I'm not saying they're the same player or that Goff is going to become as good as Aaron Rogers. But let's track a couple of things about them.
Aaron Rogers came into the league as a 22 year old. Very young. But the Packers knew that and I have no doubt that the other teams also took that into consideration and it had at least something to do with his not being drafted until late in the 1st round even though the talent was obvious.
Goff came into the league as a 21 year old.
Aaron Rogers DID NOT START A SINGLE GAME until his FOURTH year in the league, at age 25.
He did play in a handful of games before then and had limited reps on a pretty good team. But here are his completion percentages: rookie: 57%, 2nd year 40%, 3rd year 71%.
Goff was pressed into service in his rookie year at age 21 on a completely horrible team (at least it was a horrible offense).
He started 7 games. His completion percentage: 54%.
And, just to add one more comparison: Tom Brady.
Tom Brady came into the league at age 23 (2 full years older than Goff). He did not start a game and only threw 3 passes in his entire rookie year.
He started the next year at age 24 and we know the outcome from there.
The great Kurt Warner did not start a game in the NFL until he was a 28 year old! And we know the outcome from there.
Here's the point: youth is a real and proven detriment to NFL QBs. It takes time. Offenses are hard to learn. The Pro game is wholly different then the college game. Their bodies aren't ready. Their minds aren't ready. Asking a 21 year old to be an NFL starting QB is utterly ridiculous. Asking a 22 year old in his 2nd year is almost as ridiculous. History shows that what happens is not kind to super young starting QBs even to those who go on to have great careers.
Again: I'm not predicting Goff's future.
I'm saying we are at least 2 full seasons away from having a pretty good idea of the trajectory.
The offense he played in his rookie year, as stupid as it was, is long gone and he's had to learn an entire new system on the fly.....at 22 years old!!
I think McVay and the Rams are wise enough to take it as slow as you can with Goff. Mcvay has made it a point that he wants to make playing QB as easy as possible for Jared. Although starting him this year at age 22 is really unfair to him in some ways. But the Rams really almost have no choice because the fan world would go nutz and so would the media if the Rams were to say that it's better for Goff to sit another year and let the much older and physically and mentally mature Mannion start.
So Rams' fans, give Goff a break... for 2 more seasons. He's a baby. He has no business being pressed into duty so young. The good news is that McVay fully understands that, and he and his offensive staff will keep that in mind in what they ask him to do. It is why McVay keeps pressing about how important the running game is.
But what I'm saying is also fully understood by the other 31 teams. They understand the disadvantage for Goff and it is why other teams are still going to play to stop the run and try to force the Rams to make Goff win by passing the ball because there is no way he can be as ready as a typical mid to late 20's NFL QB. I sure would play it that way.
So any talk about Goff being a bust is off the charts stupid. Can you imagine deciding that your 12 year old in youth football might as well quit the sport and take up competitive knitting because he's a bust? Naturally that's an exaggeration, but not as far off as history shows us about the youth issue and NFL QBs.
Give the kid a break. Give him time and plenty of rope.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/2017 05:40AM by RockRam.
