Jared Goff raves about how Rams OL played vs. Bears: ‘Couldn’t be prouder’

Bobby Evans was the focus of Jared Goff’s attention on the offensive line Sunday.

Despite only scoring 17 points, and despite only gaining 283 yards of total offense, the Rams still seemed to improve on that side of the ball Sunday night against the Bears. Jared Goff’s numbers don’t tell the whole story of his performance, since a big play was dropped by Michael Thomas and a 51-yard touchdown to Josh Reynolds was called back due to penalty, but he looked more comfortable than he did against the Steelers.

That’s partly because the Rams’ new-look offensive line played well against a formidable front. Goff wasn’t sacked a single time, was only hit once and the Bears pressured him just once on 18 dropbacks. Bobby Evans more than held his own against Khalil Mack at right tackle, and Austin Corbett looked equally good at left guard.

For a quarterback who’s taken a beating this season, Goff was thrilled with the way his big men up front played. He specifically mentioned the job Evans did against Mack on the edge, which was viewed as a favorable matchup for the Bears.

“Huge. Huge. Can’t stress it enough,” Goff said of how well the offensive line played. “You think about Bobby Evans making his first start against Khalil Mack, who’s arguably the best rush-end in the league and it was a non-factor. He did his thing. He stepped up, he did his thing. We were doing different things to help them out, but not that much, to the point where he was just playing well.”

With regards to the rest of the front, Goff liked what he saw from Corbett, David Edwards, Austin Blythe at center and of course, Andrew Whitworth at left tackle.

“David Edwards continues to get better, continues to do his thing. I thought Austin Blythe directed the offense, directed the O-Line like a champ up front, and then Austin Corbett stepped in as well,” Goff continued. “Last week was his first time playing, and this week to just come in there, the way that all of them are just so non-reactive, every single play is just so dialed, so focused, so steely-eyed, and just ready to go. And obviously Whitworth is who he is and we know that, but I just thought those guys just stepped up so well and I couldn’t be prouder. Couldn’t be prouder.”

The Rams showered Evans with praise in the locker room after the game, with Sean McVay singling him out as the one to break down the huddle. For a player making his first start, it went about as well as it could’ve.

This does complicate things for the Rams, though. Rob Havenstein, who he replaced, isn’t out for the year and could be back as early as next week against the Ravens. After seeing the way Evans played – albeit, with plenty of help from the tight ends – will McVay send him to the bench and put Havenstein back in the lineup?

Havenstein has struggled this season after playing extremely well in 2018, but the Rams just gave him a contract extension last year and he’s one of the top-paid right tackles.

It was only one game, but Evans is at least making things interesting up front for a team with very little continuity on the O-line.

[vertical-gallery id=625717]