Miami Dolphins v Los Angeles Rams

We’ll have to see how things get re-calibrated for the offense now that Jared Goff will be able to get into a weekly groove for games that aren’t his NFL debut warranting sob stories from Jeff Fisher acolyte Mike Silver over at NFL.com.

The Rams’ next three games are against New Orleans, New England and Atlanta. Los Angeles’ defense shutout the Dolphins through the first 55 minutes of Sunday’s matchup, but late penalties gave the Dolphins the opportunity they needed to sneak in two late game touchdowns and walk away with a 14-10 victory. “Very disappointed in him”. He didn’t catch it but he knocked it over the end line, and the Rams fell to 4-6 with a 14-10 loss that was both live and Memorex.

But, on a few occasions when the pocket collapsed around him, Goff’s poise kept a Rams’ flailing offense alive. As little as six weeks ago the Dolphins would have phoned this in but Adam Gase has this team believing that they can win at any time and they proved it today. Tavon Austin had a 21-yard completion in the third quarter, when he made a 4-yard catch and broke a tackle. Other than a Hail Mary at game’s end he attempted only one long pass. “We get a stop or intercept a pass – one of the two or three that we had our hands on – we win the game and we’re talking about Jared right now and nothing else”. And he couldn’t. Goff led an unthreatening, bland offense. It wasn’t Sunday, but while this chapter has concluded, there’s more to come for the Rams and Goff.

Goff, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, was 17 of 31 for 134 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Goff’s Hail Mary pass was batted down in the end zone with no Ram receiver nearby. Linebacker Alec Ogletree was the guilty party, but he also led the team in tackles (11) for the afternoon.

The Rams defense played well for three quarters, but wore down in the fourth as the offense converted just 2 of 13 third-down situations.

Changes in offensive line personnel are being considered, Fisher said.

Their problems are too deep for a rookie quarterback to solve.

Pregame festivities will include the singing of the national anthem by Pia Toscano, who finished ninth in the 2011 season of the Fox singing competition “American Idol”; the Calipatria High School Color Guard presenting the colors; and 20 children from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Los Angeles joining the Rams cheerleaders on the field forming the player tunnel before the national anthem. Under offensive coordinator Rob Boras’, 46, command, the team has yet to figure out how to get their team ahead of the competition.

But with the likes of Suh, Wake, and the rest of Miami’s strong defensive front focused on making him uncomfortable, Sunday certainly could have been worse for Goff in his debut.

Those moments were encouraging from Goff, whose knack for resetting on the move always was a bit underrated. There’s not much reason to be confident at the moment, and that’s a statement stretching beyond Goff’s fit.

ESPN’s Eric D. Williams writes that the Rams leaned on heavy run formations and max pass protection to keep Goff safe.

After starting the game 0-for-2, Goff completed his first National Football League pass to rookie tight end Tyler Higbee. With the Rams, he is 31-41-1 with no playoff appearances. But his record will soon make it untenable for the Rams to employ him. “He can play and I’m glad we’ve got him”. With Goff on the field, and flailing, that argument evaporates. Is there any way forward for the two sides that ends the way Los Angeles hopes? It could be the ideal opportunity for a rookie quarterback to find his footing. It could also be another setback for Fisher, who may not have many left before he runs out of chances.