Make or Break Year: Jared Goff

Jared Goff is the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams. He was drafted with the number one overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft (right before Carson Wentz). Though he had a rocky start to his NFL career, under coach Jeff Fisher, he is coming off an NFC title and Super Bowl loss. The second-year head coach of the Rams, Sean McVay, is looked at as something of a genius and usually gets the credit for the Rams prolific offense. Jared Goff has shown some flashes of brilliance, but I don’t think the NFL players, coaches, or fans are sold on him being a superstar quarterback. He has one of the best supporting casts in the league including: Todd Gurley (former offensive player of the year), Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, and Cooper Kupp. On top of all of these things, the Rams also have a star studded defense. The defense being as good as it is, should take so much pressure off of Jared Goff that his job is very limited. He gets told what to do by Sean McVay, he has playmakers around him, and (if he turns the ball over) the defense still may keep him in the game. With all of these things being said he has still struggled in big situations (see the Super Bowl). Goff has a lot to live up to being a former number one pick, and knowing that the other QB taken right after him (Carson Wentz) already has a Super Bowl ring.

I do not believe that he is in as dire of a situation as either of the other QB’s I have written about, but I do believe that if he doesn’t start getting some rings the question will be asked if the Rams may have been better off with Wentz. I know this is never going to happen but I would like to see what Goff could offer a team without McVay and that great Rams roster. I think he would be a middle of the pack QB. I also think that in his current role he is much more of a game manager than people realize. When we think of the greats (Brady, Brees, and Rodgers) we never really wonder if they would be middle of the road without a fantastic supporting cast (usually because they make the players fantastic) and I just don’t see that in Goff. I think the Rams need to win now while they are young and star studded because if they don’t, they may be waiting awhile if the load is 100% on Goff’s shoulders.