4 takeaways from Rams’ Week 16 loss to 49ers

The Rams’ season is all but over with one meaningless game remaining.

Sean McVay has recognized Jared Goff’s limitations

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Goff hasn’t had a very good season, shockingly struggling with play-action passes after being one of the best quarterbacks on such plays last year. One area where he’s thrived in recent weeks, though, is on designed rollouts. McVay has recognized that aspect of Goff’s game and called a high percentage of bootlegs against the 49ers.

For the most part, they worked. The majority of Goff’s completions came outside the pocket, as well as on screen passes – of which there were also penty.

This isn’t to say Goff can’t make throws from inside the pocket on straight dropbacks, but he’s clearly having most of his success on the move with the field essentially cut in half. That doesn’t bode well for long-term success, but it’s something McVay recognized and saw as an opportunity to move the ball consistently.