If you had told me that I would be writing this headline by Week 14 of the 2017 NFL season one year ago today, I would've laughed it off with a sad sigh and told you that you were crazy. The Los Angeles Rams were a punchline, a joke, absolutely dead in the water, stuck with the coach with more losses than anyone else to ever step on the field, an empty stadium, and worst of all, an absolute bust of a rookie quarterback whom the team had sold the farm to acquire at number one overall. One year later, the Rams have clinched their first winning season since 2003 (snapping the longest streak in the NFC), are knocking on the door of an NFC West title, and have a new coach in Sean McVay who is just 31 years old but should be a shoo-in for NFL Coach of the Year Honors and is already arguably the second-best coach in the league. But what became of that bust of a California quarterback? Jared Goff has turned himself from a joke into one of the league's absolute best signal-callers, posting Pro Bowl-worthy numbers that could even turn into a strong MVP case by the time these last four weeks have wrapped.

Goff has many to thank for his absolute explosion in his sophomore campaign, namely, the tutelage of quarterback-whisperer McVay, an improved offensive line lead by Andrew Whitworth, a revamped receiving corps featuring Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins and Cooper Kupp, and the resurgence of superstar running back Todd Gurley, especially in the passing game. Goff's talent has been allowed to shine this season, and it has, as he is undoubtedly the centerpiece of one of the league's most feared passing attacks, spearheading an offense that is on pace to have the biggest one-season change in yards per play in NFL history. Moreover, the Rams are in the hunt to become the first team in league history to go from last in scoring to first in one season. When purely looking at the numbers, Goff is right there with those considered the front-runners, Carson Wentz, Tom Brady, and Russell Wilson, and still has two head-to-head matchups with Wentz and Wilson in back to back weeks with a huge opportunity to make a statement. If he leads the Rams to two victories and puts up numbers like he has all season (62.2% completion, 3184 yards, 20 TD, 98.4 passer rating), he could firmly place his name into the mainstream race.

All in all, Goff appears to be ready to take on the challenge of his first-ever playoffs, and with his team firmly in the mix as Super Bowl contenders, they will need him at peak form the rest of the way out. There are levels of franchise quarterbacks in the NFL, and with Goff, the Rams have someone in whom they can be confident is capable of bringing home their first Super Bowl in franchise history in Los Angeles. No matter what transpires the rest of the way out, watching his development from a fan's perspective has been nothing but spectacular, as he has shown incredible growth as a passer. From both his patience in the pocket to make the correct read, go through progressions, find his check-down receiver when nothing is open down the field, and effectively step up and toss one of the most accurate deep balls of any quarterback on this planet, he has solidified himself as the face of the NFL's youngest, most exciting franchise, and that, in itself, is a victory.