The Los Angeles Rams have been used the second half of the 2016 season as a stepping-stone for the future of Rams football. Head coach Jeff Fisher has given the reigns to No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff, in hopes that the roster can transition towards find cohesion with the quarterback of the future.
During Week 13, the Rams fell to the New England Patriots by a score of 26-10. The Rams lone score of the game came with a minute left in the fourth quarter, which came on a touchdown pass to Kenny Britt.
The Rams have now lost seven of their last eight games, and seem to be trending downward as the season progresses. The transition back to southern California hasn’t come easy, as the roster hasn’t produced the expected results.
However, four games still remain in the regular season, as the Rams can attempt to build a strong foundation for 2017. Fisher remains strong with his desire to build, as he challenged his team to finish the season with a strong base to build from, via Myles Simmons of TheRams.com:
“We’re going to play hard, we’re going to compete,” Fisher said. “We have challenges, from a defensive standpoint, with respect to the quarterbacks that we’re playing. But I fully expect us to finish strong. This team is very, very close. It’s very close.”
Three of the final four games are at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with the last road game coming close by against the Seattle Seahawks. With the pressure of having a winning team lifted, all that left is the progression of the team moving forward.
Upon getting the two-year extension announced, Fisher now has a certain level of security to work with. Now that he is returning next season, he can start making progressions with Goff towards shaping the offense for next season.
Fisher talked about the development of Goff and stated that he is picking up on what it takes to become a starting quarterback:
“Each week he’s getting better,” Fisher said. “It certainly hasn’t reflected in the wins. But each week he’s getting better, from a preparation standpoint, seeing little subtle things that we ask of him on the line of scrimmage – changing protections, getting people lined up, those things.”
The rookie finished the game completing only 14 of 32 passes, for only 161 yards and the fourth quarter touchdown.
As Goff continues getting experience in the NFL, his production and the cohesiveness with the roster will surely increase. The Rams face the Atlanta Falcons at home in Week 14.
