Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay did not hesitate to call out quarterback Jared Goff following a disappointing loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12.
McVay made it clear that Goff needed to do a much better job of taking care of the ball if this offense was going to start hitting its stride going into the final stretch of the 2020 NFL season.
Although the criticism from McVay came as a surprise to some, Goff acknowledged that he was just fine with the tough love from his coach. Even better, he responded in ideal fashion by completing 37-of-47 passes and scoring two total touchdowns in the 38-28 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13.
Goff’s performance was enough to earn praise from McVay this time around, via the Associated Press:
“He took great care of the football, distributed, got a lot of guys involved,” McVay said. “We were efficient on third down. It was tough sledding running the football but we did get enough.”
Goff was also happy with his ability to bounce back after a rough performance a week ago:
“I responded exactly how I expected to,” Goff said. “I have been through a lot of bad things in my football career before and I have consistently responded and this was no different. I just had to keep my head down and keep working.”
Early on, it appeared as though the recent struggles on offense were going to carry over into Week 13. After all, the Cardinals’ defense had shown plenty of improvement in recent weeks and managed to generate some pressure on Goff to start the game.
Fortunately, the Rams were able to establish a healthy balance thanks to the efforts of running back Cam Akers. The rookie carried the load on the ground with 21 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, running back Darrell Henderson scored a touchdown while averaging a whopping 16.3 yards per carry.
However, it was Goff’s efficiency through the air that ultimately helped L.A. seal the deal. More importantly, it was the kind of bounce-back game he needed in order to get this offense back on track.
The Rams have a quick turnaround with their Thursday Night showdown versus the New England Patriots. It will be interesting to see if McVay and his group are able to keep it going on a consistent basis.
