Aaron Donald and running back Todd Gurley, chosen in the 13th and 10th slots, respectively, which reflects well on the personnel efforts headed by Snead. Yet after moving up to No. 1, it’s a safe bet the rookie-of-the-year streak will be snapped.
Fisher reiterated on Monday that he won’t rush Goff into the lineup. Patience is the plan.
With Fisher – whose well-respected agent, Marvin Demoff, is the father of Rams president Kevin Demoff, by the way – patience seems to be the ticket, too.
Yet clearly, regardless of a Fisher extension, Goff is the make-or-break player whose success or failure could be the most significant barometer of all for the franchise’s direction.
In a huge market where winning matters, the Rams – and their marketing efforts – need a hit in the worst way.
Makes me wonder: With Fisher expected to stay, does his offensive brain trust remain, too?
Maybe that’s what has to ultimately give, with Fisher, who comes from a defensive background, struggling to get coaching impact on offense. After ranking last in the NFL in offense last season, the Rams are in that spot again after two games. That reflects the heat that is on offensive coordinator Scott Boras, yet to succeed in that role on the NFL level. Chris Weinke is the quarterbacks coach entrusted as a hands-on developer of Goff. So much is riding on this working.
In today’s NFL, offense sells tickets – and wins games in a quarterback-driven game.
Kroenke could not be reached for comment this week, but during the draft in April he told me that Fisher’s calm demeanor in handling adversity is one of the qualities that convinces him that he has the right coach.
“His teams are tough,” Kroenke told USA TODAY Sports last spring. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in him. We’re close (to winning). We’ve been the youngest team (in the NFL) for several years running. Typically in pro sports, when you have young teams you do not win.”
Kroenke lauded Fisher’s reputation for getting his teams to play hard, and acknowledged the franchise’s setback when Sam Bradford, chosen No. 1 overall in 2010, suffered torn ACLs to wipe out back-to-back seasons.
But at some point, though, winning is the defining measure for coaches. Fisher knows it.
During training camp, Fisher was captured on the HBO reality show, Hard Knocks, declaring in a team meeting – using an expletive for emphasis – that he would not go 7-9 again … or 8-8 … or 9-7.
Time will tell. In the meantime, Donald, who quickly established himself as a leader, insists that the status of Fisher and Snead hasn’t reached the point where it is a locker room issue.
“I’m with those guys, 100%,” Donald told USA TODAY Sports. “I know they’ve brought in some good pieces for this puzzle. At the same time, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”
Fisher doesn’t see himself as a lame duck coach, which is surely a good space in the NFL world.
“The players are expecting me to be here,” he said. “I know I’m going to be here. It’s not an issue.”
Maybe not now. But at some point, the Rams big investments must pay off – or else.
September 22, 2016 at 9:29 am #53551JackPMillerParticipantIf Fisher and his staff is not fired, Goff will be a bust. Fisher does not do a good job at developing Offensive players.
September 23, 2016 at 11:48 pm #53703znModeratoroff the net from Florida_Ram
After hearing Jon Gruden right before the season opener he predicted Goff would need 4-5 weeks into the regular season to start and now he’s changing his mind? wow this takes another media drama spin….
– http://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-nfl-quarterbacks-winston-20160922-snap-story.html
Former NFL coach Jon Gruden, color analyst for “Monday Night Football,” said there’s no way to get Goff the practice snaps he needs without naming him the starter, especially with a collective bargaining agreement that puts significant limitations on how much teams can practice.
“I think he might be best served not playing at all this year,” Gruden told The Times on Thursday. “Right now you’re going into Week 3; how many reps is he getting? Week 1 he wasn’t even active. How’s he getting better if he’s not getting all the reps?
I just can’t understand how you’re going to tell me in Week 5 he’s ready to go. Because he’s been sitting there?”
And with no Rams touchdowns so far…
“Then again,” Gruden said, “I don’t know if Case Keenum has guys running around wide open, either. I haven’t seen gaping holes for [Todd] Gurley to run through.
They’ve got a young line, I don’t know who the blocking tight end is, I don’t even know if they’ve got a fullback on their team. But they’ve got a good defense.”
For the moment, the Rams are holding their ground on Goff, arguing the hurry-up offense can wait. At 21, Goff is two years younger than Wentz.
(They point to how much another Rams quarterback, Sean Mannion, has improved with a year under his belt.) What’s more, Keenum had his best career game against the Buccaneers last season, completing 82.4% of his passes with two touchdowns and a 158.0 passer rating.
This much we know: Until the Los Angeles offense starts making some noise, the outside voices will only get louder.
In the below video Jon Gruden’s Take before his change of tone on Goff. This is what Gruden said on September 7th. “Goff would need 4 or 5 weeks before he was ready to start a game”.. fast forward to the 21:06 mark of the video
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