TRANSCRIPT: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay – Media Availability – September 2, 2019

TRANSCRIPT: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay – Media Availability – September 2, 2019


(On if it seems like the preseason has flown by and if he has discussed potential pitfalls his team may face as the defending NFC Champions)
“It has flown by, but I think we’re all excited and ready to get going on the regular season. The guys have a good focus and concentration, kind of really got started with an extra day on Carolina today. I think there’s an urgency that you can feel. There’s a difference in the preparation and the way that we’re approaching things right now. We’re focused on this year. I think our guys have done a great job of having that singular focus on just producing in the present. That’s what we’ll continue to do and hopefully it will lead to a good performance starting off the season on Sunday.”

(On how he uses the last two seasons to his advantage)
“They’re all learning opportunities. For us, to be able to use the last couple of years – but there’s a lot of guys that have played a lot longer than two years. We’ve had some good continuity with this group, especially over the last couple of years and we’re really going into our third year with our coaching staff and a lot of our core players. We know that every year you wipe the slate clean – I think you use those as learning opportunities and things to draw on. This league is so competitive, to think that any bit of the previous success we had will at all help us into this season, I think our guys aren’t naïve enough to think that. So, we know that we have to earn it every single day.”

(On the running back position and plan of preference for the season)
“(R Todd Gurley II is feeling good, he’s our starting back. He’s been one of the best all-purpose backs, based on his production and what he’s done for us over the last couple of years. We’ve got two guys in (R Malcolm Brown and (R Darrell Henderson Jr. that we feel really confident about, being able to spell him. What we do, as far as, activating different personnel groups and things like that – those are things that we will see on Sunday.”

(On if all three RBs are in play)
“Oh yeah. Absolutely. Maybe three at a time.”

(On if he thinks people notice the differences in the offense this season)
“I think so. I think it’s a game that you’ve got to always adapt, adjust, and evolve. I think coaches do a great job of doing that. The challenge for us as coaches, whether it be offense, defense, special teams, is always to stay up to date, not lose sight of what some of the foundational things are that have helped you sustain a certain level of success. Or what you haven’t done great, you’ve got to be able to fix that. We talk about being able to face it, fix it and then do it better the next time. Specific to some of those things, that’s what we expect to be able to see as the season approaches and we are looking forward to that.”

(On what kind of offensive changes people may see this season)
“It’s hard to say. I think it’s really predicated on whatever – from an offensive standpoint – what the defense activates and how we can have an answer. Offensively, in a lot of instances, they determine what the defenses’ response is based on whatever call we active on defense. So, it’s always kind of that chess match, but certain times, different down-and-distances enable you to feel like you’re in a favorable spot, whether it be from an offensive or defensive perspective. On both sides of the ball, we’ve expected to adapt and evolve. We are looking forward to see if that shows true against a great opponent on Week 1.”

(On if everyone practiced today)
“They did.”

(On if everyone is active)
“Everyone’s good to go. Everyone that we’re counting on, with the exception of those guys where (DL) Justin Lawler, placed him on IR (Injury Reserve) and then everybody else is accounted for. Everybody is feeling good and we’re healthy.”

(On if today was a walk-thru or a practice)
“It was like a walk-thru, jog-thru. It was a modified, kind of above the neck, like you hear us talk about. But, it was more of a mental focus and we got a good lift in.”

(On what went into the decision to sign C Coleman Shelton)
“There were some good things that (Run Game Coordinator) Coach (Aaron) Kromer and our personnel staff had seen on tape some of the traits and characteristics that we’re looking for from our interior lineman. Really, that’s what went into it. Sometimes we felt like with the ability to have Justin Lawler, you place him on IR, that kind of ended up freeing a spot up for us later on in the afternoon. He was a guy that we had targeted that once he hit waiver, somebody that we were interested in and want to get him in here and get a chance to really evaluate him day-to-day.”

(On the T David Edwards being the first player off the bench)
“There’s a good chance that it would be. It really depends on, hopefully the situation doesn’t come up, where somebody goes down. (T) David (Edward) is a guy that’s demonstrated some position – flex, both from a guard standpoint and the tackle on both sides of the ball. (OL) Jamil Demby, it’s like finding ‘Where’s Waldo?’ in some of these preseason games. He’s all over the front. Then (T) Bobby Evans has shown some good things. With our eight offensive linemen and then you add in the one we just signed yesterday, those are the things that we’ll continue to evaluate. David has a good chance of being in that situation.”

(On what he has observed with Panthers QB Cam Newton over the years and now game planning against him)
“Great player. You look at an MVP in recent years. Can affect the game both passing the football, creating off-schedule and then obviously, as a runner, the athleticism shows up. Anytime that you have that dual threat, but somebody that can make plays in the pocket, he can make plays out of the pocket, with his arm, with his legs, and that’s an extremely challenging thing for a defense. He’s a great player. So, it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

(On his thoughts on the combination of Panthers QB Cam Newton and RB Christian McCaffrey)
“It’s a monster. Those guys do an outstanding job. You talk about a versatile back, we feel really good to have one of our own. A guy that has the ability to contribute in all phases, he competes without the ball. The things that he can do even going back to his career at Stanford — he’s an impressive player. I think you see the production that a (Panthers TE) Greg Olsen has had over the course of his career. Excited about (Panthers WR) DJ Moore and (Panthers WR) Curtis Samuel. They’ve got some young playmakers, they’ve got some dynamic guys and (Panthers Offensive Coordinator) Norv Turner does as good a job as anybody of putting his players in good spots to be able to make plays and attack the defensive structures that teams are presenting.”

(On playing a physical intensive team and if he’s curious to see how his young offensive linemen, such as OL Brian Allen and OL Joseph Noteboom, do in that kind of environment)
“Yeah, were excited. They know it’s a great challenge. It’s a very physical front. I mean you look at (DE Kawann) ‘KK’ Short. I got (DT) Poe (Dontari) inside and then to be able to add (DT Gerald) McCoy and then you’ve got you know (LB Mario) Addison coming off the edge. They sign (L Bruce Ervin and then you draft (LB Brian) Burns in the first round and then you aren’t even mentioning two elite players in (LB Luke) Kuechly and (LB Shaq) Thompson in the middle. So, they’re a very physical defense they have done an outstanding job (Panthers Head Coach Ron) Rivera is a great coach and it’s certainly going to be a great challenge, but one that we’re are excited about. You know we respect them, but I’m very excited to see some of these young guys go and compete and I think they would say the same thing.”

(On how big of a challenge this game will be for DT Sebastian Joseph-Day)
“It’s a great opportunity for him. You know it’s a great challenge because they are solid on their interior line, but it’s really a great opportunity for him to get a chance at some of his first real live game action. Where he’ll be up active and if he continues to just carry over where he’s left off from what he’s done in training camp from the offseason program, you know we are expecting a lot of positive things from Sebastian.




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