Jared Goff's time has come to start for Rams
Louder, Los Angeles Rams fans. It’s time to chant LOUDER.
Because Rams coach Jeff Fisher claimed he didn’t hear you on Sunday when in frustration you chanted, ‘’We want Goff! We want Goff!’’
Apparently Fisher is not only hearing impaired, but also sight impaired. After watching his Rams lose to the Carolina Panthers 13-10 and suffer their fourth straight defeat, the coach said he saw no reason to entertain the idea of benching Case Keenum, the team’s starting quarterback, in favor of Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2016 draft.
Let’s get something straight here: This ia not about Keenum vs. Goff.
Keenum, in his fifth year in the NFL, is the superior quarterback. But Goff will get no better standing on the sideline.
The issue here was whether to play for now, which means sticking with your most polished quarterback, or playing for the future, which means developing your franchise quarterback.
At 3-5, the Rams' chances of making the playoffs for the first time in 12 years are fading fast. Of course, that's thanks in part to a woeful offense that ranks last in points per game (16.3) after Sunday.
But they do have an opportunity to make progress with Goff, who in eight games has yet to take a snap.
Of course, just because Goff was the No. 1 overall pick doesn’t guarantee he’ll develop into a quality quarterback, much less a superstar. For every Peyton Manning, there is a Tim Couch. For every Troy Aikman, there’s a Jeff George.
But it’s worth noting that Manning started every game of his rookie season and went 3-13, and that Aikman started 11 games his rookie season and went 0-11.
With modest expectations, Fisher should hand over the starting quarterback job to his rookie before the Rams play the New York Jets Sunday.
Goff isn’t just what Rams fans want to see. It’s what they deserve.
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