Rams offensive linemen know they have to help Jared Goff in his NFL debut on Sunday against Dolphins

How Rams quarterback Jared Goff fares in his NFL debut against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday could hinge more on the play of the linemen in front of him than the golden arm of the former California standout and No. 1 draft pick.

“Knowing he’s a young quarterback, they’ll probably blitz us a little bit more to try to get him out of rhythm,” left guard Rodger Saffold said. “They’ll hide coverages more, change his reads on the snap.

“There’s gonna be some things that he’s not going to be able to see that we have to find ourselves. We definitely have a big-time job to do this week, just like every week. We’re going to have more responsibility, absolutely.”

This might not bode too well for Goff. There’s a good reason Rams players and Coach Jeff Fisher have refused to pin the blame for their offensive struggles on quarterback Case Keenum, who lost his starting job to Goff on Tuesday.

Inconsistent play along the line has prevented the Rams from running or passing the ball with any kind of consistency; they’ve scored two offensive touchdowns in three games, and they rank last in the league in points, 31^st in total yards, 29^th in rushing yards and 25^th in passing yards per game.

“We weren’t performing offensively, and a lot of that comes down to how we’ve been playing as an offensive line,” right tackle Rob Havenstein said. “I think a lot of us guys take a lot of it personally, so we’ve been working on it. We’re going to get it right.”

Defensive tackle Michael Brockers expects the Dolphins to do some of the same things the Rams did to rattle New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty in Sunday’s 9-6 victory in MetLife Stadium. Petty, making his first NFL start, completed 19 of 32 passes for 163 yards, with one touchdown and a key fourth-quarter interception.

“They’ll do what most defenses do — they’ll switch up their coverages, kind of disguise things, bring unique blitzes, stuff the young guy isn’t used to seeing,” Brockers said. “What we have to do to counter that is to block these guys up, make sure we have max protection and let him show that arm that got him paid.”

There is an air of curiosity surrounding the rookie quarterback, and not just among the fans who chanted “We want Goff!” during the Nov. 6 game against Carolina in the Coliseum. Goff has practiced with the Rams for almost four months but has not taken a snap in a regular-season game.

“I’m really not sure,” tight end Lance Kendricks said, when asked what Goff could do differently than Keenum. “We’re just gonna run our offense regardless of the quarterback. Hopefully he does take some shots downfield. We need those big receivers to catch some balls downfield.”

The Rams are also curious to see how Goff responds to pressure.

“The biggest thing is being able to command the offense in times of adversity,” Saffold said. “That’s one of the toughest jobs you can have. Is he gonna be able to stand in there and throw the ball when he gets hit? We don’t expect him to be perfect. He’s gonna have some growing pains here and there.”

Brockers said he has seen growth in Goff since training camp, from the way the quarterback has learned the playbook to the way he is commanding the huddle. Goff, he said, is calling plays with more confidence and clarity.

“He’s grown up a lot,” Brockers said. “And his passes look good. It’s practice, so everything looks sweet.”

An injection of youth at quarterback, along with a strong arm and a playmaking ability that warranted a four-year, $27.9-million contract, could be the spark the Rams (4-5) need to make a playoff push.

“He’s young, and I think that gives him the ability to go out there and play free,” Brockers said. “At this point, he’s at the reins, so I just say, ‘Let it go, don’t be afraid to do what you did to get drafted. You’re a playmaker, let’s go see.’ ”

Keenum is scheduled to meet with reporters on Wednesday. Fisher praised the quarterback for his “leadership, his enthusiasm, his commitment and everything,” and said Keenum would remain one of the team’s captains despite his demotion. This came as no surprise to the Rams.

“He wasn’t just our quarterback; he was one of the leaders of our team and still is,” receiver Tavon Austin said. “We’re still going to answer to him. We still respect him, even though he isn’t starting.

“I just wish I could have done some more things to help Case be the starting quarterback he should be — we all could have helped him more. But you know, that’s how this game goes. That’s the business we live in. Jared Goff is up now.”