First, as you probably know I'm no fan of Fisher.
However, regardless of how I or you feel about him, he has to make decisions as the CEO of the team; not an advocate or personal trainer of one player. Nor can he be the one who develops players, except in the sense that he picks those that do and gives them parameters to go by.
As for not playing Keenum. It is perfectly logical. Keenum is the starter. Anyone who has watched the games can see how much more advanced and efficient he is than Goff or Mannion. Nobody plays their starter in the 4th game unless circumstances make doing otherwise impossible (like will happen with the Vikes).
That Goff was the 1st pick changes none of the that.
Fisher's job is to win football games and there is not a doubt in my mind that the message has been received that 7-9 isn't going to hack it anymore. So he has to balance developing Goff with winning games now. The ONLY play since that is the case is to play Keenum. At least for now.
Goff needs more time. The idea that a high draft pick should NOT need time (especially as a Q
, is flawed. Goff clearly has the best arm, the best movement, etc. What he doesn't have is enough development to make the right decisions in the small amount of time he has to make them.....yet. He doesn't have enough knowledge of the playbook. And he especially doesn't have enough knowledge of the defenses that will go against him.
It is also flawed logic to say that because he cost multiple high picks, then he should be even MORE ready. That was strictly a matter of circumstance. The Rams identified their long range QB that they felt could lead then into the playoffs. Were they right? Tune in about 3 years from now and we'll have a much better idea.
But because of their mid-1st round draft position the only way to get this kid was to pay a lot in draft stock to move up to be able to get what the worst team could have had for only 1 pick. That's the rules of the game. Clearly they saw no reasonable shot that either of the top 2 QBs would fall to them, and just as clearly they didn't think Lynch was their guy (for whatever their reason). Neither did 30 other teams.
Is Fisher's staff the right sorts to develop Goff or any other talent? Maybe on the D but I sure haven't seen it on the O. So I don't have much faith in it. But the good news is that if Fisher can't get it done, Kroenke has the sand to get someone else. And he well knows that to play in the big boy market, he is going to have to get a big name.