Rams fans just got the wake-up call they never wanted from Jimmy Garoppolo

The Los Angeles Rams have pinned their hopes on starting quarterback Matthew Stafford getting healthy for the 2025 season. If he can’t answer the bell, the team is turning to veteran Jimmy Garoppolo to handle the offense until Stafford is back under center. On paper, it looks like a solid plan.

But on the football field, the plan to put Jimmy G under center is far from immune to disappointment. His track record isn’t a revelation; it’s a book written over many years of his NFL career. Garoppolo struggles when pressured or faced with tight coverage. If a defense can create either, he quickly deteriorates from a poised pocket passer to a quarterback fighting to keep it together.

And in the joint scrimmage with the New Orleans Saints, the 33-year-old led a vanilla offense against a defense run by former Rams DC Brandon Staley. For all the reasons he was so highly regarded in Los Angeles, Staley is once again showing his chops as a defensive guru with the Saints’ young unit.

Jimmy Garoppolo struggles at joint practice

Keep in mind, the Rams head into the offseason with a different set of priorities. This isn’t about rolling out strategy or testing complex schemes; it’s about putting players to the test. The Saints gave them plenty of tape to study, film that will help anticipate how defenses plan to disrupt their offense. Unfortunately, those lessons came the hard way.

The team’s offensive struggles against a spirited Saints defense were confirmed by Sports Illustrated’s Rams beat reporter Brock Vierra, who stated outright that the offense needs refinement and that its level of performance in the scrimmage was unacceptable.

If you need more confirmation, the Rams’ website noted the lack of offensive rhythm early in the scrimmage. However, the same article also pointed out that the offense eventually got back on track, particularly during its two-minute drills.

Garoppolo’s struggles against a Saints defense in a joint scrimmage are sobering news. Fans are coming to terms with the fact that the starting quarterback may not be ready for Week 1 and could be forced to open the season on Injured Reserve.

Should that be the case, the offense will be led by Jimmy G for at least the first four games. And with the Saints exposing his weaknesses in a joint scrimmage, you can bet defenses will follow suit during that stretch. This offense knows this and can employ a strategy to counter those defensive efforts.

For now, Garoppolo’s struggles serve as a wake-up call for both coaches and fans. The offense is a lesser product with the backup quarterback running the show. The Rams need Stafford healthy to have any hope of sustained success in 2025. The question is whether he can get healthy in time. As always, thanks for reading.

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