TRANSCRIPTS: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, QB Jared Goff - Media Availability - August 27, 2019

TRANSCRIPTS: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, QB Jared Goff - Media Availability - August 27, 2019

Rams Head Coach Sean McVay

(On if DT Sebastian Joseph-Day will play in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Houston Texans)
“No, he (DT Sebastian Joseph-Day) won’t play in this game.”

(On if that is because of where Joseph-Day is on the depth chart)
“Yeah, that’s right.”

(On what went into the decision to not play Joseph-Day)
“Just what you said. He’s had a good camp, he’s kind of established himself as somebody that we’re counting on. We really have to make sure we have enough to get through it (Thursday’s game against Houston) and we’re sorting through those things. He’s a guy that – unless something changes over the next 48 hours – is not going to play in this game.”

(On if the team scrimmaged on Tuesday)
“We did something similar. It wasn’t quite to the extent of what last week was, but we tried to create some different scenarios. It was a little bit more of a controlled setting where getting some looks, not exclusive to carding Carolina, but maybe some things that they’ll do offensively and defensively. We still had some situational stuff that was competitive.”

(On if the team came out of Tuesday’s practice healthy)
“I hope so. I think so. I haven’t had a chance to talk to (Senior Director, Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott) yet, but it seemed good – guys continue to compete. We’re excited about watching these guys compete in the last (preseason) game, but I think guys are ready to really lock in, figure out, ‘Let’s start to get into gameplan mode.’ It seems like camp has gone for a while. You don’t take any day for granted, but I think coaches and players – we’re ready to go and start attacking the season, where there’s a singular focus on an opponent and I think we’re getting closer and closer to that and I think people are ready for that.”

(On if he is getting anxious to play the first game of the regular season)
“Yeah, I think guys are excited about just the (20)19 season. There’s a lot of questions about that since the last game from last year. We were fortunate to be in it, there was obviously some things that I didn’t do a good enough job and we didn’t as a team to get it done, but I trust and have full confidence that there’s not going to be any – people talk about a ‘Super Bowl hangover’ or anything like that. This team is focused on this year, producing one day at a time and we’re really excited about getting ready and focusing on Carolina to start out the season.”

(On what it will be like to be back in the regular season atmosphere after playing in the Super Bowl)
“It hasn’t really been an issue for us at all. There’s narratives, there’s stories out there, but I have full trust and confidence that we’re solely focused on getting better every single day. Whatever happened last year is last year. We’ve wiped the slate clean and we’re looking forward to competing again and attacking the (20)19 season, Carolina will represent a start against a great challenge, a great team that has been really consistent at home. It’s a tough atmosphere and we’ll be excited to get it going.”
(On if RB Todd Gurley II participated in the scrimmage portion of Tuesday’s practice)
“No, he (RB Todd Gurley II) just did some individual and stuck right with the schedule that we’ve kind of had for him.”

(On DT Aaron Donald having Tuesday off)
“It was a day off for him (DT Aaron Donald). He’s gotten a lot of good work. I think he’s in a really good place right now and really just based on feeling like, ‘Hey, he probably earned the day off,’ and he would never ask for that. Just the sense we got, let’s make sure that we’re as fresh as possible for Carolina and today it was really just giving him the day off, but he’s in great shape.”

(On what makes the defensive line so special)
“I think it starts with those veteran leaders. When you really look at (DT) Aaron (Donald) and his presence and what he’s meant being here. I think the addition of (L Clay Matthews, (DL) Michael Brockers has been a consistent performer. When you’ve got three veteran players – (OL Dante Fowler (Jr.) has been playing at a high level and I think there’s a good mixture of guys where you’ve got some presence from the inside and from the edges. (OL Samson Ebukam is a guy that has continued to get better and better. I thought it was great, like we mentioned also, to see (DE) Morgan Fox play really well. I thought he looked as healthy as he’s been since he’s come back, the other night against Denver in the preseason. I think (Defensive Line Coach) Eric Henderson has done an outstanding job leading that group, and then having Aaron here and the way that he raises the level of play of everyone around him is certainly special as well.”


Rams QB Jared Goff

(On if he is already looking ahead and preparing for the Carolina game with him not playing the final preseason game)
“Yeah, I think so. I think we haven’t really completely dove in. I don’t know if you want to overanalyze sometimes, if you dive in a little early, but we’ve definitely shifted our mindset a little bit toward getting ready for that game.”

(On if he jokes with other guys in the league about not playing during the preseason)
“Yeah, every once and a while you catch a little joke here and there. It works for us. It worked for us last year, it’s part of (Head Coach) Sean’s (McVay) philosophy and I enjoy it.”

(On what he gets out of scrimmage type situations that the team is doing now)
“it’s as close to live as we can get without really tackling, especially against our own one defense. It’s good. It’s always really competitive and they’re salty right now. We’re getting to that point in camp, where they know all of our plays and we are trying to get through that, but it’s good, it’s all good work for us. It makes it as hard as possible now, where hopefully the game will be easier than this time against our defense.”

(On what it’s been like with QB Blake Bortles here and how he has he helped him)
“(Q Blake (Bortles) has been great. He’s a friend of mine for a handful of years now. Getting him in here and him transitioning to this role has been awesome for me. I’m sure there were sometimes where he’s been hesitant about it, but he’s been incredible for me. He’s been nothing but helpful. He has a wealth of knowledge that I can dive into at times and ask him what his experiences with certain plays are, and what his experiences with different situations are. He’s a veteran quarterback in this league and has been extremely helpful.”



--RAMS--