Rams film room: Breaking down Jared Goff’s performance vs. 49ers

Cameron DaSilva

* https://theramswire.usatoday.com/lists/rams-49ers-jared-goff-film-analysis-week-12/

Jared Goff has struggled with turnovers in his last four games. Since Week 8, he’s thrown six interceptions and lost four fumbles, which gives him 14 total turnovers on the year – second-most of any player.

Sunday’s game to the 49ers was especially bad as he threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, in the Rams’ 23-20 loss to their divisional foes. As troubling as those giveaways are, they weren’t the only issues in Goff’s performance.

He wasn’t seeing the field well, he was missing throws he usually makes and didn’t navigate the pocket very well. The result was a 19-for-31 showing, totaling only 198 yards with no touchdowns.

We dove into the film and uncovered where things went wrong for Goff.

Not seeing open receivers

Every quarterback misses open receivers. They only have one set of eyes and have to go through their progressions before letting a pass go. It’s always easier to see open targets from above, but Goff is too often throwing to covered receivers instead of hitting open ones that come across the middle of the field.

For example, on this third-and-short play, Goff doesn’t see Josh Reynolds come open on the drag route underneath, which would’ve picked up a first down. Instead, he left the pocket and threw the ball away, forcing the Rams to punt.

Later in the game, on the Rams’ final possession of the afternoon, he didn’t see Robert Woods come wide open over the middle. It was a third-and-5 situation, so a completed pass to Woods certainly would’ve picked up the first. It could’ve gotten the Rams into field goal range, too, with about two minutes to play.

Goff wasn’t under pressure, so it’s not as if he had to hurry the throw. If he takes another second to survey the field and come off a covered Cooper Kupp downfield, he hits Woods easily for a first.

Bad interceptions

Throwing interceptions is one thing. Making terrible decisions that lead to interceptions is another. Goff made two of those on Sunday and the 49ers took advantage by picking both of those poor throws off.

The first a great play by Richard Sherman, who read Goff like a book. He used outside leverage, knowing he had safety help in the middle of the field. Keeping his eye on Goff, Sherman throttles down when he sees Goff winding up, turns completely around to find the ball and picks it off with Woods still streaking downfield.

It’s hard to tell if this was a horrible underthrow or a miscommunication with Woods, but either way, it was a bad throw.

Goff’s second interception was even worse and directly led to seven points for the 49ers. He was under pressure and tried to get rid of the ball while being hit by a defender, not seeing Javon Kinlaw dropping into coverage after initially rushing.

The ball might’ve been picked off by one of the two defenders covering Kupp had Kinlaw not been there, which makes the decision even worse. As Sean McVay put it, “you can’t just throw it away when you don’t see where you’re going.”

That’s exactly what Goff did and it was a pick-six.

Missing easy throws

Goff is typically an accurate quarterback. He usually puts the ball in the right spot, giving his receivers the chance to create after the catch. He struggled in that area against the 49ers, though, missing throws he’s expected to make.

On the Rams’ second drive of the game, he missed Kupp on a quick speed out on third-and-2. He’s lucky this one wasn’t a pick-six, too, as the defender was watching Kupp and not the ball. It was way behind Kupp and easily could’ve been picked off, resulting in an incompletion and a fourth down. The Rams settled for a 48-yard field goal, which was a disappointing result after a promising drive.

On his second-to-last throw of the game, Goff threw a pass too high for Woods along the sideline. It was a good route by Woods and should’ve been a layup for Goff, but the pass sailed and prevented Woods from making the catch.

A completion would’ve gone for a first down, but instead, the Rams punted two plays later and never got the ball back.

One of Goff’s worst misses of the day should’ve gone for a touchdown. Darrell Henderson ran a perfect wheel route and had at least a yard of separation, but Goff overthrew him and missed out on six points.

It was the right read even with a receiver open underneath, and it’s a throw $135 million quarterbacks should absolutely make. But Goff didn’t, and instead of the score being 17-10, the Rams trailed 17-6 after settling for a field goal.

Locking in on first read

Sherman must love playing against Goff because at least a few times a game, he reads the quarterback’s eyes and breaks on the ball to make a great play. Here, Goff never takes his eyes off Woods, his primary target, and takes the short throw underneath for a completion.

It wasn’t a bad decision, but he also wasn’t hurried and if he gets Sherman to bite on a fake, Gerald Everett is open down the sideline for a bigger gain. Sherman gambled and chose right, but Goff could’ve made him pay with a pump fake.

Deep miss

The deep ball has been a real trouble spot for Goff, both for a lack of attempts and completions. He simply hasn’t been able to connect with his receivers down the field, going 1-for-7 on passes at least 10 yards downfield Sunday.

This was one of his few deep shots in the game, targeting Reynolds on a go route. It’s a worthwhile shot, but Goff leads Reynolds too far inside and never really gives him a chance to make a play.

In fairness, Reynolds could’ve fought harder through the defender to draw a flag, but Goff threw this one to the wrong side of his receiver.

They start out talking about the Rams/SF game

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Greg Jennings on Aaron Rodgers & Matt LaFleur, Rams & Bucs inconsistency, Seahawks | NFL | THE HERD

No wind here in Inglewood, where it’s 73 and sunny as the Rams warm up for today’s practice at SoFi Stadium. pic.twitter.com/XwB71LSAdm

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) December 3, 2020

Week 13 brings a trip to the desert. 10 years ago the Rams played in Arizona in the same week on the schedule and @sj39 led the Rams to victory with his 100 yard rushing performance pic.twitter.com/ibNQDYcnPm

— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) December 3, 2020

Lowest completion % allowed by CBs:
1. Xavier Rhodes – 43.8
2. Casey Hayward Jr. – 45.6
3. Darious Williams – 48.1
4. Xavien Howard – 48.5 pic.twitter.com/s7PoIEghx3

— PFF (@PFF) December 3, 2020

In updated balloting released this morning, Rams DT Aaron Donald (132,687) and P Johnny Hekker (74,386) remain the leading #ProBowl vote-getters at their respective positions in the NFC.

To continue voting for them and other Rams players, visit https://t.co/HWSuc1kU98

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) December 3, 2020

Gregg Rosenthal@greggrosenthal
impromptu CB power rankings:

1. Ramsey
2. Xavien Howard
3. J. Alexander
4. Bradberry
5. Ward
6. Humphrey

Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
“It’s like a road runner,” – Rams S John Johnson on Cardinals QB Kyler Murray

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Johnson says that backup QB Wolford also kind of runs like Kyler Murray (a bit slower)

and so they feel like he’s a perfect scout team QB to practice for this matchup. He says to defend the quick pitter-patter of Murray’s steps, as a defender you kind of have to imitate those steps instead of taking your natural long strides to contain.

Gary Klein@LATimesklein
Sean McVay joked that it would be about 15 years before Rams had new facility. “I’ll be age 50 by then.”

Rampage2K

Kurt Warner was on NFL Network today and was asked about Goff and his struggles…..he said Goff is a very solid starter in the NFL who has already proven he can be very good, but people got to stop trying to compare him to other QB’s who could carry a team to a Super Bowl….he said there is only a handful of them that could do that throughout the history of the NFL

“i don’t know how i got covid! i only eat at small restaurants and i didn’t go see family for thanksgiving, i just went to see an old college friend” – dude on zoom this morning as he coughed the nastiest, deepest cough (guess what state he’s from that’s right florida)

— mike taddow (@taddmike) December 2, 2020

Got into a bad car accident today and this man in the video tried to flag the police down to help us instead they hopped out and tased bro no cap🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/dYEKdtgVei

— SLANG (@Dopeslangjr_) December 1, 2020

Axel Kopun@FV_Mylia_Lynn
Except for at LT, this is a mediocre pass blocking O-line. When teams know the Rams are passing, watch out. McVay knows this – that’s why all the quick passes & shorter throws. Means not many deep shots and also why we see so many screens on 3rd & long.

SeattleRams@seattlerams_nfl
Sad, but true. This is not the same level of play that we saw in 2018 with Whit, Saffold, And even Sully

Sosa K@QBsMVP
Don’t look now, but John Johnson is now @PFF’s third-highest graded safety (84.9) in the NFL.

What a player. JJ3 is really blossoming into a star right before our eyes.

This happens against a 3-man rush.

Havenstein blocking nobody.
Corbett getting beat.
Higbee with a bum elbow holding his down solo. https://t.co/xQOGQLNX4d

— SeattleRams (@seattlerams_nfl) December 2, 2020