Jared Goff’s NFL debut lasted only two series and came while working with the second-team offense.

The Rams’ rookie quarterback is expected to receive an upgrade this week against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Coach Jeff Fisher said Sunday that it was “quite likely” the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft would take first-team snaps in Saturday night’s exhibition at the Coliseum.

Case Keenum remains the starter after the Rams’ 28-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.


But Goff is challenging to become the starter by the time the Rams open the season Sept. 12 against the San Francisco 49ers on “Monday Night Football.”

Goff is coming off a briefer-than-planned appearance against the Cowboys, one that ended prematurely because of a hit delivered by a blitzing linebacker.

“He’ll be fine,” Fisher said during a news conference at UC Irvine. “We have no concerns whatsoever. He’s just a little banged up and sore.”

Goff’s 13-play stint was short but revealing.


In college at California, he played in the shotgun formation — and that’s how he started Saturday when he first came into game in the second quarter. But he also took snaps under center and did not appear uncomfortable.

The Cowboys broke up his first pass — a short one — and on the next play linebacker Derek Akunne raced untouched into the backfield and hit the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Goff as he was throwing a pass, which was intercepted.

“They got us on a nice blitz,” Goff said after the game. “You get beat sometimes. They dialed up something pretty nice, and got us.”

Goff got into a rhythm during his second series and delivered a strike down the middle of the field to Pharoh Cooper. The rookie receiver dropped the ball and Goff was sacked on the next play.


At halftime, Fisher abandoned his plan of playing Goff about two quarters.

“I have a whole career ahead of me to play,” said Goff, who completed four of nine passes for 38 yards, “and this preseason, hopefully, I can continue to play at a high level.”

On Sunday, Fisher praised Goff for stepping up in the pocket and making “a great throw [intended for Cooper] against a coverage which is tough to fit the ball in.”


He said Goff managed the huddle and the line of scrimmage.

“It’s just a progression,” he said. “That’s what we’re looking for.”

Solid start

Goff went into the exhibition as the focus of attention, and Sean Mannion grabbed the spotlight by passing for three second-half touchdowns.


Keenum quietly completed six of seven passes — one was dropped by Tavon Austin — and led the Rams to one touchdown.

The Cowboys’ 101-yard return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown even provided a positive side note, Keenum said.

“You never want that to happen,” he said after the game, “but I was upset that we didn’t get the ball first.

“So we wound up getting the ball first.”


Upon further review

Fisher said that after reviewing the return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown by Dallas’ Lucky Whitehead, he determined there were two blocks in the back and two holding infractions.

“They weren’t called, and that’s OK,” he said. “That’s part of the preseason.

“We tell our players, ‘Run faster, don’t get blocked in the back, separate from blocks and don’t get held.’ So there’s a lot of learning from that.”


On the defense

Alec Ogletree started at middle linebacker for the first time and “did fine,” Fisher said.

Ogletree, playing for the first time since suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 4 last season, was credited with two solo tackles.

Cornerbacks Coty Sensabaugh and Lamarcus Joyner got beat for touchdowns, but Fisher said he was not disappointed with the play of the secondary.


E.J. Gaines, who is competing with Joyner and Sensabaugh to start opposite Trumaine Johnson, is expected to return this week after sitting out against the Cowboys because of a hamstring issue.

Fisher said “we’re not ready to play run defense yet” and that would be a focus this week.

Notes

Safety Brian Randolph suffered a season-ending knee injury, Fisher said. Receiver Nelson Spruce suffered a knee sprain and will probably be sidelined a week or two. . . . Running back Todd Gurley and defensive end Robert Quinn, who were held out against the Cowboys, are expected to play “a little bit” against the Chiefs, Fisher said. . . . Fisher and General Manager Les Snead are expected to receive contract extensions before the season opener. Asked about an ESPN report regarding his status, Fisher said, “I never get into the details regarding my own personal situation. . . . We’ll see what happens.”


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