Speak For Yourself guest Brooks LA Rams McVay ‘unleashed the number 1 overall pick’

Speak For Yourself guest Brooks LA Rams McVay ‘unleashed the number 1 overall pick’ Jared Goff

The LA Rams chose first in the 2016 NFL Draft.  Whenever there is a discussion about the quarterback class of 2016, I pause, look, and listen.  I do so because there is a smoldering debate happening, a debate that will inevitably involve a comparison of the quarterbacks from the draft class of 2016. Those debates seldom arrive at a place where the group agrees that several quarterbacks are good from that draft class.

These debates elevate one player at the expense of the other quarterbacks. In this instance, the quarterback discussion focused on Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Carson Wentz. He was chosen second in the same NFL Draft that the LA Rams chose Jared Goff from. And the fact that Jared Goff and Carson Wentz were chosen 1-2 in the 2016 NFL Draft will seemingly forever link the two quarterbacks in any debate.

Why doesn’t Dak belong?

While the Dallas Cowboys try to insert Dak Prescott into the discussion, he really has been more of an offense that has played Christmas morning to him. Whatever Dak needs or wants, Jerry Jones has gotten it for him. If he wants the best running back in the NFL, the Cowboys have gotten him, Ezekiel Elliott. If Dak wants a good offensive line, the Dallas Cowboys get him a top-five offensive line. If Dak wants great receivers, the Dallas Cowboys sign Amari Cooper and draft Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb.

While Eagles QB Carson Wentz helped the Philadelphia Eagles to get to Super Bowl 52, Rams QB Jared Goff got the LA Rams to Super Bowl 53. Dak Prescott has not gotten very far in the playoffs, and last year despite having an overwhelmingly loaded offense, ended the season just 8-8. Dak is good. But the Dallas Cowboys felt he was only good enough for one-year on the franchise tag.  So not even the Cowboys think he is ‘the guy’ just yet.

A new twist on a familiar debate

Typically someone in the discussion brings up the same old narrative with someone mentioning Rams quarterback Jared Goff as “Just a system quarterback”, another one chiming in about a “disappointing Super Bowl loss”, and finally some guffaws and chortles as the program fades to black. Of course, each quarterback has good games and bad games.  So when national media raises a question about a player after a bad game or two, it’s more poking the bear than a eulogy.

This was a different broadcast, however. This was a debate about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. The discussion was over the topic of the Philadelphia Eagles suffering buyer’s remorse after committing a hefty contract to Wentz.  Before we go to the Goff portion of the discussion, let’s set some background. The Eagles do not currently employ an offensive coordinator this year. Carson Wentz plays behind a makeshift offensive line and throws to an unfamiliar cast of receivers that changes each week due to new injuries.

Focus on the Goff compliments at 11:20 time frame

I’m not here to poke at Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. He’s struggling right now, but the Eagles truly have not done him many favors this season. But the conversation becomes rather glowy at the 11:20 time hack. That is where Bucky Brooks made me sit up and take notice of his observations about the LA Rams starting quarterback Jared Goff.

What did he say? Well, it went something like this:

"“So Acho (Emanuel)< just last week we had an opportunity to see number one and number two square off in Philadelphia. Jared Goff lit the Eagles up, and so now if I’m (Eagles GM) Howie Roseman if I’m (Eagles head coach) Doug Pederson, I am over there looking across the sideline with envy because I’ve seen Jared Goff not only get my team into the playoffs, and take my team to a Super Bowl. But I’ve actually seen him run out and play in the game. And then, when my guy Jared Goff had a bad year? (Do) you know what he did? He fixed it and rectified it. And now I’m looking at the Rams and they are undefeated. And (Rams head coach) Sean McVay has somehow found a way to unleash the number one overall pick (of the 2016 NFL Draft). And so, maybe just maybe, the Rams got it right when they made the decision to take Jared Goff over Carson Wentz? Because they knew there was only one franchise quarterback in that draft, and his name was Jared Goff – Bucky Brooks"

And there you go. The entire debate is fun and was intended to drive a response.

Wentz will be fine, Goff should be better

The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz will be fine this year. The Eagles simply ran into a very emotionally charged Washington football team and then had to confront the Rams and that defense that is actually quite good. Now with the NFL settling down, the Eagles will likely win against the Cincinnati Bengals. Combine that win with the likely losses of the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Football team, and the New York Giants, and suddenly the 1-2 Eagles will find themselves tied for the NFC East lead.

The shock and awe occurred when after only two games, the performance of the LA Rams quarterback is already drawing praise and compliments. Of course, any overreaction to the Rams 9-7 season a year ago is already waning quickly. Those hot-takes about the Rams being a six-win team this year have evaporated, and suddenly that same melodramatic crowd is warming up to the LA Rams this year. But at the first sign of trouble, they’ll be right back to their previous positions and the “I told you they were going to be bad” storylines.  In the meantime, here is one time the Rams got the best of a televised debate.