A ‘real fine’ post about Sean McVay by leoram...

Here’s leoram...

The National media sheep have colluded to a familiar narrative due to the 2019 downturn of the Ram’s offense, Sean McVay has been figured out and Jared Goff has been exposed as a system quarterback too heavily dependent on his coach’s adjustments in his earpiece. Between Fangio and Belichick in ‘18, the blueprint was laid for the end of McVay’s tenure as boy genius. Sure, they back it up with stats galore. Why not? Easy and simplistic explanations that the average reader can grasp are the norm for all media in sports and even politics.

But as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friend!”

2020 will be the year McVay takes his insight, phenomenal memory, and creativity to a different level. He’s not only capable of digesting and reciting every play he’s called, he can recount hundreds of plays by other teams in other schemes. He was written off as too young and naive by the media when he took his first head coaching assignment. Now he’s being portrayed as a two hit wonder. But Sean McVay is just getting warmed up.

What so many miss in their lamentations over the losses of Gurley and Cooks is that this organization made their adjustments not only to manage their salary cap, but also to realign their offensive philosophy. The drafting of Akers, Jefferson, and Hopkins are clues to what is in store. Akers is adept at getting yards even if OLinemen miss assignments. Where Cooks loosened the defense vertically, the replacement of Jefferson means they can be more effective horizontally in a quicker hitting scheme like the one Tom Brady dealt successfully for many years. The Hopkins acquisition indicates a heavier usage of 12 personnel. By choosing these players over road grading linemen, Sean tipped his hand to the discerning observer. The offense will be more multiple in design and defensive coordinators will once again have a more difficult assignment in figuring out what they will get from week to week.

Further evidence of this revolution in McVay’s approach comes from the addition of Brandon Staley as the new defensive coordinator. A disciple of Vic Fangio, the man most frequently credited with “figuring out” the wunderkind, Staley has been touted as the little known defensive deep thinker that can match McVay schematically. Where the Ram head coach used to lean on the experience and wisdom of the legendary Wade Phillips, he now has taken the approach that iron sharpens iron with youthful forward thinking.

Those who discount McVay’s mantra that he’s always learning from adversity as mere coachspeak do so at their own peril. This is the very type of challenge that gets this particular coach excited, not deflated. As Ram fans, we shouldn’t expect our coach to fall into the trap of Mike Martz who stubbornly refused to adapt when it became necessary to do so. Sean hasn’t fallen in love with his successes. He leans on the processes and philosophies of tried and true greats while he adjusts with the help of like minded strategists and teachers. It’s truly a collaborative effort that involves surrounding himself with true professionals that deliberately move the needle forward.

Yes, this is the year we witness something special, provided there is actually an NFL season to be played.