3 steps LA Rams must make to earn respect for QB Jared Goff

Better play-calling

Shocked? You shouldn’t be. The inability of the Rams to adjust their offense to the limits of their offensive line and struggles of the running game may have cost the team a playoff berth.  What can you expect when the guy who is in charge of troubleshooting the entire team also holds ultimate power over the offense as well. As the team began to slip in special teams and defense, the wheels of that offense fell off with repeated numerous injuries to the offensive linemen.

In the game against the Dallas Cowboys, it seemed as though the only play in the playbook was attempting to hurl the ball deep downfield to catch their defense napping. By the time Rams head coach Sean McVay figured out that the Cowboys could defend that play, the Rams were so far behind on the scoreboard that they never had a chance of coming back. That seemed to be the theme for the entire season.

O’Connell difference

Head coach Sean McVay does not have the bandwidth to adapt the Rams offensive strategy for each opponent. Rather, he analyzed the opponent beforehand and set the playbook to match his perspective on their best matchups. But defenses adapted to McVay’s offense faster than he could react and adapt.

Thus the need to add offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, whose role is to ensure that Jared Goff is comfortable and knows what the defense is doing, to create better tactics before and during games to adapt more effectively to opposing defenses, and to ensure that the Rams successfully close the loop between what they face on the game day versus how they practice and select plays for the following week.

One article predicts Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray leading his team to the NFL Playoffs, while in the same breath predicting that the Rams will outright bench Goff.  Yes, you read that right.  Rams QB Jared Goff will not gain the respect of the NFL by showing up each week, nor by going through the motions. Respect is earned over time by consistent performance, and by exceeding expectations. Few believe that the Rams have a chance of success this year. Here is Goff’s chance to show up and shut his critics up.