Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher is wise to lean toward Case Keenum as his starter, and not just because his job could depend on it.
The Los Angeles Rams spent a lot of capital in order to move up and select California product Jared Goff at the top of the 2016 draft. In order to get Goff, the Rams gave away a total of six picks—including 2016 and 2017 first-rounders.
Related Story: Our Profile of Jared Goff
Clearly, the Rams view Goff as something close to a guaranteed franchise quarterback. They probably saw Goff as a guy who could play sooner than eventual No. 2 pick Carson Wentz, and there’s no way the franchise would have gambled so heavily on a crapshoot.
While Goff may indeed be ready to take an NFL field sooner than Wentz, it’s beginning to look like won’t be doing so when the regular season kicks off.
When L.A. takes on the San Francisco 49ers on September 12, it will probably be Case Keenum under center for the Rams. If we’re judging things strictly on preseason performances, this is probably the way for the Rams to go.
Goff was a bit of a mess in his preseason debut against the Dallas Cowboys a little over a week ago. He tossed one interception and finished that game 4-of-9 for a mere 38 yards. He was much better in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs—8-of-12 for 82 yards and a touchdown with two fumbles—but Goff is still clearly a work in progress.
“What I’ve been saying since day one is we’re going to be patient with him. Case is our starter. progressing.” – Jeff Fisher
Keenum, on the other hand, has been steady in the preseason. Through two games, he has completed 10 of his 12 pass attempts for 111 yards and a touchdown. Though Keenum isn’t exactly an explosive gunslinger, he looks more like a capable starter right now.
“Watching Keenum in the first three weeks of training camp and watching him in the first two games of the exhibition season, it’s obvious the fifth-year quarterback is a pro,” Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times recently wrote. “He might not make a Pro Bowl, but he also won’t make any silly mistakes. Coach Jeff Fisher can start him and know a certain level of competence will be guaranteed.”
Los Angeles fans might not be thrilled at the prospect of a game-manager as the team’s best option. The reality is, however, that Goff just doesn’t appear ready to take the reigns of an NFL franchise.
Fisher has maintained throughout the offseason that Goff won’t be given a chance to start before he’s ready, and he reiterated that sentiment after his team’s most recent preseason contest.
“What I’ve been saying since day one is we’re going to be patient with him,” Fisher said on Sunday, per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. “Case is our starter. progressing, he’s getting better. As he said, he’s learning from his mistakes, he doesn’t dwell on them. . . . Case is our starter right now and, again, patience is the word. You can put it in quotes. We’re going to be patient with him.”
Fisher has personal reasons for wanting to keep Goff on the sideline until he is ready to be a productive starter. After producing a 27-36-1 record as coach of the Rams, Fisher may see his job security as dependent on a winning record. However, going with Keenum is also the right move for both the present and the future of the franchise.
Now, you may be wondering why the Rams would want to put off getting Goff experience. Former first-overall quarterbacks like Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston were opening-day rookie starters, right? Well, there are a couple of key difference between those players’ situations and what the Rams have with Goff.
For one, Luck, Newton and Winston all appeared to be the clear best options on their teams when given the starting job. Goff isn’t. The other thing to consider is that these were pretty bad teams—which is why they ended up with the No. 1 overall pick in the first place. Rookie struggles at quarterback weren’t expected to cost anyone a playoff spot.
The Rams have enough overall team talent to be realistic playoff contenders now. Keenum gives L.A. its best chance to win this season, at least early, and this is why he should start. We’re not talking about Fisher using the journeyman to coax out a few potential job-saving wins here, we’re potentially talking about the difference between a postseason berth and another 7-9 campaign.
Remember, the Rams open the season with tough division games against the 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. Those games are followed by matchups with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and division-rival Arizona Cardinals.
Throwing an unprepared Goff into that fire could set the stage for a 0-3 start in the division and a steep uphill climb to the playoffs.
If it becomes apparent later in the season that the offense has hit its limit with Keenum at the helm and that Goff provides more upside, then perhaps the Rams consider turning to the rookie. However, it would be smart to try to limit mistakes early in the season and survive that brutal first month.
Goff, meanwhile, can begin adjusting to the speed, flow and strategy of a live NFL game from the sideline.
Learning under fire is one way to do things, but plenty of NFL quarterbacks have shown that learning from the bench is also beneficial. This is where the Rams should keep Goff, at least until Keenum falls on his face or the team is eliminated from playoff contention.
More Rams: Our Profile of Star RB Todd Gurley
This is exactly why Fisher has it right when he talks about exercising patience with Goff. Sure, a steady hand at quarterback could help him stay employed a bit longer. However, starting Keenum early is also best for the team’s playoff chances, and it shouldn’t prevent Goff from being a better pro down the road.