5 storylines to the Rams Colts matchup in the Coliseum

Let’s not kid ourselves, the Los Angeles Rams are wedded to former top overall draft pick Jared Goff. Earlier this week, head coach Sean McVay noted that this will be his first real opportunity to evaluate his young quarterback.

So much for that happening in the preseason.

Either way, so goes Goff, so goes LA.

The Rams really have no backup plan for Goff. The next guy on the depth chart is Sean Mannion. Between the two, neither has a win in a regular season game, and only Goff has seven starts to Mannion’s none.

That’s being “all-in.”

McVay and the Rams will find out about their quarterback sooner rather than later. As I’ve written, 2017 is about figuring out just what they have in Goff. Clearly, the need to validate their selection of him is important, and they will need to see growth from last year to this. It won’t all come tomorrow, but they need to see something. He doesn’t need to win games as much as they don’t want to see him lose any.

Los Angeles did a tremendous job in surrounding him with offensive weapons, including a trade for wide receiver and big time threat Sammy Watkins from Buffalo. Also, if Todd Gurley can find any of that magic from his rookie year, that too will go a long way in helping their quarterback.

But ultimately, it will boil down to Goff himself.

He doesn’t need to be a hero.

He just needs to not be the goat.