Jared Goff will make his first NFL start at quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams?in front of a home crowd on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, the team announced Tuesday.Rams coach Jeff Fisher informed Goff and Case Keenum of the switch when he met with the quarterbacks on Tuesday morning, sources told ESPN. Keenum, who started the teams first nine games, will be the backup, and second-year quarterback?Sean Mannion will remain No. 3, for now.I think its time, Goff said after Tuesdays practice. Im ready to move forward and play. Im just going to work hard and hopefully win.Goff was the first pick in the 2016 NFL draft, but he made steady progress in practice during the first half of the season. Sources said the Rams staff believed the rookie from Cal was close to stepping in as the starter within the past two weeks, but Keenum remained the quarterback for Sundays 9-6 road win against the?New York Jets?at MetLife Stadium.It was the third game in which the Rams offense failed to score a touchdown, which prompted Fisher to joke Monday that his team was an offensive juggernaut and 2-1 in games when the Rams had not produced a TD.The Rams confidence in Goff is evident, as the 4-5 team remains in contention for a playoff spot. He has been getting limited reps with the first-team offense the past few weeks, including all the first-team reps during the Rams bye in Week 8.Hes ready, hes preparing and doing well, Fisher said of Goff on Monday. Hes anxious and confident.Fisher has maintained that Goff would be the starter when hes ready. Goff was inactive for Week 1, with Mannion serving as Keenums backup; but Goff has been the No. 2 quarterback since Week 2.It wasnt a spontaneous decision, Fisher said. It was a progression. Its a gut feel. Its not an easy thing. It takes time, and we gave it time, and it was the right decision. Were looking forward to watching him play.Hes going to have some moments, like all young quarterbacks do, but hes going to do well.Even though Goff was the first overall pick, five other rookie quarterbacks have started at least one NFL game this season, in part due to unforeseen circumstances: Carson Wentz (Eagles), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Jacoby Brissett (Patriots), Cody Kessler (Browns) and Paxton Lynch (Broncos). Wentz and Prescott have started all of their teams games.There is not necessarily a belief that Goff alone will solve the Rams anemic offense, a source said. Rams running back Todd Gurley has yet to get untracked, and the offensive line play has been spotty at times. The Rams rank second worst in the league in total offense and have scored the fewest points (139) in the NFL.Nevertheless, with Goff now fully indoctrinated into the offense after exclusively running a no-huddle spread attack during four seasons at Cal, team sources said there is hope he will energize the team and a home fan base that was hostile during the teams most recent game at the Coliseum -- a 13-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers?on Nov. 6. That was the Rams fourth consecutive loss after a 3-1 start.Fisher said he has finally seen enough on the field -- and from Goff in practice -- to warrant the inevitable change.It feels like a long time since Ive got out there and played, Goff said. Im excited to get back out there. ... I saw a lot of stuff from the sidelines, as much as you can see during games, and learned from a lot of the things Case did -- good and bad. Its been a long process, I guess, trying to pick up everything and get ready for it. I think I have, and I think Ive been ready for a little while. I feel good, and I feel excited.This Sunday, Goff will face a Dolphins defensive front seven that overwhelmed the Chargers offensive line and frustrated veteran quarterback?Philip Rivers into throwing four interceptions in Sundays 31-24 victory at San Diego. Miami is on a four-game winning streak.The rest of the Rams schedule after the game against the Dolphins also would present its challenges for Goff. The Rams play early games at New Orleans (Nov. 27) and at New England (Dec. 4), then host Atlanta (Dec. 11) and visit Seattle (Dec. 15, a Thursday night) before finishing with home games against San Francisco (Dec. 24) and Arizona (Jan. 1).Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Lenny Wilkens Jersey . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. Spud Webb Jersey . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. https://www.cheaphawks.com/ . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. Chuck Cooper Jersey .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. Dikembe Mutombo Jersey . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The way Minnesota ran the ball and performed defensively against Maryland, it really didnt matter who played quarterback.Thats not taking anything away from Conor Rhoda, who did everything asked of him in his first college start.Rodney Smith ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns, Rhoda threw for a score and the Golden Gophers cruised past error-prone Maryland 31-10 Saturday.Starting for senior Mitch Leidner, who was out with a concussion, Rhoda went 7 for 15 for 82 yards without an interception. The former walk-on had previously thrown only two passes in a mop-up role.He managed the game well, coach Tracy Claeys said. Our kids believed in him. He did the things he needed to do.Rhoda spent most of the afternoon handing off the football to Smith and Shannon Brooks, who ran for 86 yards on 22 carries.I felt good once I got out there and took a couple hits, Rhoda said. Everything settled in from there and we got things cooking on offense.Minnesota (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) limited Maryland to 100 yards and four first downs through three quarters in building a 17-0 lead.Smiths 70-yard touchdown run with 9:30 left made it 24-3, and Antoine Winfield Jr. sealed the victory late in the game with an 82-yard interceptions return.Maryland also started its second-string quarterback, using true freshman Tyrrell Pigrome for injured Perry Hills (shoulder). The Terrapins made a variety of mistakes on both sides of the ball in their second straight lopsided loss.Obviously, a very sloppy performance, first-year coach DJ Durkin said. We killed ourselves with penalties and turnovers, especially early in the game. Playing from behind is a hard thing to do with a freshman quarterback.Dukin said Hills was not healthy enough to play.I dont feel it was in his best interest or our team to put him out there today, Durkin said. I think its one of those things where its a ticking time bomb, where its going to get hit again.Pigrome threw ffor 161 yards and ran for 71.dddddddddddd. But Maryland committed three turnovers and was penalized nine times for 75 yards.I know the story will all be about our freshman quarterback, but the guys around him need to play better, too, Durkin said.The Terrapins didnt score in the second half last week in a 38-14 defeat at Penn State and had gone five quarters without a TD before Pigrome threw an 11-yard pass to D.J. Moore with 5:42 remaining.It wasnt enough to prevent Durkin from absorbing his first loss at home.Durkin showed his frustration in the third quarter when Moore tumbled to the ground chasing a long pass in front of the Maryland bench. Durkin ran down the sideline, arms in the air, demanding an explanation why pass interference wasnt called.Maryland entered the game with only four turnovers, fewest in the Big Ten. But the Terrapins gave the ball away twice in the opening 16 minutes, and the second turnover proved costly.After Pigrome threw an interception, Minnesota missed a 36-yard field goal. In the second quarter, however, William Likely muffed a punt on his own 15 to set up an 8-yard run by Smith for a 7-0 lead.The Golden Gophers made it 14-0 just before halftime with a well-timed screen pass from Rhoda to Brooks, who caught the ball over the middle and sprinted in for a 17-yard score.THE TAKEAWAYMinnesota: The Golden Gophers appears to have found their groove defensively. Theyve allowed only two TDs over the last two games.Maryland: The Terps have gone south after a 4-0 start, losing two straight behind a sputtering offense that really needs Hills back under center.UP NEXTMinnesota hosts Rutgers next Saturday. The Scarlet Knights lost to Illinois on Saturday to remain winless in Big Ten play.Maryland hosts Michigan State under the lights next Saturday. Spartans won 24-7 last year. ' ' '