A realistic best-case scenario for the 2016 Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams begin their inaugural season back in the City of Angels with a road game in San Francisco Monday, where they're likely to be overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the other team's backup quarterback.

While that's probably not the ideal buzz for the Rams, getting a few extra eyeballs on their games can't hurt even if it's not for them. After all, the Rams begin the 2016 season as an afterthought in terms of contention in the NFC or even their own division.

Of course, having just drafted the quarterback of the future a little over four months ago, the idea of a playoff berth isn't really an expectation, especially for a franchise that hasn't won more than seven games in a season since 2006, not to mention one that has kept Jeff Fisher around for a fifth season.

So while making the playoffs would certainly be a triumph for the Rams in 2016, there are other, more realistic positives the franchise can use as a barometer to gauge whether this season is a success or a failure. After all, while the team sold out season tickets for 2016 months ago, part of that is the novelty of a franchise that's been gone for two decades. To really establish a foothold in the market, the locals need to believe progress is being made to make the Rams a winner.

First and foremost is the development of Jared Goff. Back in late April, right after the Rams made the former Cal quarterback the top pick of the draft, Fisher stated the goal was to get Goff ready to start the season opener. Yet here we are in the first week of September, and Goff is still the third quarterback on the depth chart. Meanwhile, Carson Wentz, the quarterback the Philadelphia Eagles took with the subsequent pick, is preparing to start Philly's opener on Sunday.

That Wentz is starting immediately and Goff isn't doesn't necessarily mean much at this point aside from the strategy each franchise is taking with its rookie passer. A more gradual approach is just as valid, and possibly effective, though how much it works changes on a case-by-case basis. Given the trove of picks the Rams surrendered to acquire Goff, the important thing is they give him the best chance to succeed and get him under center only when they know he's prepared. Experience can be a valuable teacher, though there are many bright NFL prospects who had careers derailed by getting shell-shocked early.

It's not in the Rams' interest to promote the historical significance of Jeff Fisher taking over the all-time lead for losses among NFL head coaches, but I'll say that they should. This is a team that is bound to be mediocre at best in 2016, so let fans enjoy the Fisher chase for history. He needs 10 more losses to be the new loss king, for what it's worth.

Beyond that, it never hurts to have some characters on the roster. "Hard Knocks" has already helped to play up the story of William Hayes, a defensive end who believes mermaids are real but dinosaurs aren't. Perhaps not every player has beliefs quite so wacky, though anything the Rams can do to make their first season back in L.A. fun is something they should embrace. The winning will hopefully come with time, and the time to build connections and a positive experience begins now.