The Rams’ preseason opener: ‘A new generation of NFL fans will be born’

Imagine if the NFL season started with the Super Bowl.

In a sense, that’s how Saturday night’s exhibition game between the Rams and Dallas Cowboys will feel, with the Coliseum filled to near capacity, ready to witness the first NFL snap in Los Angeles in 7,903 days.

“It will be an event,” said ESPN color analyst Jon Gruden, who will be in the booth with new Monday Night Football play-by-play man Sean McDonough. “This will be one of those ticket stubs you want to have. It’s an emotional time. For St. Louis, it’s just awful. For L.A., it’s exciting.”

So exciting, in fact, that the Rams decided to sell about 10,000 seats they don’t plan to sell for other games, bringing the capacity of the venue to 91,000. According to the NFL, that’s believed to be the biggest crowd for an exhibition game played within the U.S., although multiple preseason games played in Mexico drew crowds in excess of 100,000.

“Every time we do these preseason games it’s brutal,” said Jay Rothman, Monday Night Football producer. “You put the guys on camera, you open up the show, and it’s an empty stadium. It’s dreadful.”

That won’t be the case for this milestone moment. In light of the historic nature of the game, ESPN is also bringing in its new Sunday NFL Countdown pregame crew of Chris Berman, Matt Hasselbeck, Charles Woodson, Randy Moss and Trent Dilfer.

“At the end of the first ‘Hard Knocks’ episode, there was a fan who walked through the Coliseum gate on family day saying he had waited 22 years for this moment,” said Kevin Demoff, Rams chief operating officer, referring to the HBO training camp series.

“I think that captures how so many people feel about Saturday night and the excitement that surrounds this historic game. Fans who grew up with the Rams can now share their team with their children in Los Angeles for the first time. Groups that used to tailgate together decades ago can reunite. Fans will get the chance to meet new season ticket neighbors and bond around the Rams.”

The last NFL game played in L.A. was on Dec. 24, 1994, when Kansas City beat the Raiders, 19-9, at the Coliseum. The last player to gain positive yards in that game? Future Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen … for the Chiefs.

On that same day, the L.A. Rams played their final game before moving to St. Louis, losing at Anaheim Stadium to Washington, 24-21. Their closing play was emblematic of that 4-12 season: A 1-yard gain by quarterback Chris Miller on fourth-and-11.

Saturday’s game will mark the Rams debut of No. 1 pick Jared Goff, who is expected to play two-plus quarters after starting quarterback Case Keenum takes the first 15 or so snaps.

Gruden, who worked with both players on his popular “Gruden’s QB Camp” show before the draft, said Keenum, entering his fifth NFL season, is far more prepared to handle the job in the early going.

“Right now, Keenum’s downright better,” said Gruden, who attended Rams camp Thursday and met with coaches afterward. “He’s a functional quarterback, the kind of guy I played with most of my [coaching] career. He’s a guy that can win games for you. He’s a feisty guy. He knows what to do. They’ve got a good defense, they can run the ball — don’t screw the game up. He’ll be a good role model for Jared.”

Goff, who ran a wide-open, no-huddle system at Cal, has not taken a snap from under center since his freshman year of high school and didn’t have to call plays in the huddle in college.

“Just hold your horses on Goff,” Gruden said. “I know he’s going to be the Chosen One on Saturday when he runs out there. Fans are going to love him. I just think you’ve got to be a little patient.”

Each of the previous five quarterbacks drafted No. 1 overall were Week 1 starters as rookies: Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston. Even while praising Goff, Gruden said the Rams should wait as long as possible before turning to the rookie.

“Physically, he’s gotten better every year,” Gruden said. “I still think he hasn’t fully maxed out his physical potential. He’s got to get stronger.

“His lower body, his pocket movement is incredible. He can make the throws. He just needs time with these receivers, this coordinator, and this system. I’m concerned about not putting too much too soon on the guy.”

As for the Rams and their legions of fans, the football can’t come soon enough.

“Since our return, the reception from Los Angeles has been amazing and is a powerful reminder of how the NFL can unite a region,” Demoff said. “When the ball gets kicked off at the Coliseum on Saturday night, a new generation of NFL fans will be born and will join our diehard fans who have patiently waited to welcome us home.”

Follow Sam Farmer on Twitter @LATimesFarmer

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