(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: A big “heads up” to all of our Rams followers and regular readers of Head Coach, Sean McVay’s weekly Monday transcript. This will be a very long, but deeply informative one due to the wide range of questions and team scenarios posed to him during his customary Media Availability with the local press corps.
The main focus of attention was the way the team came away from their huge victory over the New Orleans Saints last Sunday. Although they didn’t start with a flourish, the entire team kept its faith alive in Coach McVay’s winning philosophy of executing and playing complementary football to earn a very significant and uplifting win, especially one that was played in Week 13 on the road.
So, pull up that favorite table chair, your recliner, or your very comfortable easy chair, whatever suits you the best, then climb on board the Rams Express and read what Coach McVay thought about the game and what he may be expecting in the Buffalo Bills game on this upcoming Sunday.
Rams Transcripts: Head Coach Sean McVay – Monday, 12/2/24
[Head Coach Sean McVay]
(On whether there were any injuries after yesterday’s game)…”Yeah, Demarcus [Robinson] got a little hand avulsion yesterday and ended up coming back so we’ll just kind of have to protect that and pad it, but he should be good to go. Your typical bumps and bruises, but nothing that should limit anybody’s ability to be ready for the upcoming game.”
(On whether QB Matthew Stafford injured his ankle yesterday)…”He’s good. He just had a little lateral ankle sprain but nothing that’s going to change his weekly rhythm as far as practice and stuff like that. He ran today with part of the lift but he got it banged up a little bit. He’s tough. He pushes through and he should be good to go.”
(On whether the team claimed CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr.)…”We did, yes.”
(On what went into the thinking to claim Forbes Jr.)…“[He’s a] player that we liked as part of the evaluation process coming out a couple of years ago out of Mississippi State. He had a lot of ball production and had some good tape out there, even when we played them last year. He showed versatility, showed competitive toughness on the edge, and good ball skills. A guy that I don’t know too much about personally, but Kam Curl was excited to be able to reunite with him. We’ll get him in here and get him acclimated to the building, but he was a guy that we liked and had a familiarity with just based on the evaluation coming out of Mississippi State and then I thought there was some good tape that he’s put out there when we’ve gone against him, particularly later in the year last year.”
(On a corresponding move and whether it involves CB Ahkello Witherspoon)…”Yeah, Cobie [Durant] and [Darious Williams] ‘D-Will’ ended up… we will have to make a move, but it won’t affect Ahkello. ‘D-Will’ and Cobie were able to go wire to wire and they did a nice job for us, but Ahklello has been a guy that we will certainly need. He’s been a big part of a lot of good things for us and we’re grateful to have him on the team.”
(On whether TE Tyler Higbee will play this week)…”There is a possibility. I think it’s more likely we’ll see what the following week looks like. He has exceeded everybody’s expectations probably other than his own. It was great having him back out there. He’ll get another good week of practice and we’ll see where that leaves us. If I were to say, is it more or less likely that he would be able to play this week? Probably a little bit less likely, even though he might be able to, but whether or not we’re quite at that point, I don’t know that yet.”
(On establishing some continuity along the offensive line and what that means for OL Jonah Jackson now and moving forward)…”We’re taking it a week at a time. Sometimes I know I personally get myself in trouble if you’re not in the present and I think that’s the best thing that you can do while not minimizing the way that things could be affected. We’ve been fortunate to stay healthy. I think he’s done a great job of practicing. He’s improved and you can see he’s getting more and more comfortable with some of the different things. I’ve been really impressed with just the man and the way that he’s handled a unique circumstance to say the least. As far as what that means, I’m taking it a day at a time with this group and trying to pour into them and he’s approaching it that same way. I think there’s been improvement on his end from what we’ve been able to witness in these practice settings.”
(On facing the Bills in 2022, what he remembers about that game, and developing a physical mindset for the team)…”I think what you remember is that every year is a new year and you have to continue to identify the ways that maximize the group that you have. You want to try to be smart about being healthy, but toughness will always last. In a league that’s so cyclical and in a league that’s ever-changing, being tough on both sides of the line of scrimmage, that’s tried and true and that sustains over time. You’ve heard me say before, ‘Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.’ I thought we played tough and gritty yesterday. I think that was a step in the direction that we need to be able to go and that we want to go to maximize this group. But that was a humbling night. I thought our defense did a good job that night of being able to take the football away. We weren’t able to capitalize offensively. They got the best of us. We all saw what a freak show [Bills QB] Josh Allen was in person and he’s probably playing even better than he was then. It sure says a lot about what he’s doing for this team. They just won their fifth division [title] in a row last night in their 12th game, so it shows you what kind of caliber team we have coming in here and we have to be ready to roll.”
(On whether he expects S John Johnson III and/or LB Troy Reeder to practice this week)…”It’s interesting because we have that one [Designated to Return] spot left and what’s unique in terms of being able to utilize that for the return off of ‘IR’ with the amount of slots that you do have. Both of those guys could be physically ready and both of those guys would represent our team getting better. The unique thing that [General Manager] Les [Snead] and I and some of the defensive coaches were talking about earlier is if you were to have an injury at one of those positions, it maybe makes it a little bit easier or gives you some clarity in terms of… okay, if we had something [happen] at safety, let’s bring [John Johnson] ‘JJ’ back. If we had something [happen] at inside linebacker, let’s get Troy back. Those are ongoing conversations but as of right now, we’re still working through that. We would love to have the availability to bring them both back. It’s a tough situation. Nobody to blame but us for that. We’ll handle it accordingly, but I don’t have a clear-cut answer on that for you. They both could be available, but we only have one of those guys that we could actually bring back.”
(On whether OL KT Leveston returning to practice last week affected this situation)…”It does because of the way that we utilized that spot at the beginning of roster cuts.”
(On OL Steve Avila and OL Rob Havenstein playing together for the first time since last season and his assessment of the offensive line yesterday)…”They played tough and I thought they played gritty. I thought it was especially illustrated in the run game, the way that we came off, and the way that we hit blocks. I thought both backs [Kyren Williams and Blake Corum] were decisive, able to press the line of scrimmage and then get the ball downhill, especially when they were really heavily committed to the run with some of the different structures they were playing defensively. I thought Rob was really good. I thought he played really productive in the run game. I thought he strained to finish. I thought for the most part we did that across the board. There are always going to be areas of improvement, but when you just flipped it on and you said the identity that we wanted to play with, I thought it was a step in the right direction absolutely for our offensive line. It was good to see that and I thought that was a big difference in us being able to get the result that we were hunting up.”
(On the importance of having a healthy offensive line and building continuity with the group they have as they finish the season)…”I think it’s vital and I think it’s really vital for us to establish some different ways of playing in a physical mindset and mentality. I think that’s going to be a key and critical factor always if you want to be an offense that has a chance to be productive like we’re obviously striving to do. I thought that was a big factor, so yes to both of those questions without a doubt.”
(On his evaluation of QB Jimmy Garoppolo and whether he anticipates bringing him back next season)…”I love Jimmy. I love being around him. I love what I’ve seen from him. You guys have heard me talk about the opportunities that he’s had in these practice settings to show his stuff. I’ve been a fan of Jimmy’s for a long time, whether it’s competing against him, watching him from afar, and then you get to know him a little bit better. As far as those types of things… like you said, we’re in the moment. I love working with Jimmy. I’m grateful to be here with him right now and obviously, we love Matthew doing his thing and leading our team. I’m focused on this team and doing as good a job as I can one day at a time. Would you like to continue to work with him? Yeah, of course. I definitely would say that. I’m enjoying working with him right now, maximizing those opportunities, and then we’ll have a little bit of clarity as we get through this. We’re going to take it a day at a time, try to be the best we can for this week and our week of preparation for the Buffalo Bills.”
(On what QB Jimmy Garoppolo can learn and take from this experience to become a starting quarterback on a different team)…“I think you can just maximize the ‘ops’ that you’re given to continue to sharpen your skills and to be able to look at what a great player like Matthew does. How does he go about the weekly rhythm and his preparation? Jimmy has played at a high level in this league for a long time. He has his rhythm and routine. I think [Quarterbacks Coach] Dave Ragone does a great job of being able to get both Jimmy and Stetson [Bennett] up to speed on what we’re trying to do because Matthew takes all those reps. I’ve been really impressed with just the consistency at which Jimmy comes into the building, the way that he interacts and acts, responds to his teammates in those types of interactions, the way he elevates people around him, and the way that he’s able to communicate with the coaches. He’s really been a joy to be around.”
(On his experience working high draft picks and veteran players such as Garoppolo, Baker Mayfield and Carson Wentz and what he enjoys about those opportunities)…“Just learning from their experiences, picking their brains, where they’ve been, and systems they’ve been a part of. There’s so much that those guys have to offer from the accumulation of their experiences. All of them are different, but all of them in really cool atmospheres and environments. I’m very curious as to what they’ve done and how they went about it. I’m always trying to think about, what are the best ways for us to do certain things? I think there’s a wisdom and other experiences that you can draw on, but all three of those guys are a little bit different. All of them were awesome to be around and big-time parts of our football team.”
(On what they will work on in practice to get off to a faster start)…“I think just the consistent execution. I know we talked a little bit about this in the postgame presser, but it really is, how much can we make sure that we’re putting our guys in the right spots and then they’re able to execute? It’s all of us in it together, but it’s the consistent execution. It’s the consistent, sound things that we’re asking our guys to do based on whatever those matchups are or the given opponents and what we’re anticipating and expecting. There have been some examples where we’ve done it, and there have been a lot of examples where we haven’t done it well enough, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. We’re going to continue to strive for that consistency throughout four quarters. That’s really what I would say. I don’t know if I have some great answers for you. I wish I did, otherwise we’d be doing it a little bit better.”
(On his frustration on the sideline as he sees the time ticking away)…“It’s not. I think you have to be in the moment. I think you have to understand… I’ll tell you what wasn’t frustrating was some of the great red zone stops that we were able to get defensively and for it to be three plays offensively in the first quarter, I feel like you weren’t able to get into a rhythm, but our defense kept playing. For it to only be 6-0 at the half based on everything that went on, I think there was a lot of optimism. There was a lot of encouragement on what we’re capable of doing if we just put it together and talk about some of the things with the solution-oriented mindset and mentality, and the guys ultimately brought that to life. I know that we’re at our best when we’re in the moment. We’re totally immersed in being in the present, doing the things that we can control, making sure that when things aren’t going down the way that we want, let’s be able to talk about it, let’s communicate it, let’s correct it, and then let’s ultimately try to be able to give our guys the best opportunity to go execute and how that’s brought to life with mental and physical toughness. I thought that was on display yesterday. Do we want to start faster? Of course, but I think the resilience and the ability for guys to be able to keep it together despite some of the frustrating experiences is a good reflection on our football team overall.”
(On whether he’s seeing more reverses this year against the defense and his reasoning for that)…“I think we do a great job pursuing to the football. Depending upon what that looks like with flow away, if there’s not some integrity based on what that pursuit looks like, you open up some edges and opportunities to be able to get the flow of the defense going one way and come back the other. That is something that we’ve seen a little bit. It started with Detroit in the very first game of the year. Usually if a team shows that they can have some success on some stuff, it’s going to be replicated. This is the ultimate copycat league. There have been some opportunities where people have replicated that and had some success. We’ve made an emphasis on it. They tried one yesterday and got a decent production on that gain, but then there have been some other opportunities where our ability to read out of the stack, redirect, and have some integrity in terms of what that pursuit looks like on the backside. That has been a focal point for us. I think we have seen some, and it usually goes back to… the Lions had some successful ones on us, and then usually people replicate it once it’s on tape. If you show that it’s something that can work, you’re going to get it until you show that you can consistently stop it.”
(On his policy with trick plays, when he likes to run them, how many he usually has going into a game, and whether he’s seeing more trick plays league-wide to try to create explosives)…“We haven’t run a whole lot of trick plays here. There’s a lot of success with people doing it. I think there’s a philosophy of a lot of people that carry an inventory of trick plays that they start working throughout the course of the year that they can carry and that are all-purpose. It might be a little bit better against certain teams. Obviously, Detroit has gotten a lot of notoriety. They do a great job of keeping it fun and having a large inventory of tricks. I know New England with [Former Patriots Offensive Coordinator] Josh McDaniels for a handful of years and [Former Patriots Head] Coach [Bill] Belichick, they were always really good about having that. I thought [Offensive Coordinator] Mike [LaFleur], when he was even with the Jets, did a lot of different cool stuff. We’ve done that here and there. We’re always going to do what we think is necessary, but those plays take time, and if it’s applicable, then we’ll do it. It hasn’t been something that’s been a huge focal point for us over the last handful of years. Maybe we should start implementing that a little more.”
(On whether bubble screens are not popular because its block-able on the perimeter versus how players would block for them in the past)…“I think so. They’re calling a lot more ‘OPI’s’ [Offensive Pass Interference]. We actually threw a bubble screen touchdown yesterday to Puka [Nacua]. It might have looked a little bit different, but that was a version of a bubble screen. Yes, I think there’s an uptick. Those plays are being heavily officiated, whether you want to say it’s these ‘RPOs’ [Run/Pass Options] or some of these where if you’re making contact or a lineman’s downfield, there has been a lot of penalties called on those plays which naturally makes you a little bit more inclined to go away from those. I think defenses are doing a better job with perimeter control. You have physical guys on the edges and you’re getting some bigger bodies that are more versatile guys that can play the nickel or a safety position and set edges. It’s a little bit more challenging and then it’s harder because of how it’s officiated. There are still some teams that can make you pay, but there has definitely been a downswing in whether it’s the bubble screens or even some of the perimeter screens that maybe were a little bit more prevalent around the league in years past.”
(On the things they need to do to execute at a high level on play-action plays)…“I think it always starts up front with protection. Are you talking about a keeper or a true play action? I think it’s important to be able to move the spot, but it really is about… I do think the run certainly helps. Being able to make things start out looking the same and then ends up different has always been an important part of our offensive philosophy. What’s the legitimacy of the action? What kind of run sell are we getting? Are we running a boot? Are we running a keeper? Are we running a play-action? Where is the setup point? It really goes down to guys just being able to do their job within the framework of the play, great protection and sell from the line, great route distribution and separation by the skill players. They’re getting out in the pass pattern and then good timing, rhythm, and good action by the quarterback in the back. Those are some of the things that are key and critical as it relates to the play action.”
(On whether he asked the offensive line to do anything different up front in terms of execution)…“Just some of the different defensive structures. It’s off of the run sell. There are a lot of varieties that you can get as it relates to what type of thing we are running. I think it’s also really important for guys to understand the intent. What are the mechanics of that particular play within the framework of their role? What are the problems that can arise? And ultimately, what are those techniques and fundamentals look like to be able to legitimize the intent of the play in some of those play actions?
–RAMS–
