A recharged Jared Goff hopes to get spark back when Rams play host to Seahawks
A week off provided Jared Goff with plenty of time to put behind his worst performance of the season.
So after taking time to “kind of recharge the batteries,†Goff said he was looking forward to Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium.
“You want to get back and get playing, especially after a result you don’t love,†Goff said Wednesday during a post-practice videoconference with reporters.
Goff was alluding to the Rams’ 28-17 defeat to the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 1. The Dolphins intercepted two passes, tipped and nearly intercepted several others and also forced Goff to fumble twice. The defeat dropped the Rams’ record to 5-3.
Now, the Rams are gearing up for what could be the toughest stretch of their schedule. In the next four weeks, they play the NFC West-leading Seahawks (6-2), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) and division games against the San Francisco 49ers (4-5) and Arizona Cardinals (5-3).
“The bye week coupled with a home game against a division [opponent] gets us going, gets us excited,†Goff said.
The Rams hope to begin the second half of their season on a high note against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams rank sixth in the NFL in total offense, averaging 396.4 yards per game. They are 13th in passing, averaging 258.6 yards per game.
Goff has passed for 13 touchdowns, with six interceptions. His 94.6 passer rating ranks 20th in the league. He completed 35 of 61 passes for 355 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins for a 66 passer rating. His four turnovers doomed the Rams.
“I was trying to really get rid of it,†Goff joked when asked about the game, “and I had time to reflect on it, got better from it — we all did — and feel good moving forward.â€
How does he bounce back?
“Just keep being me,†he said. “Just keep working, keep getting better. Obviously, that game didn’t go the way we wanted to.
“But you’re going to have those, and you try to limit them. But just bounce back and be myself.â€
Coach Sean McVay said expectations for Goff against the Seahawks were no different than any other week. He wants the fifth-year pro to make consistently good decisions, to distribute the ball to receivers, tight ends and running backs and to recognize coverages whether the offense is passing or running the ball.
“And taking better care of it overall,†McVay said.
The Rams are minus-2 in turnover margin, tied for 20th in the league.
The defense has intercepted six passes and recovered four fumbles. Goff has had six passes intercepted and the Rams have lost six fumbles.
After this week’s open date, Rams will begin preparing for their toughest stretch of their schedule which begins with the Seattle Seahawks visiting SoFi Stadium.
“That is why we lost against the Dolphins,†McVay said of turnovers. “You can look at a lot of different things but turnovers and inability to handle that pressure — we’ve moved on from that but we certainly didn’t ignore it, we learned from it, and I’m looking forward to seeing that reflected in our play as we move forward to this second half of the season.â€
Under coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks have been known for solid and sometimes dominant defenses.
Not this season.
The Seahawks are giving up a league-worst 362.1 yards passing per game. That statistic is somewhat skewed because the Seahawks are averaging a league-best 34.3 points a game, forcing opponents to pass.
The Seahawks recently acquired edge rusher Carlos Dunlap from Cincinnati with the aim of increasing pressure on quarterbacks. The Seahawks have 19 sacks, tied for 16th in the league.
“We’re still trying to get it together,†Carroll said of the defense. “We haven’t played like we want to. We played winning football, but it’s not playing the style that we’d like to play.â€
Looking at where Los Angeles-based sports team owners donated money to Democratic, Republican and nonpartisan causes ahead of the 2020 election.
The presence of linebacker Bobby Wagner, a perennial selection to the Pro Bowl, and star safety Jamal Adams make the Seahawks a formidable challenge, Goff said.
“Anytime you look at guys like Bobby Wagner and Jamal Adams who are at the top of league in their positions, you have a lot of respect for that,†he said.
Etc.
Safety Jordan Fuller practiced for the first time since he was placed on injured reserve Oct. 13 because of a shoulder injury. ... Running back Darrell Henderson (quadriceps) and offensive lineman David Edwards (abdomen) did not practice. Receiver Cooper Kupp (wrist/oblique) was limited, but McVay said he expected Kupp would play against the Seahawks. Offensive lineman Joe Noteboom, who suffered a knee injury against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second game of the season, will be added to the roster this week, McVay said. Linebacker Natrez Patrick cleared waivers and was re-signed to the practice squad. ... Kai Forbath badly missed a 48-yard field goal attempt against the Dolphins, but McVay reiterated that he did not expect the kicker to be displaced by Austin MacGinnis this week. “I do think you want to give Kai a chance to really show his stuff,†McVay said. “I know the one kick wasn’t great but I think you want to be careful in letting that one kick dictate a whole emotional response. You want to give him more of an opportunity to really have a full evaluation.â€
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