When we faced the choice of Wentz or Goff, I was initially on Team Wentz. Pro ready. Big, strong, athletic. Etc.
Then I watched video of Goff's TDs at Cal. Of course, we all know that highlights compilations can be misleading. But I was impressed by two things in Goff's package:
- The NUMBERS of TDs the man threw. The quantity of the sample size was staggering.
- The nature of the throws. The accuracy. The ability to beat coverage and lead people into the end zone.
There are some plays that only great athletes can make. Any decent college QB can hit wide open receivers. But to beat coverage with pinpoint throws … that is a rare ability. See a guy do it once, and you say, Oh. See a guy do it again and again and you know you have something really special.
So, while still valuing Wentz and having some remorse for letting him go to Philly, I became a Goff guy. Before the draft, but only just. I kept seeing that VOLUME of FABULOUS throws and thinking, THAT is a pro QB I want on my team.
So, OK, we all know what happened. Fisher's dotage was a lousy time to get started. But, you know, I always kept the faith. I kept seeing in my mind those throws at Cal. And, in pre-season, I saw a couple of throws that looked like that. And I always thought, yeah, it's there. This guy can be a great QB if that capacity I saw in those Cal highlights can emerge.
Last year and early this year, we saw it start to come forth in an upward curve. But Thursday night … man, that night I think we saw the Cal master step forward. So many of those throws reminded me of those Cal highlights.
Here's a
link to one of the You-Tube videos of Goff at Cal. If you watch it, I think you'll see prototypes of throws he has made the last couple of weeks. Evading rushers with clever feet. Putting scoring throws on a dime. Placing balls past defenders' hands in the end zone.
I think the Cal version of Goff has emerged. And you know that QB was PROLIFIC in throwing TD passes.
I think we're going to have a lot of fun in the next decade.
