Wyche on when Goff starts

Jared Goff to get more practice reps after Week 7

Gregg Rosenthal

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000724631/article/jared-goff-to-get-more-practice-reps-after-week-7

LONDON — Case Keenum has played better than anyone could reasonably expect this season, especially last week in Detroit. But that doesn’t mean the Los Angeles Rams have forgotten about their No. 1 overall draft pick.

NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reported on Thursday’s Up to the Minute Live that Goff will begin to get increased practice reps after Sunday’s game against the Giants at Twickenham Stadium in London. Goff has made significant strides in practice since the beginning of the season, and the Rams are more confident he could handle the starting duties if he was asked to play.

Keenum has averaged 9.2 yards-per-attempt over the last three weeks. If he keeps putting up those kinds of numbers and the Rams stay above .500, it’s hard to imagine the team making a change. Keenum’s teammates and coaches have all noted this week that the offense played more than well enough to win last week. But if Keenum were to struggle badly against the Giants, it would no longer be a shock to see Goff get his chance sooner rather than later.

The concept of inserting a No. 1 overall pick into the lineup of a team still in the mix for a playoff spot is not new. The Rams’ opponent Sunday, the New York Giants, once benched Kurt Warner for Eli Manning during the 2004 season. The Giants were 5-4 at the time. The Rams would be 3-4 if they lost Sunday.

The Rams know that a decision to change quarterbacks would mean there is no turning back. Even deciding to give Goff more practice reps is a nod toward thinking about the future.

The Giants wound up losing six of the season’s seven remaining games after making the move to Manning in 2004. They were willing to take some short-term pain to help their franchise quarterback grow.