The Los Angeles Rams offense was finally able to get back on track against the Arizona Cardinals thanks to the efforts of quarterback Jared Goff in Week 13.
The Rams wasted no time in bouncing back from their embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12 with a well-balanced attack on the road. Goff enjoyed perhaps his best performance of the 2019 NFL season after completing 32-of-43 attempts for 424 yards in the 34-7 waxing of the Cardinals.
Meanwhile, running back Todd Gurley also made his presence felt with 95 yards and a touchdown while averaging five yards per carry. Given all the struggles this group has endured, all-around efforts like these leave hope for a potential resurgence.
Rams head coach Sean McVay praised Goff for his part in helping the offense click on all cylinders in Week 13 during his postgame press conference:
“That’s exactly what Jared is, he’s the epitome of a team guy for us. I thought for our offense to be able to sustain some drives, for him to be able to make some plays on schedule, off schedule, for us to be able to run the football efficiently on those early downs and then open up some of the things off of it. He was great today. It was a great game for Jared, but that was a game that we expect from him. We know what he’s capable of and it’s always a collaboration of the unit but I was really pleased with his ability to command and control the game and I thought it was one of his best performances, for sure.
It is no secret that Goff has endured quite the roller-coaster year under center and has received his fair share of criticism for the sudden drop-off in production. Regardless, McVay’s comments indicate that his struggles have not shaken their belief in his ability to lead the offense.
Goff will continue to face criticism about his status as a bonafide franchise quarterback until the Rams can get back to being one of the highest-scoring groups in the league. It comes with the territory after he signed a lucrative four-year extension this offseason, however, it is clear that McVay is focused on trying to improve the offense as a whole one game at a time.
Although Los Angeles is still a longshot to remain in the playoff picture, the only way to keep their playoff hopes alive is for this group to build on their dominant performance against Arizona the rest of the way.
