Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Jared Goff may never become a quarterback who can carry a team to a Super Bowl title, but that doesn’t mean he can’t win with the Rams in 2020.
In retrospect, the Rams made a massive mistake handing Jared Goff a four-year contract worth up to $134 million. That means they’re effectively stuck with him as their starting quarterback for the foreseeable future. That might limit Los Angeles’ ceiling, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be a solid playoff team with Goff at the controls.
The Rams didn’t make the playoffs a season ago, but it’s not as if their season was a total disaster. Plenty of their NFL peers would have been thrilled to finish with a 9-7 regular season record. The expectations are understandably higher for Sean McVay and his team.
Fortunately, the team has a solid roster of talent that can help prop up their relatively average quarterback. The Rams don’t need to win in spite of Goff, but they do need to excel in other areas of the game to make up for his deficiencies. Here are the top five reasons why the Rams can still win big with Goff as their starter in 2020.
5. Goff can cut down his interceptions
A big part of Goff’s ugly 2019 season was the fact that he threw a career high 16 interceptions. Those turnovers cost the Rams dearly in close games.
It’s easy to see how he can cut down on his interception total in 2020. First and foremost, the Rams are going to ask him to do less with the football in his hands. Look for their scheme to go back towards the play action offense that allowed him to thrive after his disastrous rookie campaign. That means simpler reads and larger throwing windows for Goff.
He’s not going to suddenly become the league’s most accurate passer, but he can stop throwing hte ball to the other team as often in 2020. Less interceptions can equal more wins for the Rams.