This Week In Jeff Fisher Refusing To Blame His Quarterback

I’d like to apologize to you on behalf of sports if you watched yesterday’s 9-6 Rams win over the Jets, a game that seemed absolutely destined to be a tie and didn’t end up with even that novelty to recommend it. The Jets are so unwatchable that they flexed Tom Brady , but let’s not sleep on the permanent feebleness of the Rams’ offense.

Los Angeles is 4-5, a remarkably respectable record considering that this team is 31st in the league in yards per game (25th in the air and 29th on the ground) and dead last in points per game. This is a team that has won two different games this year without scoring a touchdown!

Rams fans have been waiting not-so-patiently for first overall pick Jared Goff, and after seemingly every popgun performance from Case Keenum, Jeff Fisher has taken to the podium to deflect a QB controversy.

Two games ago after putting up 10 points: “Quarterback is not the reason we lost.”

Last week after putting up 10 points: “I would submit that Case was not the reason we lost this game today.”

Sunday, after scoring just nine points: “I don’t believe it’s the quarterback play.”

It’s not fair to put this all at Case Keenum’s feet—that offensive line is trash—but the numbers aren’t pretty. Through nine games he’s thrown nine touchdowns against 11 picks, and currently holds the second-lowest passer rating of any QB who hasn’t already lost his job. The best thing you can say about Keenum yesterday is that he didn’t turn the ball over, but but he was an awful 17-for-30 passing for just 165 yards.

It seems improbable that Jared Goff could do any worse. But Fisher answered firmly in the negative when asked if a change was even under consideration. “No,” Fisher said. “I’m not going to go into a quarterback situation.”

So how’s Goff? Fisher has always said Goff would play when he’s ready.

“I keep saying and I’m going to keep saying this until his first game, that he’s improving,” Fisher said. “He’s got a feel for it. He’s really into the game.”

I don’t even know anymore, man. Maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome by this point, but I’ve almost come around on just keeping Goff benched for the entire season. What’s he going to change? This offense is impotent no matter who’s throwing the ball. Why put him in there to get killed? Or maybe Case Keenum is actually good and Jeff Fisher is right and everyone else is wrong. Or maybe Jared Goff died and they’re just hoping everyone forgets he existed. This team makes me feel insane.

I hate this team, and I hate that they get televised. The punter is easily the best thing about them. Even the Browns are more fun to watch. I’m getting physically ill thinking about a game the Rams won, and that fact is making me angry all over again.

Anyway, no matter how this goes, the Rams are 100 percent finishing 7-9.