Goff after the bye

Jourdan Rodrigue

from https://theathletic.com/2199700/2020/11/16/rams-seahawks-darious-williams-jared-goff-jalen-ramsey/?source=emp_shared_article

A better plan for Goff

The Seahawks had increased their blitz pressure over the last three games, and the Rams knew some kind of pressure was coming, especially after they struggled to handle Miami’s Cover 0 two weeks earlier.

But against Seattle’s patchy secondary, Goff found it much easier to maneuver in those situations, and play design and execution came together in the first half the way it is supposed to against pressure.

Goff was blitzed on 12 of his 25 dropbacks in the first half, according to ESPN Stats and Info, completing six of nine passes while also getting sacked twice and scrambling once.

The Rams faced a Cover 0 on third down on their second series, and it’s possible that the entirety of the fan base clenched up when Goff motioned Brown out of the backfield to show an empty set. (Goff’s four turnovers against Miami came against pressure, and an especially disastrous second-and-1 play resulted in a strip sack for a touchdown.) But on this and several other occasions down the stretch, the play unfolded nicely for the Rams. Goff was able to find tight end Tyler Higbee as an outlet, and he broke off a 39-yard catch-and-run. The Rams also got their pre- and at-snap motions working, used plenty of bootleg and play action (in which Goff is most comfortable) and worked their running backs into space a few times.

“I thought we had a great plan,” Goff said. “We came in with a really good idea of what they were going to want to do. They send (safety Jamal Adams) a whole lot, and we were ready for it. Had a couple of screens right into it, which we love, and a couple of good run plays away from it, which we love. We were able to run some play action, get down the field a little bit. I think for the most part of the game, we were able to move the ball pretty well.”

Goff finished 27-of-37 for 302 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.