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moklerman
Certainly doesn't make sense to me that Bradford, Newton, Luck, Bortles, Winston, etc. could all get on the field right away but Goff is going to have to sit on the bench...behind Keenum!?!
Is Goff just not in the same class as those other guys? Just like Eli, Goff is going to have win a couple of Super Bowls. But is it more likely that will happen or just RGIII 2.0?
There are two big differences between Goff and those other guys. The teams that drafted Bradford, Newton, Luck, Bortles, and Winston all earned their number 1 pick. As in 1 - 15, or the like. So the expectation for those teams were as minimal as can be, and they could afford to burn a year getting their number one QB up to speed. Conversely, the Rams were 7 - 9 but feel like they are on the cusp of the playoffs or better. Thus, they cannot afford to give away five games or so while their rookie QB learns how to be a pro.
Second, the Rams REALLY like Case Keenum. Moreso that pundits or media experts or fantasy football gurus. They have confidence in him and believe he can win them games while Goff ramps up to speed. Those other teams had no such option B that they felt so good about that they would sit their rookie QB. The situation is similar to Eli Manning, and how Kurt Warner started nine games while Eli learned the ropes. Eli has been starting for 14 seasons since.
Note that neither of these two points reflects on Goff and his abilities. He could, and would, be starting if there were no Case Keenum or if the Rams were coming off a 1 - 15 year. But he is going to be our QB for the next 12 - 15 years and break all of the Rams' passing records. And no one will remember that he didn't start the first few games of his rookie year when all is said and done.