Here is a good breakdown from today by Alex Rollins.
In summary, Goff wasn’t good at finding the holes in the defense when under duress. Part of it was McVay handcuffing the offense because he didn’t trust Goff. It became very predictable for DCs like Flores.
Stafford is not gun shy in those situations. Goff didn’t used to be either but confidence, redundancy, etc may have made him gun shy.
Other notes:
Rams OL let a lot of free rushers straight up the middle ( I didn’t see any of that in the Stafford highlights shown.
Rams had no deep threats so you saw way tighter coverage and zero, 6+1.
It’s still hard for me to attribute a weighted score to how much was Goff vs. McVay (knowing that lack of deep threats and OL played a big part).
It will be interesting to see if we say the same crap out of McVay in play calling with Stafford or if he will get more creative to Stafford’s strengths. For Goff, I expect the system to be very different and that should help him a ton. Defenses won’t be able to play the same way, but Goff may still have some of the same habits.
Eh. I disagree with some of this analysis. Play action can make it more difficult to make reads because at the snap you need to turn your back to the defense and anticipate where players are going to be after the fake. And Play Action only slows down the defense and gives you more time if 1) the defense is actually sold (if they don’t bite the blocking scheme is weaker) 2) if you have the talent at WR to beat your man.
The Rams were also a very YAC centric team. Under McVay’s system, if there is an option between a risky throw/beyond the sticks completion or a safe throw short with YAC, the later was preferred. I think McVay ran more bubble WR screens than any other team in history on third and long. That started in 2019, right after Goff had a banner year. That wasn’t a trust issue.
We’re going to see if staffords unnecessary throws were because that’s the kind of player he is, or because he was trying to make something happen. When you’re playing with an inferior team more often than not it effects the way you play.
When Gurly was done being an all pro this some how became about Goff and McVay. Sorry but that’s the only thing I see. Gurly was way more important to the offense than either one of them.
Regardless of what the reason is, Stafford ain’t never proven to be a winner regardless of his skill. So whether that’s attributed to bad coaching, bad schemes, new schemes, whatever, Stafford for all the talent he has, dude just ain’t a winner. Bottom line. Going back to Georgia.
He needs to prove me wrong. Otherwise we are all talking about the things outside of the truth. And the truth is he is not a winner. He does not have the killer instinct when it counts.
He was the best QB the lions have ever had no doubt. But he never ever matched up to the best QBs in the league, and he had arguably the best WR in the league for most of his career. What would people say about joe Montana if SF never won a playoff game with Jerry rice on the team?
So I’m sorry, I liked Stafford, but I’m glad he’s gone. Not saying anything about Goff but it was time to move on.
he never “matched up” with other QB’s in the league because we always had morons running the team , a shit defense most his career, OUR WR’s that lead the entire league in DROPPED footballs…the running game couldn’t get off the ground very well , we had next to no stud playmakers…when we did??? they were treated like crap and ran off the team by our ‘oh so smart’ leaders. THEN, Matt was getting his ass kicked behind our O-line and was always sporting some injury. the trolls LUV to heap all our problems directly at Staffords’ feet. Matt made mistakes , he was not elite , he messed up, yet he was far from a problem of the team.
Didn’t Gurly fall in the draft because he was injured and sat out his rookie season? Mcvay hasn’t looked like a genius since he lost Gurly and his 20 tds a season. And I think that running game sure opened up a lot of things for Goff as well.
Saffold was a dominant Guard, especially playing next to a younger Whitworth.
My point to @Lionboy1970 was that Saffold and Gurley were both there 2 years before McVay and 1 before Goff and their offense was still crap. Gurley may have been the best RB in the league in 2017 and first half of 2018 but he was not good enough to carry a team without a good OL, Coach, Goff, WRs and everything else clicking too.
Point taken. And agreed- our hope of fielding a competitive team this year rests most squarely on the OL.
If they protect Goff well, then perhaps his “shellshock” becomes a distant memory. Pressure up the middle is a QB’s worst nightmare. A great OL can transform a middling QB and forms the foundation of a solid offense.
Most importantly, a stud OL can control the game by running the football. Run the football successfully and you can play action all day long. Running the football down a defense’s throats demoralizes that opponent more than just about anything else.
Sewell was a phenomenal pick. Lions were extremely fortunate the Bengals blew that pick. He will be a mauler early on and a top 3 OT the rest of his career. Looking forward to seeing him ragdoll Khalil Mack on a regular basis.
I will say that everyone picks on the Miami game (including this video), which was definitely the worst Goff game of 2020. Every quarterback, even Mahomes and the great Tom Brady have at least one stinker game a year. It’s extremely hard to have a great game as a QB every game. Something won’t click or time of possession won’t be in your favor. WRs, OL, or RBs may not play their best. Maybe he couldn’t sleep the night before. Whatever the case, every QB has bad games and Miami was the worst of Goff’s 3-4 last season.
Goff definitely looked off in that Miami game and was not processing like normal. I think the problem is that the media all point to that game as the one to exemplify the entire season and it was not like that.
Why does no one point to the Tampa Bay game where the running game was non-existent and Goff sliced them up?
I get it. I watched Barry Sanders try to do it for years. But I still think that when the Rams offense was clicking it was more about Gurley and the running game. Yes Mcvay and Goff played a part and having a dominant OL is everything. But until Mcvay either has Another dominant running game or trades for Aaron Rodgers I don’t think the Rams are all that. I still remember when Emmitt Smith held out the first two games and the Cowboys lost. Jerry paid him, he comes back and they win another SB. They had a HOF QB, HOF WR, and HOF guys on the OL. Emitt Smith and that running game made that offense go IMO. And while Gurly is no Smith, when Mcvay had his best offense it was Gurly that was the most important part (again IMO).
Stafford is a streaky QB who needs to get into a rhythm. He excels in the hurry up and 2 min drill. Everyone knows the Lions short comings with Stafford at QB but the Lions have had good receivers, better than the Rams have now.
With Stafford the offense might not do shit for 2 or 3 quarters so the Rams defense and McVays play calling is going to be key for their success. Im not a Stafford “ hater “ I think the whole winning record thing has more to do with Lions inability to build a team around him. Personally I think Stafford has more pressure on him than any other QB in the league and I don’t think he is going to live up to the expectations.
So McVay was able to make Goff into a good QB…and now all of a sudden Goff is being made to be the problem…what changed and why can’t McVay make Goff into a good QB again?
Why wouldn’t McVay just keep all those draft picks and build the team around Goff instead of trading for an aged QB who has a history of injuries?
Do you think it’s a personal thing with Goff and McVay?
McVay did help Goff become a good nfl qb and is a good coach himself with 4 straight winning seasons.
I see it as McVay has shortcomings that he can’t admit to himself AND he sees Stafford as a piece to get him over the hump to the Super Bowl. McVay could have had another winning season with Goff but they have a brand new stadium and are hosting the Super Bowl this year. I think McVay was asked by ownership what it would take to win this year and he said one of these 5 qbs.
McVay wanted Rodgers first and inquired about Watson as well. When McVays offense was figured out and they don’t have gurley or a great OL or deep threats, the offense struggled and it was easiest to point to the QB like everyone in the media.
My prediction is that the Rams will not have the Super Bowl run they are hoping for. They added deep threats and Stanford’s play style may help. The OL is more seasoned but old at the tackles. RB looked to be in the best spot since gurleys prime but that is likely out now because Akers is done.
It will be interesting to see if McVay adapts to Stafford. By all accounts, Stafford is having to learn and adapt to McVays offense. He will have to run it better than Goff did and I find that unlikely because Goff did pretty well with the exception of a few games. Stafford may be better with the deep ball loosening things up but can he be as consistent moving the chains as often as Goff? I’m dubious it’s spectacular enough for a super bowl.
