Jeff Fisher

Watching the Los Angeles Rams offense try to move the ball with quarterback Case Keenum was an exercise in self-punishment.

The return of football to Los Angeles was supposed to be exciting and filled with the standard Hollywood fanfare. And it has been, at least until Keenum took a snap each week.

Anyone who didn't see Keenum's mediocre play coming had their blinders firmly fastened. He made five starts in 2015 and threw only four touchdown passes while averaging 6.6 yards per attempt.

He's not an NFL-caliber starting quarterback. At best, he could be fine in a spot start or two. Yet he's started nine games for a franchise that moved across the country and is in dire need of an injection of enthusiasm to avoid fan apathy.

Luckily, the Rams have such an antidote: His name is Jared Goff, and for some reason, he had to wait until Week 11 to get his first NFL start.

Let's go easy with the postseason talk.

The Rams mathematically still have a shot at the playoffs. But at 4-5, they're currently 13th in the NFC, and although the loss column puts them only 1.5 games back of the sixth-place Washington Redskins, there are six teams between the Rams and the postseason. Nearly all of them are playing significantly better offensive football, because, well, that's a low bar to clear.

The obvious hope with this move is to deliver a swift kick in the rear to an offense that didn't find the end zone for the first time until Week 3. The Rams have also scored 10 or fewer points five times, putting them dead last league-wide with 15.4 points per game, and they're averaging only 308.0 yards (31st).

It's great that the football-starved fans in Los Angeles finally get to see their potential long-term offensive savior take a meaningful snap. Rams fans deserve hugs for surviving nine games of Keenum.

But unless something has changed dramatically over the last few weeks, Goff is likely preparing to do some harsh on-the-job learning.

As Keenum sprayed passes every week, it raised the question of why head coach Jeff Fisher was sticking with him rather than the No. 1 overall pick from this past spring's draft. Quarterback development is a complex and winding road that's different in every situation.

However, even if Goff is still learning, developing and adjusting while going through the inevitable rookie growing pains, isn't it better to start that process earlier during what would be a lost season under Keenum anyway?

As it turns out, Goff might have been that far behind. Recall what Rams quarterback coach Chris Weinke told The MMQB's Emily Kaplan in early November:

I get it, that's the big concern right now. Here's the No. 1 pick, other guys have played, it's human nature to question, why hasn't this guy? The simplest answer is it's a process. We're not working on one particular thing. We're really working on a number of variables. Could he be playing right now? Is he capable of playing in the National Football League right now? My answer would be yes. But if we're being truly honest with ourselves, and we knew when we went through the process of drafting him, we knew it was going to take some time, and we were OK with that.

We're about to find out how not ready Goff is now, and his awful preseason still isn't far in the rearview.

That's when a quarterback who L.A. deemed worthy of the first overall pick and a massive trade investment completed only 44.9 percent of his throws, most of which came against second- and third-team defenders who were cut days later.

Goff finished the preseason with a woeful 4.7 yards per attempt and a 55.8 passer rating. He wasn't ready then, and he may be only marginally more so now.

But at some point, giving your potential franchise cornerstone quarterback regular-season experience is more valuable than anything Keenum offers. That's why it's baffling this switch didn't happen weeks ago.

In truth, then, this move isn't about the Rams trying to salvage a season. The Goff decision was made for them, and in his weekly postgame press conferences, head coach Jeff Fisher kept living in denial.

For example, here's what he said Sunday after the Rams beat the spiraling New York Jets despite scoring just nine points:

Now, Fisher is using his final get-out-of-jail-free card. He's a man desperately grasping and pulling one last lever, with his survival instincts kicking in.

It's too late, though, as we should mercifully be watching the final games of Fisher's tenure with the Rams, a time defined by flashes of jubilation balanced sharply with crushing defeat. That description also summarizes his entire NFL coaching career, and his now-tarnished legacy may be weighing on his mind even more heavily.

Sure, he took the Tennessee Titans to the playoffs six times over 17 seasons. That included winning their division three times and narrowly losing Super Bowl XXXIV (somewhere out there, Kevin Dyson is still reaching for that yard). But Fisher is now over halfway through his fifth season with the Rams, and when you look at his results, it's incomprehensible how he has stuck around that long.

It'd be easier and less time-consuming to teach someone Japanese than it is to figure out Fisher's continued employment. He tried to give a Tony D'Amato impression on HBO's Hard Knocks with his 7-9 rant that resulted in an internet lampooning.

Fisher's teams flirt with success before sputtering, mostly due to poor coaching decisions and/or bad personnel. Average is his destiny.

He kept his job heading into 2016 partly because there was enough chaos and turmoil surrounding the Rams' journey westward from St. Louis during the offseason. Fisher handled such a transition before when the Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee. Rams owner Stan Kroenke likely viewed him as someone who could provide valued experience with the franchise navigating through rough waters.

Fair enough, but that was a temporary need. Now the Rams are still stuck with a head coach who's had a .500 or worse record in 14 of his 20 full seasons.

History is within reach in 2016 for Fisher, too. The kind of history that says you're really bad at your job.

The other four coaches listed there earned the right to stick around long enough and lose so many games, especially Don Shula. Even Tom Coughlin's career record is 20 games over .500.

Inserting Goff now is Fisher yanking his ripcord and hoping to glide toward the end of the season with a winning record from here on out or at least some shred of positivity.

Optics are important in a town deprived of NFL football for 21 years, particularly after the Rams teased with a 3-1 start. Fisher needed to exhaust every option to win, and his last hope is shifting the blame toward a flawed-though-still-rebuilding roster by exposing Goff for what he is: a developing quarterback.

If that's his unspoken statement, then Fisher isn't wrong. The Rams do have a flawed roster, and they are rebuilding. But the guy at the helm can only be greeted with patience early in the process.

The keys need to be taken away after four losing seasons and possibly a fifth coming.

BR Video

The Los Angeles Rams aren't searching for a new head coach right now, but if Jeff Fisher is not extended they'll have plenty of options.

Why is the "high-profile" job highly sought-after? Could the move to Los Angeles make the role more desirable?

Watch as Bleacher Report NFL Insider Jason Cole breaks down the latest in the video above.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher decided to make No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff the third-string quarterback to begin the season, but former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson believes Fisher never wanted Goff to begin with.

In an interview on The Stephen A. Smith Show (h/t John Breech of CBSSports.com), Johnson said sources told him that Fisher was against selecting Goff: "From my outside people and the inside people that I know with the Rams, that wasn't the choice that Jeff Fisher really wanted. I think he was basically forced to draft Jared Goff."

If Johnson's sources are correct, then Fisher's disagreement with management may have had something to do with his decision to go with both Case Keenum and Sean Mannion over Goff to start the 2016 campaign.

Johnson also had the following to say regarding who he believes Fisher wanted in the draft rather than Goff: "I think he wanted more players. I think he wanted more players because he felt that he could be more competitive with more players, but they felt they needed to make a splash moving into Los Angeles and drafting a quarterback."

The Rams had seven picks in the 2016 NFL draft, but only one of them came in the first three rounds. L.A. dealt a 2016 first-round pick, two 2016 second-round selections, a 2016 third-round pick and first- and third-round selections in 2017 to move up from No. 15 to No. 1 in order to draft Goff.

While moving up helped the Rams secure the player they believe to be the quarterback of the future, it prevented them from bolstering their depth at other positions.

According to NFL Network's Michael Silver, however, Fisher told him directly that Goff was his top draft target since February.

Silver then added the following in a series of tweets regarding Fisher's decision to bring Goff along slowly:

Fisher philosophically believes it's better for young QBs not to be thrown into the fire. It worked out well in [former Tennessee Titans quarterback] Steve McNair's case. ... Goff came from a system that was not pro-style (as did [Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton] Lynch). It makes sense not to throw him in. Fisher believes this is best for the kid. ... That's it. Rams (and Fisher) still love Goff. Right now, obviously, they're struggling. That needs to change ASAP. And it may.

Silver also tweeted that Fisher is simply looking out for Goff potentially at his own expense.

The San Francisco 49ers dominated Los Angeles in a 28-0 rout in Week 1, and while Keenum's poor play was a big part of it, the lack of additions elsewhere in the draft may have played a role as well.

Goff didn't earn the starting job during the preseason, as he completed just 22 of 49 passes for 232 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, but it is clear that Keenum isn't the answer under center.

Another season without making the playoffs could lead to Fisher's firing, so he has plenty of incentive to play the guys he believes can help the team win now. However, if the Rams' struggles continue, then pressure will mount to start Goff, and Fisher may not be able to ignore it.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

As Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher enters the last season of a five-year contract, the team reportedly would like to make sure the coach stays in L.A.

Continue for updates.

Fisher Comments on Possible Extension Reports 

Sunday, Aug. 14

“I don’t know where those reports came from, and I’ve never gone into the details regarding my own personal situation,” Fisher said during a Sunday press conference. “I haven’t talked to [ESPN's] Adam Schefter or anybody, so we’ll see what happens.”

Latest on Fisher Extension Timeline

Saturday, Aug. 13

Schefter reported the Rams are expected to extend Fisher and general manager Les Snead before the regular season begins.

Rams' Infusion of Talent, Tough NFC West Provide Fisher With Higher Expectations in LA 

The raw numbers say Fisher hasn't earned an extension, as he has failed to guide the team to the playoffs and has posted a 27-36-1 record with no winning seasons.

As is often the case with NFL head coaches, though, the lack of a clear-cut solution at quarterback has hindered Fisher's efforts to turn the franchise around. Sam Bradford was injured too often to prove himself as a high-end starter, and his replacement, Nick Foles, flopped last year.

Snead got Fisher a potential franchise QB by trading up for the rights to No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff in this offseason's draft. The California product figures to start at some point in 2016 and may be what the Rams need to secure a playoff berth for the first time in the Fisher era.

The team's move back to Los Angeles, combined with Goff's arrival, the presence of stud running back Todd Gurley and a talented defense, should lead to heightened expectations in 2016.

Making matters more complicated, though, is how tough the NFC West has been during Fisher's tenure.

The Seattle Seahawks have made the playoffs every year since 2012, while the Arizona Cardinals have strung together three straight seasons with at least 10 wins. L.A. hopes to break into that grouping in the coming years.

It is early, but it seems the Jared Goff era in Los Angeles is starting well for the Rams. Much to the satisfaction of head coach Jeff Fisher, Goff is picking up the offense quickly.    

"He's doing a great job picking up our offense," Fisher said Saturday, per Myles Simmons of the team's official website. "We've given him a lot more information than we did at the private workout and then that we did here at our meeting, and he's handled it without any problem. And that's the impressive thing."

Fisher went on to say that Goff is acclimating well to life in the NFL, finding a balance between studying the playbook and tending to other parts of his new life. 

Goff seemed to be slightly overwhelmed after his first day of practice, via the NFL:

Yet the fact he is still picking up the offense so well after just starting in the NFL is an encouraging sign. The Rams did not trade up from No. 15 to draft Goff at No. 1 with the expectation he would sit on the bench this season. With only Nick Foles and Case Keenum as his current competition, Goff should find his way onto the field sooner rather than later.

With a young, talented offensive line and a star running back in Todd Gurley, there should not be too much pressure on Goff to carry the offense like he did at California. Look for Los Angeles to put him in simple passing situations to start before trusting him to make his own calls later in the season.

The Los Angeles Rams are set for a new start in a new city during the 2016 season, but they reportedly want to keep things the same with head coach Jeff Fisher and his coaching staff for the foreseeable future. 

Continue for updates.

Rams Exploring Contract Extension for Fisher

Tuesday, March 1

Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reported the team is “engaged in talks with [Fisher] and staff about contract extensions," citing league sources.

Wagoner added more context to the situation, noting Fisher is entering the last year of his deal and that it is "uncommon" to do so.

As for the length of the potential deal, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report reported to "expect it to coincide with timetable on when new stadium opens."

Fisher Has Failed to Find Consistent Success 

While Fisher has six different seasons with double-digit win totals and a Super Bowl appearance (1999 Tennessee Titans) on his resume, he has not turned in a winning season since 2008 with the Titans. Furthermore, he is only 27-36-1 with the Rams in four seasons. Pro-Football-Reference.com provided a look at his career:

But the Rams are apparently interested in adding years to his Los Angeles tenure. At least he will be taking on fewer responsibilities as a 58-year-old during the 2016 season, as Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk noted the head coach said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he will step aside from the league’s competition committee as the team moves from St. Louis.

There is reason for optimism for the Rams thanks to plenty of young talent, and extending Fisher’s contract will provide continuity, even if he doesn’t inspire much confidence with his recent record.

Running back Todd Gurley, one of the brightest stars in the league, was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season with 1,106 rushing yards and is only 21 years old. Elsewhere, the defense is undergoing some changes after cutting James Laurinaitis and Chris Long, but it still has 24-year-old Aaron Donald and 25-year-old Robert Quinn along the defensive line.

Perhaps the biggest question for Fisher is at quarterback, but he is leaning toward Case Keenum, given his recent comments, per NFL on ESPN: “Keenum comes back as our starter, and we're going to give Nick Foles a chance to compete.”

Keenum is only 28 years old and threw for four touchdowns and one interception in five starts last season. Limiting turnovers is a recipe for success with a strong defense and rushing attack, and Fisher has the entire offseason to work with Keenum (assuming the restricted free agent is still with the team, since Wagoner thinks the Rams will give him a tender).

While Keenum does have raw talent, St. Louis was dead last in the league in passing offense in 2015.

It needs to improve if it hopes to compete with the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West next year. Building continuity with Fisher in the face of the rest of the transition within the franchise will give Keenum, who has only 16 career appearances under his belt, some stability as he prepares for the 2016 campaign. 

With quarterbacks Nick Foles and Case Keenum under center in 2015, the Los Angeles Rams had the worst passing attack in the NFL. On Thursday, head coach Jeff Fisher revealed there won't be any changes to that duo for 2016, per NFL on ESPN:

Foles, who was acquired by the Rams from the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade for Sam Bradford, began the season as the starter but was benched after 11 games. Keenum came in to start the last five as the Rams missed the playoffs with a 7-9 record. 

Here's how the two stacked up last season:  

Fisher declared after the 2015 season ended that Keenum was going to be the starter moving forward and has stuck by his words, per Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

A successful passing game could have made a huge difference for the Rams in 2015. The offense, carried by rookie running back Todd Gurley, was held under 20 points nine times. 

On three different occasions, the Rams defense gave up under 20 points in a game and lost. If the Rams' passing game had been clicking under either Foles or Keenum, then there's a possibility the franchise could have been looking at its first playoff berth since 2004. 

The Rams do have some options to try to improve their quarterback situation this offseason. With the 15th overall pick in the draft this April, Los Angeles might lose out on California's Jared Goff and North Dakota State's Carson Wentz. But Michigan State's Connor Cook and Memphis' Paxton Lynch—not projected first-round picks in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s mock draft—could be available. 

There are also some quarterbacks who could be on the market soon. Per ESPN.com's John Keim, Washington president Bruce Allen said the team will release Robert Griffin III. While his injury history doesn't suggest that he'd be a good pickup, a healthy Griffin could add another dimension to a Rams offense in need of a spark. 

At the moment, though, for a team heading from St. Louis to a big market like Los Angeles, having Case Keenum and Nick Foles at quarterback might not appease the organization's new fans. It also won't be enough to keep up with the high-powered offenses of the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West.

Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com. 

Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher is leaving his position on the NFL's Competition Committee, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Fisher, 57, told Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk that he hoped stepping down was a “leave of absence” rather than a permanent move as he continues to balance the organization's move to Los Angeles for this upcoming season with his coaching duties.  

He said he informed league commissioner Roger Goodell of his decision two weeks ago, per Gantt.

Fisher has spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the St. Louis Rams, leading the team to a 27-36-1 record. The Rams have yet to reach the postseason during his tenure, however.

He began his career with the Houston Oilers and spent 17 years with the organization, going 142-120 and leading the Tennessee Titans (the organization moved to Tennessee in 1997) to the postseason six times, including a Super Bowl berth in the 1999 season.

Fisher does have experience with franchise relocation given his time with the Titans organization, however, making the transition to Los Angeles somewhat easier. Nonetheless, the move was enough to make a break from the competition committee necessary.

Chris Wesseling of NFL.com has a simple request for his replacement:

The remaining committee members include chairman Rich McKay of the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants owner John Mara, Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones, Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy, Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.