Is it time to see Jared Goff?

By OC Tribune Staff on September 19, 2016 • ( Leave a comment )

WITH CASE KEENUM at the helm, the Rams have scored zero touchdowns in eight quarters (Rams photo).

The Los Angeles Rams posted their first win of the 2016 season Sunday at the Los Angeles Coliseum, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 9-6. That’s the good news. The not-quite-as good news is that – for the second straight week – the offense has been a no-show. The team has not scored a touchdown so far through eight quarters.

“Defense wins championships” is a tried-and-true homily in football, but that only applies when you’ve got some kind of offense as well. Is time to bench Case Keenum (239 yards but no touchdowns) in favor of Great Rookie Hope Jared Goff, or even able backup Ed Mannion?

Coach Jeff Fisher probably won’t do that yet, but if the Rams can’t finally breach the end zone next week in Arizona, fans will start reviving an old L.A. tradition: a quarterback controversy.

The best matchup for area prep football teams is clearly Mater Dei vs. Edison at LeBard Stadium in Costa Mesa on Friday. The Chargers are 4-0 and ranked at the top of the CIF-SS Division 3 poll (and atop our High Five), but the Monarchs (4-0) are ranked nationally as number one in California and number three in the nation.

We know most coaches and fans aren’t into “moral victories,” but what a feat it would be for the boys from Magnolia Street to throw a scare into a team that many consider to be the best schoolboy team in the whole United States of America.

Last week’s results really shook up our High Five rankings for high school football teams in the area. Edison’s win over a strong San Juan Hills team solidified its status as the number one team, and Orange (4-0) rose into second place with its fourth straight blowout victory. Pacifica’s impressive win over former number four Garden Grove moves the Mariners into third on the High Five, with Marina (3-1) and Huntington Beach (2-2) rounding it out.