With the news that Rams quarterback Jared Goff will undergo thump surgery and may or may not be back in time for the playoffs, Sean McVay’s team had to do something. They’re planning to start John Wolford, the former star of the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football, where he led that short-lived league in passing touchdowns. As backup, the Rams brought Blake Bortles back from Denver’s practice squad. Bortles was Goff’s backup in 2019, and he completed one of two passes for three yards, adding two runs for minus-9 yards.
So, yech. Not a great outlook for a team that has lost two straight and needs to beat the Cardinals to get into the playoffs. The good news for the Rams is that Kyler Murray may not be able to go due to a leg injury, which means we might see a John Wolford-Brett Hundley shootout. Woo-hoo!
Though Bortles isn’t exactly a great quarterback, we’ve got to admire his grasp of music history. In announcing his return to the Rams on Twitter, Bortles went old-school, messing with the lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” released in January, 1970. The song sold six million copies as a single, and is considered the duo’s signature achievement.
When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I'll dry them all
I'm on your side
Oh, when times get rough
And Jared Goff can't be foundLike a Bortle over troubled water,
I will score touchdowns.#RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/iLV47VMdRh— Blake Bortles (@BlakeBortlesUCF) December 29, 2020
A lovely sentiment, though we’re not so sure about the “I will score touchdowns” part. “Hello, darkness, my old friend” might be more appropriate.
