Jared Goff gets his chance to to salvage the Rams’ 7-9 hopes

Jared Goff, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 draft, will finally make his first NFL start for the Rams on Sunday when they face the Miami Dolphins in Los Angeles, the team announced Tuesday.

Mortensen said the team informed its quarterbacks of the decision on Tuesday morning.

While Fisher has been resistant to making a change at quarterback, it’s hard to argue against it after Case Keenum’s performance in the Rams’ 9-6 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. Keenum completed 17 of 30 passes for just 165 yards, and the Los Angeles offense was unable to get into the end zone. It was the team’s second victory this season in which the Rams were only able to score field goals.

Of course, Keenum has struggled all season, and the Rams are 4-5. The Los Angeles offense is the worst scoring offense in the league, and the Rams are ranked No. 31 in total offense. It’s surprising that Fisher waited until Week 11 to make a change at quarterback. Perhaps Goff and his experience in Cal’s “air raid” system can give the Rams offense the spark it needs.

Fans have been more than ready for a change at quarterback. Rams fans were chanting for Goff to replace Keenum during Los Angeles’ last home game against the Panthers. The change has been a long time coming, considering Goff’s draft status.

Still, Fisher said he would not make a change and establish Goff as the Rams’ starting quarterback until Los Angeles was eliminated from playoff contention.

Despite moving up 14 spots to select Goff in the NFL draft, the Rams named him their third-stringer prior to the start of the season. He struggled mightily throughout the preseason, going 22 of 49 with four turnovers. In hindsight, Dak Prescott, who at the time was a little-known fourth-round pick, overshadowing Goff in his first exhibition contest should’ve been seen as a harbinger of things to come.

But following an atrocious effort from Case Keenum in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers -- the five-year veteran completed 17 of 35 passes for 130 yards and two interceptions -- the Rams decided to move Goff up to No. 2 on the depth chart prior to Week 2. Sean Mannion moved down to third.

The Rams’ decision to send two first-round picks (2016 and 2016) as well as two second-round selections (2016) and two third-round selections (2016, 2016) to the Tennessee Titans so they could draft Goff was met with mixed reviews. On one hand, a franchise quarterback is the most valuable asset in football. If the Rams felt Goff could lead their team for the next decade, then it was probably the right decision to make.

But on the other hand, it was difficult to not compare the deal to the failed RGIII trade — especially since the Rams reportedly weren’t always certain they wanted to draft Goff.

According to Keyshawn Johnson, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher was ultimately forced to select Goff against his will.

”I think he wanted more players,” Johnson said on SiriusXM back in September. “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.”

Five other rookie quarterbacks have already made starts this season, with Carson Wentz and Prescott starting Week 1 for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, and Cody Kessler and Jacoby Brissett taking over for injured players in Week 3. Paxton Lynch started for the Denver Broncos against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4. Rookies Trevone Boykin and Kevin Hogan have also gotten some playing time.

Goff was one of the best quarterbacks in college football during his junior season, completing 64.5 percent of his passes for 4,714 yards and 43 touchdowns. But up to this point, his performance at the professional level hasn’t reflected those numbers.

Given Keenum’s performance so far this season, the Rams have little choice but to go to Goff now. Whether his leash stretches until the end of the season remains uncertain.