No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff is finally going to take the first-team snaps for the Los Angeles Rams.
But only in practice.
And only for a few days during the bye week.
Then it's back to Case Keenum.
"I've not changed my mindset whatsoever with respect to Case and Jared," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Monday, per the Rams' official website. "Jared's going to get some reps, which is a by product of the bye week. I don't feel like Case needs the reps Wednesday and early next week, so Jared will get those reps, which is good."
Fisher still plans to make Goff the starter eventually, but no, not now. "Jared's going to be our starter, but we're just going to continue with Case," Fisher added, in a sentence that doesn't make all that much sense.
Keenum is coming off a four-interception game against the New York Giants in London, a game the Rams may have won had they not turned the ball over so much. One of the interceptions was a pass that bounced off Tavon Austin's hands and was returned for a touchdown by Landon Collins and one was arguably the fault of a wide receiver that pulled up on a route, but the other two were among the worst throws any quarterback has made this season. Still, Fisher refuses to put much -- if any -- of the blame on Keenum for his poor play, or for the team's three-game losing streak.
"We won three straight games with him. And, yes, I understand we've lost three straight. But the quarterback position, in my opinion, is not the reason we lost the football games -- and nor was it yesterday," Fisher said. "At first glance if you look, [you say], 'Oh, he threw four interceptions.' So you look at the actual plays, as you guys know -- interceptions you can place blame wherever you want.
"You have to deflect -- or be realistic from that standpoint when you're looking at the quarterback position because if an offensive lineman gets beat on the snap, and the quarterback gets hit and he's hurried on the throw -- if the throw's incomplete, it's not the quarterback's fault. It's the offensive lineman's fault. That's just an example. We just have to get better as a team."
Fisher's somewhat right that there are many factors that go into interceptions and that they aren't always entirely the fault of the quarterback. But still, his starter has eight touchdowns and 10 picks in seven games, and has gone touchdown-less in three of seven. He ranks 22nd among 32 qualified passers in completion percentage, 27th in passer rating, 20th in touchdown percentage, 31st in interception percentage, 27th in adjusted net yards per attempt (which takes into account touchdowns, sacks, and interceptions), and 31st in QBR. At a certain point, the talent just isn't there to justify continually rolling him out on the field.
