TRANSCRIPT: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay - Media Availability - September 11, 2020

TRANSCRIPT: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay - Media Availability - September 11, 2020
(On if anyone will be ruled out for Sunday)
“Yeah, everybody's going to be good to go. So that’s a positive for us. (RB Darrell Henderson Jr.) Darrell’s feeling good.”

(On the team preparation considering the circumstances)
“Yeah, it went really well. Guys did a great job of being able to handle it. It was good to finally get into a weekly game rhythm for our guys and just finished up our Friday practice. We’ll have some meetings and kind of walk-thru tomorrow and put really the final touches on everything and then go to the hotel and be ready to roll for Sunday. So, guys are excited. About 50-plus hours out and we can’t wait.”

(On whether the team will have a pregame demonstration statement)
“Yeah, we'll discuss that as a team. I think all the conversations, the dialogue, the different things that guys have done to take action has been great. What I want to be able to do is discuss it with our players, our staff, and then be able to come to what we all feel like is best. That’s something that we will discuss tomorrow.”

(On the air quality becoming a factor on Sunday)
“We did check that out and things are looking good. So, we'll be in good shape. That shouldn't be an issue for us.”

(On preparing for Dallas Head Coach Mike McCarthy)
“You’re certainly familiar because just like what (Dallas Head) Coach (Mike) McCarthy did this last year, you know, that's something that we do as well. Just studying guys that you really respect and just making sure that you have a familiarity with the league and what's going on and just the landscape of everything, offensively defensively, special teams. Coach McCarthy's offenses are something that I've always enjoyed watching and studying and got a bunch of good inventory in some of our teaching tapes to be able to utilize off things they've done. But, I think it's a collaboration of great things that he's done as well as what kind of had been in place in their systems. So, it sounds like we'll see when we actually play that it will be a little bit of both. They both have really good sound principles and foundational operations that enable them to be really successful. I think them collaborating will make them even more difficult.”

(On if he was able to watch the game between Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans)
“Yeah, I did. I had it on while we were kind of finishing up our game plan. I love watching these games and getting excited to see football. It felt real. The difference is Kansas City is one of the two venues that actually had some fans and it sounded like they did a great job of creating a good atmosphere. Obviously two great teams that have been doing their thing for a while, but I did watch it. It was just good to see football back. A lot of good stuff and it makes it feel real all the sudden. That was a good thing. But what will be different for us, is we won't be fortunate to have any fans in the stands. You can see, I thought the Kansas City crowd did a great job of injecting some energy into it, even if it was a minimal crowd with the limitations.”

(On if the word ‘ecosystem’ was in his lexicon prior to this season)
“Hell no (laughs). That's not my word really, it's (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie Scott's. Okay, so he keeps throwing out this ‘ecosystem’ and so now I'm just following his lead because he's kind of at the forefront of all the risk mitigation, all the practices and with his area of expertise. He's been talking to me. He's been coaching me up on and we got to keep our ecosystem right. So, you can blame Reggie Scott for that in my, what'd you say, lexicon? (laughs).”

(On the Kinexon trackers and playing in artificial crowd noise)
“Well, you don't really hear it. It just beeps red. So, it's not necessarily something that you hear, but if you get in close proximity it goes off and it signals that with a visual signal. But, it's just kind of part of the new routine. Guys have gotten accustomed to it and think they're doing a great job. And really we've been playing that crowd noise, that loop that'll be planning our stadium each of the last three days and kind of try to even get it at higher decibel levels than what will be allowed thinking that it'll probably be a little bit. In an enclosed setting, it'll probably sound a little bit louder and it's something you just get used to if you've got to deal with it, that's what it is.”

(On opening the season against Dallas and if a win would make a statement)
“Every year is a new year. I think this is a great football team coming in. We expect to start off the season the right way and we want to be able to do that. We know that Dallas is a great opponent. What happened against them the previous year really doesn't have any effect on how we operate moving forward.”

(On the team’s perception of CB Jalen Ramsey)
“I think you just get a chance to be around him and get to know him and watch the way that he does his deal every single day. The way that he builds relationships with his teammates, the way that he came in last year and immediately made an impact with the way that he practiced, the way that he prepared. Watching him in a leadership role in the offseason program and kind of really gathering guys together to do workouts. Just his command on everything that we're doing. Just seeing his body of work, day-in and day-out is how you end up seeing this is what's real. Whatever the narratives were before, I haven't seen any of that. I've seen nothing but good stuff from him. That’s why we're fortunate that he's going to be a Ram for a while.”

(On if the team makes RB Cam Akers carry a football with him throughout the day)
“Have you ever seen the movie, The Program? Like Omar Epps, his character make him carry the ball around everywhere. But no, that's good if he's doing that. It might be (Running Backs) Coach (Thomas) Brown might be having him do that, But, that’s not something that we've mandated. I'm glad to hear he's establishing some good habits.”

(On whether he will wear a face shield on Sunday)
“That's a good question. I think I'll probably stick with the mask. But, (Kansas City Chiefs Head) Coach (Andy) Reid is one of the few that can pull off whatever it is, man. He's the man. I think that would maybe be a little bit easier to communicate through, but I think I'll stick with the mask.”

--RAMS--