As Jared Goff finds comfort level, Rams fans must learn to be patient

As Jared Goff finds comfort level, Rams fans must learn to be patient

By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News

[www.dailynews.com]

IRVINE — The fed-up fan finally had enough of Jared Goff checking down to underneath receivers Saturday during the Rams opening training camp practice in Irvine.

So he let the rookie quarterback have it.

“Throw the damn ball down the field,” the fan screamed, over and over.

Never mind it was Goff’s first-ever National Football League training camp practice after being selected first overall in last April’s draft.

Or that the Rams were literally installing the underneath aspect of their passing game, which meant, well, all the quarterbacks were being instructed to look short not long.

“We just put some simple concepts in,” said Rams head coach Jeff Fisher. “Today, the ball wasn’t designed to go down the field — it was underneath, short passing game and those kind of things.”

It’s kind of what you do at this stage of camp.

None of that either dawned on or mattered to the frustrated fan, who apparently arrived in Irvine thinking the stage was set for Goff to unleash long ball after long ball.

You know, to justify his status as the first overall pick and future face of the Rams franchise.

“Throw the damn ball down the field!” he kept screaming.

Welcome to the NFL, rookie.

As for Jared Goff ...

Seriously folks, it seems the former Cal star might have more to deal with than the accelerated speed, athleticism and savvy of the NFL game compared to what he saw the last three years in the Pac-12

Like a lack of nuance by over-eager fans demanding him to run while the Rams are still teaching him how to walk.

Two days into his first NFL camp, it looks like Goff and some Rams fans face a bit of a learning curve. L.A. is still re-adjusting to the pace and process of professional football while Goff is making the steep climb from college to the NFL.

To no one’s surprise, the initial steps for both have been a bit unsteady.

Goff was fairly sharp with his underneath throws on Saturday, and if side-session passing counts for anything he can certainly spin it at a high level.

But there were a couple of botched snaps from center, and on his one throw covering distance the ball didn’t come close to the intended target while sailing into the arms of Rams safety Cody Davis for an easy interception.

“I felt good about a lot of plays,” Goff said. “There’s some plays you want back.”

He looked better by Sunday, although his wide receivers didn’t exactly lend a helping hand by dropping a handful of passes. And though he made some nice throws toward the end of practice, he was intercepted on his final throw when he tried to cut loose across the middle only to be intercepted by rookie Jabriel Washington.

The two interceptions drew groans from many of the Rams fans on hand. More of out disappointment than anger. They badly want Goff to be great, and his emergence as a productive quarterback could be the difference in the Rams finally moving beyond the 7-9 teams they’ve been the last few years.

He’s the proverbial missing piece.

Understandable, then, they’ll be hanging on everything he does. Even through the first two days of practice.

Depending on the expectations, gleaning anything worthwhile thus far is a bit of a reach.

Goff hasn’t looked bad by any stretch of the imagination. But he also hasn’t jumped out at anyone as a no-doubt about it future NFL star.

That’s to be expected, of course, if not a tad bit disappointing.

To be expected because he’s barely three months into his professional career — counting organized team activities — and the Rams are day two into installation of a brand new offense under new coordinator Rob Boras,

Disappointing because the natural assumption is that quarterbacks drafted first overall will immediately flash something so obvious and distinctive they’ll leave no doubt about their future status.

That’s probably on us more than it is Goff. We should know better, especially at this stage.

For Goff, the focus is on incremental improvement. Getting better from day to day, then looking back at some point at the collective progress.

Like the distance he’s come from OTA’s to training camp, which he describes as substantial.

“I definitely feel 10 times more comfortable,” he said. “Much more comfortable with everything that we do, as far as daily stuff. Just very comfortable on the field, much more comfortable.”

Still, two days in you get the feeling everyone wants to see more already. A sign. A flash. Evidence that the Rams made the right decision trading up to No. 1 then drafting him first overall ahead of North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz.

That hasn’t happened yet, though.

It’s understandable, of course. It’s still so early in the process.

But with so much riding on the outcome, common sense has nothing on anxiety.