There was no bigger play in Sunday’s Rams-Seahawks game than Jared Goff’s costly interception in the first half. It was his only turnover of the afternoon, but it ended what was the Rams’ most promising drive and took away a chance for them to pad their 6-3 lead.
On first-and-10 from the Seahawks’ 29-yard line, Goff scrambled to his right and escaped the pocket, doing a nice job keeping his eyes downfield. Only, his eyes betrayed him because he threw directly to Quandre Diggs, who was all alone with no Rams receiver around him.
Diggs picked off the pass easily and returned it 25 yards, setting the Seahawks up at their own 35-yard line with 3:45 to go. They turned the pick into three points and tied things up at six apiece, while the Rams scored just three more points all game long.
#Seahawks ball ‼️@qdiggs6 gets a huge interception on Jared Goff, his fifth of the season!
📺: #LARvsSEA on FOX pic.twitter.com/yqnVtN2r9F
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 27, 2020
After the game, Goff acknowledged the play and how bad it was. He admitted it was one of the worst of his career, which is hard to disagree with.
“I made one of what I think is one of the worst plays I’ve had in my career early on in the first half where I threw that interception to Diggs,” he said.
Turnovers have plagued the Rams all season long, committing at least one in every game. Goff has been at the center of those mistakes, throwing 13 interceptions and losing four of his eight fumbles.
He knows it has to be better, as does everyone else, and it just comes down to taking what the defense gives him instead of trying to make something out of nothing.
“For me personally, I just need to stop trying to make a play if it’s not there,” Goff said. “I think that’s what the result of the one today was. Dumb. Just really dumb. I’m a lot smarter than that. Made a lot better plays than that and just need to not try to make something out of nothing sometimes. Just take what they give you. I’m the quarterback of this team and I’m trying to score some points, and unfortunately it has led to some dumb decisions, specifically today. Specifically just that one, honestly, it just can’t happen. Can’t do it.”
Goff’s status for Week 17 is uncertain due to a broken thumb, but if he is able to play against the Cardinals, he’ll have a chance to redeem himself with what the Rams hope is a playoff-clinching win.
