How the Rams can fix Jared Goff: Run the football
The struggles of Jared Goff on the field are front and center this week for the Los Angeles Rams after a disappointing, 23-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Rams head coach Sean McVay, always willing to take blame for what happens on the field, uncharacteristically put Goff on blast publicly after the game, stating the quarterback can’t turn the ball over.
That’s understandable after Goff had three giveaways, including one for a touchdown. The Cal product was equally as bad a month ago in a road loss to the Miami Dolphins.
A calmer McVay explained his thoughts in more detail on his quarterback when talking with reporters on Monday.
“I know he can handle it,” McVay said about criticizing Goff. “I know he can acknowledge it and we can all be honest about the expectations. I’m not going to apologize for the high expectations that I have in him. Maybe while it was a little bit of a different approach, I think it was something that was honest, that I know he's capable of correcting and that's where that came from yesterday.
“But it doesn't change my belief or anything. If anything, I think it's a reflection of the confidence I have, because I can be demanding of him in some of those settings, whether it be publicly or privately with our team.”
McVay also was asked whether he thought about benching Goff in favor of backup John Wolford.
"If I thought it was going to be the best thing to just take a deep breath and step away, then I'd say, maybe,” McVay said, when asked about benching Goff against San Francisco or Miami. “But not in either of those situations, because both of those reflected kind of having an opportunity where there was enough plays made to get back in it.
“The Dolphins game, maybe a little bit different, but I thought it was important to be able to play through some of those things, learn from it, especially just based on some of the things that they were activating defensively. … Yesterday (Sunday) that was never part of the consideration nor was it really for Miami, to answer your question.”
Goff has four years and over $100 million remaining on his deal, most of which is guaranteed money. He’s not going anywhere.
Losers of three of their last six games, how do the Rams get Goff back to the Pro Bowl-caliber player he was earlier this season?
The answer may be Goff turning around and handing it off a little more often.
One of the success stories on offense at the start of the season was the Rams’ ability to effectively run the football with Todd Gurley gone. The Rams averaged over 140 rushing yards a game the first month of the year and ran it an NFL-high 111 times through the first three weeks.
L.A.’s ability to effectively run the football created clearly defined throws for Goff, who is more effective in the play-action game when the Rams move the pocket.
However, in the last four games, which include two losses, the Rams have gotten away from that. They are averaging just 100 rushing yards a contest and 3.8 yards a carry.
Part of the reason for L.A. struggles running the football is what defenses are doing to them, pushing more defenders closer to the line of scrimmage.
That said, the Rams need to figure out how to pop some explosive runs early in the game to loosen up defenses and take some pressure off Goff.
Through the first month of the season in September, the Rams averaged 5.3 yards per carry on first down runs. During the month of November, that number went down to 4.2 yards per carry on first down runs.
“It’s just a matter of the efficiency that we can have on a first down and second down basis to put us in a better situation on third down,” Rams right guard Austin Corbett said. “And how effective can we run the ball early. That brings it back to the offensive line, us five taking pride in it and doing our jobs.
“Making sure it’s not just one guy falling off a block here, or one guy there. We’re getting so close on all of these plays, that it’s just how much can we strain, how much can we finish -- all the little details and that focus to really just get after it every single play.”
