Less than two weeks after being operated on for a broken and dislocated thumb, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff will be active in Saturday’s wild card game against the Seattle Seahawks. However, trainer Sean McVay confirmed Jay Glazer of Fox Sports that Goff will serve as a reserve for John Wolford on Saturday, as the sophomore player receives the nod at the opening of the playoff.
McVay was shy about his situation at QB the week before the NFC West playoff battle on Saturday. Goff made his official return to the practice, participating in a limited way, but, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports, Wolford was the one who saw most of the representatives of the first team. The coaching staff prepared him to start this week, which seemed to be an internal indicator that things were going that way for Goff.
Although McVay noticed that Goff played well in practice, the question of his effectiveness in the game due to the recovery of his right thumb still seems to be an area of concern for the team and why he will be active on an emergency basis for this contest.
Wolford, who had not released an NFL pass before Week 17, started in Goff’s place against the Cardinals at the end of the regular season. The unearthed Wake Forest product was 22 from 38 to 231 yards and an interception, as well as 56 running yards, in Rams’ victory to help enter the postseason.
If history is any indication, this may not be the best news for the Rams, who will fight a Seahawks team that appears to be emerging at the right time under veteran Russell Wilson. Since 2002, quarterbacks making their first playoff match (as Wolford is) against non-quarterbacks (like Wilson) are 15-31. For Wolford to advance LA into the divisional round, he will have to challenge the history of the NFL a little.