The 2018 NFL season was very successful for the Los Angeles Rams. They went 13-3 during the regular season and won the NFC West Division with ease. Their offense under head coach Sean McVay was one of the best in the entire league. They averaged 32.9 points per game, which ranked 2nd overall.
McVay brought one of the best offensive schemes in the league to the Rams just two years ago. His ability to put his players into the best position to succeed is unheralded. This past year, his quarterback Jared Goff had one of the best years of anyone under center. He threw for over 4,688 yards with 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His completion percentage sat at a 64.9 percent, and his quarterback rating was an adequate 65.4.
His only hiccup during the regular season was against the Chicago Bears in Week 13. Goff threw a total of four interceptions while only making 45.5 percent of his passes. He only threw for 180 yards, and the team lost by a score of 15-6. The Bears baited him into throwing deep passes that weren't there.
In Super Bowl 53, the New England Patriots did the same thing. They brought pressure from each side and let him have an open check down. But when the going got tough, he forced passes into coverage.
Goff isn't perfect, and he's still reasonably young. The 24-year-old quarterback has a chip on his shoulder and a lot to prove. These are three improvements he needs to make coming into next season.
1.) Decision Making
Goff has the ability to hit open receivers when he needs to. He isn't inaccurate in the slightest. He has the intangibles and the vision to be an elite quarterback.
However, when he's pressured by defenses with a top pass rush and good coverage in the backfield, he often doesn't get the job done. Younger quarterbacks seem to have the tendency to hurry throws when they're pressured. Goff showed this in both against the Bears and the Patriots.
Once he improves this part of his game, he'll truly become an elite talent.
2.) Confidence
What goes hand in hand with his decision making is his confidence. Sometimes knowing your own ability is as important as the weapons around him. If Goff accepted the fact that sometimes he can't be the hero, he would be able to win tough games in the regular season and the playoffs.
3.) Leadership
After Goff improves his confidence and decision making, his ability as a leader will only be cemented. He's already respected across the league for his leadership. He only needs to match the production in crunch time. That's what true leadership is. Coming through when your team needs it.
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