If you have high hopes for the future of the Los Angeles Rams, make no mistake, starting Jared Goff at this point is just going to cause more problems than it fixes.
Tuesday morning Jeff Fisher left his Kryptonian Fortress of Suck-itude, strode into his office on a cloud of his own farts, and informed Goff and Case Keenum that he would be making a change at quarterback for this Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
Goff will be the No. 1 quarterback, Keenum the No. 2 and Sean Mannion will be taking everyone’s lunch order. Is Moe’s good for everybody? Awesome.
BREAKING: No. 1 pick Jared Goff will make his 1st NFL start Sunday when the Rams host the Dolphins. (via @mortreport) pic.twitter.com/ekaZuYycbu
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 15, 2016
The switch comes at an odd time for the Rams and Fisher. It should have happened after Keenum’s Week Five bed-shitting against the Buffalo Bills. Instead the Rams had to lose three more games and nearly lose four before Fisher could be bothered to toss his rookie quarterback into the fire.
Is Goff ready? Who the hell knows? Certainly no one on the Rams grossly incompetent coaching staff. Will he be better than Keenum? Of course. They only way he’d be worse is if he broke both arms on the opening snap and refused to come out of the game. And even then it’d probably be a push.
Jared Goff will officially start Sunday for the Rams. Jeff Fisher feels that Goff gives the Rams the best chance to finish 7-9.
— Andy Ruther (@AndyRuther) November 15, 2016
The Rams have invested heavily in Goff and done nothing with him. That’s not new for this staff. They’ve invested heavily in their offensive line as well, and yet it continues to perform as one of the worst units in the league. It’s like these highly touted players that every other team and scout in the NFL viewed just as highly as the Rams did, somehow continue to underperform when wearing horns on their helmets. Makes you think someone else might be to blame.
Understand this. Like Todd Gurley, Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald and Alec Ogletree, Goff is completely on his own on that field. He’s getting absolutely no coaching help or usable advice on that sideline. If he makes any plays at all, it will show that the pre-draft scouts were right. He’s a natural talent because he damn sure isn’t learning anything from Rob Boras and Chris Wienke.
Big arm.
Even bigger expectations.It's @JaredGoff16 time in Los Angeles. https://t.co/RXAeUp7NZF
— NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2016
Fisher is two games into his “Oh please God fire him already” odyssey. He’s 1-1, barely, and if Goff doesn’t play like a legitimate, competent NFL quarterback against the Dolphins, that’s a loss. And Fisher will blame it all on him. “Listen guys. We’re starting a rookie quarterback. There are going to be growing pains. Jared made some mistakes out there, but that’s how you get better. We’re getting better. My deal with the devil is ironclad. Trump 2016.”
Goff was picked No. 1 over my objections, not because of what he could be, but what my eyes plainly told me he was; not ready. The guys I did think were ready? Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz. Surprise, everybody. They were. I liked Paxton Lynch and Cody Kessler better than Goff too and they’ve both already made starts in the NFL. As did Jacoby Brissett, a guy who I never thought would make the front line crew at Fudrucker’s, let alone start and win an NFL football game. See? I don’t know everything.
Jared Goff will be the 6th rookie QB to start a game this season.
Here is how the other 5 have done so far. pic.twitter.com/I0MhszNoy6
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 15, 2016
Goff will have to face down one of the best defensive lines in football. A line that obliterated the Chargers’ front five last week and forced Philip Rivers to throw interceptions like he was Case Keenum.
After this, it’ll just get worse for Goff as the Rams struggle to reach even the level of 7-and-9 bullshit Jeff Fisher was convinced his team was too talented to settle for in the preseason. At the Saints, at the Patriots, Falcons, at the Seahawks, the 49ers, the Cardinals. The Rams will be favored in only one of those games, and, frankly, I’m still not sure I’ll pick them to beat the 49ers.
It’s a desperation move for Fisher in a season that has reeked of it from April’s draft. He’s in the last year of his contract and there are rumors out there that the perimeters of an extension have already been agreed upon. The only hiccup, it seems, is that Jeff Fisher sucks too much to win enough games to get it.
And it is in this shithouse mess the Rams send out the future of their franchise. God help you, Jared Goff. You’re going to need it.
