Los Angeles Times - 08.09.2019

LATIMES.COM/SPORTS S SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2019D9

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The

words from fans and other well-

wishers were spoken unfailingly

with kindness to Rams quarter-

back Jared Goff.

“Congrats on the season.”

Goff would politely smile.

“Congrats on the season.”

He always said thanks.

“Congrats on the season.”

Goff appreciated the senti-

ment, but the consolatory offering

in the days, weeks and months af-

ter the Super Bowl irked him.

Another Pro Bowl selection and

a Super Bowl appearance provided

no solace for playing below stand-

ard and losing to the New England

Patriots on the sport’s grandest

stage.

“The competitor in you is like,

‘No. Screw the season,’ ” Goff said.

“We wanted to win that game.”

The Rams open the season on

Sunday against the Carolina Pan-

thers at Bank of America Stadium.

It is the first opportunity to start

another Super Bowl run.

Goff, 24, goes into it with big ex-

pectations — and a significantly

larger bank account.

He signed a four-year, $134-mil-

lion extension that includes a

record $110 million in guarantees.

After agreeing to terms on the deal,

Goff said it would increase his “ur-

gency” but not affect his process.

Rams defensive tackle Aaron

Donald, the recipient of a six-year,

$135-million extension before last

season, said a player’s natural in-

clination is to prove that he is de-

serving of the big check.

“Thank you ain’t enough,” Don-

ald said. “You’ve got to go out and

show it on the field.”

Last season, Goff passed for 32

touchdowns, with 12 interceptions,

while leading the Rams to a second

consecutive NFC West title. He

also showed postseason growth.

In 2017, Goff appeared nervous

and overwhelmed in a first-round

playoff loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Last season, he led the Rams to a

divisional-round playoff victory

over the Dallas Cowboys, and then

an overtime victory over the New

Orleans Saints in the NFC champi-

onship game.

Lost in the controversy over a

noncall of obvious pass interfer-

ence involving Rams cornerback

Nickell Robey-Coleman was Goff ’s

performance at the Mercedes-

Benz Superdome down the

stretch.

He directed a late field goal

drive to tie the score 23-23 at the

end of regulation, and then com-

manded an overtime drive that

culminated with Greg Zuerlein’s

game-winning, 57-yard field goal.

Goff then struggled in the 13-3

Super Bowl loss to the Patriots.

He completed 19 of 38 passes for

only 229 yards, and he was sacked

four times in the Rams’ worst of-

fensive performance under coach

Sean McVay. Goff was late throw-

ing a potential touchdown pass to

receiver Brandin Cooks in the end

zone.

A late fourth-quarter pass was

intercepted by cornerback

Stephon Gilmore, all but clinching

the victory for the Patriots.

Rams receiver Robert Woods

said he and Goff spent the off-

season working through situations

that stifled the offense during

regular-season defeats by the

Saints, Chicago Bears and Phila-

delphia Eagles and in the Super

Bowl against the Patriots.

“Just certain balls and certain

looks,” Woods said.

Goff also has gotten physically

stronger, McVay said, enabling him

to make more plays from a

crowded pocket.

“And he’s another year experi-

enced,” McVay said. “He’s able to

use those previous reps that he’s

gotten and make it a memory bank.

“It’s like a Rolodex that you’re

able to just draw from.”

Throughout his college career

at California and during his three

seasons with the Rams, Goff has

statistically improved every sea-

son.

He acknowledged the trend,

but said there were “a million

things” he could improve, espe-

cially accuracy.

“Elite quarterbacks put the ball

where only the receiver can get it,”

he said. “I’ve been good at that, but

I know there are throws that I can

get better on ... as well as taking less

sacks.”

Goff was sacked 33 times last

season. Now he will be operating

behind a remade offensive line that

includes center Brian Allen and left

guard Joe Noteboom, both second-

year pros.

Goff also appears more out-

wardly comfortable in a team lead-

ership role. In the locker room, he

good-naturedly jaws with defen-

sive linemen, and he also has hud-

dled with offensive linemen to take

responsibility for lulls in practice.

“He does a great job taking the

blame for it, but it’s never one

man,” right tackle Rob Havenstein

said.

The Rams have not played the

Panthers since 2016, when Goff was

a rookie still on the bench behind

Case Keenum.

Two weeks after the Panthers

defeated the Rams 13-10 at the Coli-

seum, Goff made his first start.

He is 24-7 as a starter the last

two seasons.

Panthers coach and fellow Cal

alum Ron Rivera said that Goff has

demonstrated growth every year.

Not that he saw any evidence of

that during preseason games: To

ensure that Goff and other starters

would be physically sound for the

opener, McVay held them out for

the second year in row.

“We’ll have to wait and see on

Sunday,” Rivera said.

Goff also has adopted a wait-

and-see approach, at least in re-

gard to his next Super Bowl ap-

pearance.

“You never know when your

chance is going to come,” he said.

“But when it does, we’ll have a good

idea of how to handle it.”

JARED GOFFsays he wants to be a more accurate passer. “I know there are throws that I can get better on,” he says.

Mark J. TerrillAssociated Press

Goff aims to offer return

on the Rams’ investment

After signing $134-million extension, quarterback has big expectations

By Gary Klein

Rams (13-3 in 2018)

at Carolina (7-9)

HOW THEY

MATCH UP

When Rams

have the ball

Coach Sean McVay orchestrated
one of the NFL’s most prolific
offenses the last two seasons.
Quarterback Jared Goff is a
two-time Pro Bowl player who
has progressed every year. The
offense, however, has some
question marks. Is running back
Todd Gurley’s left knee phys-
ically sound? Gurley said last
week that he was “fine.” Can
receiver Cooper Kupp recapture
his form after season-ending
knee surgery in 2018? Kupp has
at times looked more confident
than before he suffered the
injury. Can center Brian Allen
and guard Joe Noteboom fill the
voids left by the departures of
John Sullivan and Rodger Saf-
fold, respectively? No one
knows, or even got a hint, be-
cause McVay once again held
out starters from preseason
games. That did not hurt the
Rams in the 2018 opener against
the Oakland Raiders and it is
not expected to slow them
against the Panthers, who have
switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4
defense under veteran coach
Ron Rivera. The Rams caught a
break when new Panthers line-
backer Bruce Irvin suffered a
hamstring injury that will keep
him sidelined for the opener, but
the Panthers still feature line-
men Gerald McCoy and rookie
edge rusher Brian Burns among
others. Luke Kuechly is among
the NFL’s top linebackers.

When Panthers

have the ball

Quarterback Cam Newton had
offseason shoulder surgery and
suffered a foot injury during a
preseason game. But the 2015
NFL most valuable player will
start against the Rams. Newton
remains one of the most dynam-
ic dual-purpose threats. And at
6 feet 5 and 245 pounds, Newton
is difficult to bring down. But
Rams tackle Aaron Donald
sacked him twice during a 2016,
13-10 loss to the Panthers. On
one, tackle Michael Brockers
recalled that Donald was “climb-
ing the ladder” to sack Newton.
“I remember that picture,”
Brockers said. “That was the
dopest picture I’ve seen.” Rams
defensive coordinator Wade
Phillips has experience formu-
lating a plan to control Newton.
See Super Bowl 50, when the
Denver Broncos shut him down.
The Rams also must contain
running back Christian McCaf-
frey as a runner and receiver.
The Newton-McCaffrey combi-
nation will test a remade Rams
defense, especially new nose
tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day,
inside linebackers Cory Little-
ton and Bryce Hager and edge
rushers Dante Fowler and Clay
Matthews. Safety Eric Weddle
will call defensive signals and
make adjustments before the
snap. The Rams secondary will
try to neutralize receiver DJ
Moore and tight end Greg Olsen.

When they kick

Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein,
punter-holder Johnny Hekker
and snapper Jake McQuaide
have been together since the
2012 season. JoJo Natson will
return kicks. Longtime Pan-
thers kicker Graham Gano was
placed on injured reserve be-
cause of leg issues, so Joey Slye
will make his debut. Slye made
seven of eight field-goal at-
tempts during the preseason,
three from 50 yards or beyond.
Michael Palardy is the punter,
and Ray-Ray McCloud returns
kicks.

Gary Klein’s

prediction

McVay’s decision to once again
hold out starters from pre-
season games wraps the offense
and defense in an air of mystery.
And all eyes will be on Gurley.
There might be some early
missteps but the Rams will show
that talk of a post-Super Bowl
letdown was unwarranted. At
least for the opener.

RAMS 30, PANTHERS 27

How Rams and Panthers offenses and defenses fared last season, with per-game averages and league ranking:

POINTS SCORED PTS ALLOWED

RAMS PANTHERS

32.9 (2) 23.9 (19)

PTS ALLOWED POINTS SCORED

RAMS PANTHERS

24.0 (20) 23.5 (14)

PASS OFFENSE PASS DEFENSE

RAMS PANTHERS

281.7 (5) 240.4 (18)

RUSH OFFENSE RUSH DEFENSE

RAMS PANTHERS

139.4 (3) 112.8 (12)

TOTAL OFFENSE TOTAL DEFENSE

RAMS PANTHERS

421.1 (2) 353.2 (15)

TOTAL DEFENSE TOTAL OFFENSE

RAMS PANTHERS

358.6 (19) 373.2 (10)

PASS DEFENSE PASS OFFENSE

RAMS PANTHERS

236.3 (14) 239.8 (16)

RUSH DEFENSE RUSH OFFENSE

RAMS PANTHERS

122.3 (23) 133.5 (4)

STATISTICAL COMPARISON

NFL:WEEK 1

Injury report

Final injury reports for Sunday’s games in Week 1 of the NFL schedule were

submitted to the league office Friday:

RAMS:No injuries to report.

PANTHERS: OUT — Defensive end Bruce Irvin (hamstring), tackle Greg

Little (concussion).