Sent Packing

Jared Goff remained true to character. He did not panic.

Instead, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback overcame the largest deficit he’d faced this season and delivered a 29-27 come-from-behind victory over the Green Bay Packers at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.

“It just continues to demonstrate that he’s got an even-keel demeanor, a great poise about himself,” coach Sean McVay said after the game Sunday. “No moment is too big.”

With an eighth consecutive victory, the Rams’ perfect season remained intact and Goff became the second starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era to lead his team to an 8-0 start while under the age of 25, according to ESPN Stats and Information. Dan Marino accomplished the same feat in 1984.

“Today was hard fought from the get-go,” Goff said. “Really hard fought.”

Entering the game, Goff had led only one come-from-behind victory in eight tries when trailing by double digits, and it came last season, when he led the Rams from 11 down in a 35-30 Week 4 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

On Sunday, the Packers jumped to a 10-0 lead by the start of the second quarter, as the Rams’ top-ranked offense struggled mightily to move the ball against a well-rested Packers defense that was coming off a bye week.

The Rams punted on their first five series, the first time their offense had seen such a stall since Week 2 of the 2015 season, when the team was still based in St. Louis and Goff was just a junior at California.

The 10-point hole was the first double-digit deficit the Rams faced this season.

“Why would we be worried?” Goff said, when asked if he the deficit caused him concern. “It’s a long game. I think to your point though, we do tend to score a lot of points and when we don’t, we can’t freak out and understand that there are four quarters and we’ve got a lot of time.”

The Rams averaged 33.6 points per game through 7 weeks.

Against the Packers, a safety by linebacker Mark Barron late in the first half started the scoring, and Goff took it from there.

The third-year pro delivered back-to-back highlight reel throws to Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley for gains of 25 and 32 yards, respectively, then capped a seven-play, 72-yard drive with a 1-yard pass to Josh Reynolds for a touchdown. Gurley was stopped short on a two-point conversion, but the Rams showed life, and trailed 10-8 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Goff found an open Gurley for a short pass that the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year turned into a 30-yard score. Goff then went to Gurley again on a two-point play and the Rams took their first lead, 16-13.

“You felt the energy on the team, on the offense and that really got us going,” said Robert Woods, who had five catches for 70 yards. “Once we got the lead, got this offense rolling, we’re hard to stop.”

On the ensuing series, Goff completed a 17-yard pass to Cooks, a 19-yard pass to Woods and a 19-yard pass to Reynolds for a touchdown to make it a 23-13 Rams lead.

But Aaron Rodgers, who Goff grew up watching in the Bay Area when Rodgers starred at Cal, delivered touchdowns in consecutive series to give the Packers a 27-26 lead.

Goff responded as he moved the Rams into field-goal territory and Greg Zuerlein kicked what proved to be a 34-yard winning field goal.

The victory was secured when linebacker Ramik Wilson forced and recovered a fumble on the Packers’ ensuing kickoff return.

Goff completed 19-of-35 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked five times for the second time this season.

Goff said the final play on special teams was the only time when his even-keel demeanor turned up a notch.

“That’s was exciting,” Goff said. “Very exciting.”