TRANSCRIPTS: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, Offensive Coordinator Kevin O'Connell, DL Aaron Donald – Media Availability – September 24, 2020 Head Coach Sean McVay

TRANSCRIPTS: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, Offensive Coordinator Kevin O'Connell, DL Aaron Donald – Media Availability – September 24, 2020
Head Coach Sean McVay

(On whether RB Malcolm Brown will practice today)
“(R Malcolm (Brown) will, yes. (R Cam (Akers) will be the only guy that we don't expect to practice today.

(On how Akers is coming along)
“He's coming along, maybe a little bit slower than I had expected, but he's making progress. We'll see where he's at tomorrow.”

(On whether the scenario surrounding Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor affects his decision-making)
“I'm not in a position to talk about the medical stuff. I think we always want to be so careful with some of the procedures that we're trying to get done to give the players the opportunity to play and you can't be safe enough with that. But, to comment on those kinds of things, I think I'd kind of be out of my realm there.”

(On if not playing in Buffalo in a long time in itself presents a challenge)
“Nope. It's been a while since we had played in Philly, too (laughs). So, the last time I was in Buffalo was in the preseason in the early days when I was with the Washington Football Team. Definitely a different atmosphere now without the fans, you realize how much they bring to it. I know Buffalo's got a great history, great fan base, but that's a really tough football team and we're excited about the opportunity to play them.”

(On his evaluation of defensive pressure on the quarterback)
“I think the tape is always where the truth is revealed and we talk about each play as its own entity. I think stats can be totally misconstrued. Affecting and influencing the quarterback from a defensive perspective is exactly what we're interested in. It might not go down as a sack, but if you force pressure in his face and he's got to get out of the pocket and throw the ball away, it ends up being a win on the defense's part in our favor. So, affecting the quarterback in as many ways as you can is what's important and it can be reflected in sacks, turnovers, throwaways, batted balls. There's a lot of different things. That’s why I think it's nice to have some of these overarching numbers, but each play individually, with so much going on, is where the truth is really revealed.”

(On his assessment of WR Van Jefferson to this point and what he would like to see from him next)
“I think he's done a nice job. I think the best thing for him is that he's got great veterans and a great receiver coach in (Wide Receivers Coach) Eric Yarber and (Assistant Wide Receivers Coach) Zac Robinson, great receiver coaches that are helping kind of guide him. I thought he made some really big plays the other day to be able to catch the play-action. One of the most unsung plays of the day I thought was the third-and-7 where he catches it for six and a half yards, enables us to be able to go for it on fourth down in a situation where (C Darious (Williams) had just gotten the turnover, it’s 21-16. Even though we didn't get a touchdown, we still got field goal out of that drive. I think he's mature beyond his years for a rookie, but he's got great guys to be able to learn from. I think it's just continuing to increase the ownership, the knowledge, the details of the position and how his position operates within our offense.”

(On the status of DL A’Shawn Robinson)
“Yeah, he's making good progress. He’s been on a good routine and rhythm with some of our guys. As far as when we started talking about the opportunity for him to return, that'll be after that six weeks. But, we will be excited if we're fortunate enough to get a player of his caliber back and to add to the depth that we already have upfront.”

(On whether LB Terrell Lewis will return to the active roster next week)
“I don't know that yet. We’ll wait and see. He is progressing well. Exactly what the parameters are around that if he could return next week, I don't have that. I haven't got that far with (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott), but he's working. He's doing a good job with his rehab and kind of the same with A’Shawn (Robinson). But, we'll be able to revisit the possibility of him returning sooner than A’Shawn.”

(On his assessment of K Samuel Sloman’s performance so far)
“I think he's done a nice job and I think there's a couple things where – you look at the blocked extra point that we had the other day. I mean, you’ve just got to get some more height under it. He didn't hit it clean and didn't have much trajectory underneath the ball. It was a flat line-drive that that's going to get blocked regardless of how good the protection is. But he's got a nice way about himself. I do like his mental toughness. I like how he's kind of unfazed. I think you want to give them some understanding that he's done a lot of good things, too. I thought the most impressive thing I've seen from him was the response after he clings the upright against Dallas, ended up making an extra point, a couple of field goals that we had to have in that game when you end up winning by three. So, I think it's been positive. There's definitely some room for improvement, but I don't want to be too quick to judge with two games of inventory for a guy that didn't have a preseason. It's a rookie kicker. There's so much involved just from a mental approach that I do feel good where he's at and you want to continue to just monitor that and see him progress. I think as he gains experience, his confidence will come with that as well.”

(On if he’s comfortable with the run-pass balance two weeks into the season and how long before he says ‘This is who we are’)
“I think it's every game. I think the run-pass balance can get really skewed. The way that you kind of break it down is situationally and based on ‘D-and-D’s’ (down-and-distance’s) because I don't think you're going to find many people that have any run-pass balance in third-and-5-plus. I'd be willing to bet you that the league is pretty pass heavy there. So I think when you look at it, you want to monitor all right personnel groupings that we're doing when you're in some of these normal down-and-distances, and just making sure that you're aware of your self scout, but also we're going to run the plays that we feel like give us the best chance to move the football and score points. That’s what I'm most interested in. I want to see us score as many points and move the football efficiently. If that means throwing it 60 times or running at 60 times, we're going to do whatever we think is best. In a lot of instances, what does end up revealing itself is when you seem to be balanced, usually that's when you can kind of have the run and the pass and defenses have to honor both. So, want to be able to have the balance if it's necessary, but if teams are just going to load up and dare you to throw it, I think the good offenses have the ability to do both and that's what we want to be able to do a kind of on our terms, if you will.”

(On how leading in the game impacts whether or not they run or pass)
“Not too much. It's a different thing when you're in like a four-minute situation and you're just trying to run the clock out. If it was a normal third-and-2, you might compete a little bit. But, the game that we had against Philly where you're just trying to end the game in a four-minute, you know that if (WR) Cooper (Kupp) gets a first down, we're going to be able to take three knees and the game will be over. So, it is by situation, but I think two games is a real, real small inventory to kind of get carried away. I think we've done some good stuff, but by no means is that good enough for us to just be complacent and not continue to really push it. That's why we've got to have a great day today. The Bills, they've done a really good job and (Bills Head) Coach (Sean) McDermott, he'll have these guys ready to go. No doubt about it.”

(On what the Bills defense does exceptionally well)
“They make you earn every single yard. They do a bunch of good stuff where they play the run tough. They're very fundamentally sound. They tackle well. You can see they're in tune in their coverage contours. They mix it up just enough where they're bringing more than four to keep you honest. Then, I think situationally, they do a really good job of when they get in the favorable down-and-distances for themselves, they're activating a bunch of different guys. They keep you honest. Coach McDermott, even going back to when he was in Carolina and I was in Washington, I think he does an excellent job. You can see he understands offensive football, how to attack protections, how to play route concepts and coverage contours, and then how to put his guys up front in good positions to be able to aggressively play the run and the pass. This is reflective of everything that you look for in a good defense when you flip this Buffalo film on.”

(On how closely he is monitoring the health of Buffalo’s two linebackers)
“You monitor it, but they've got pretty capable guys that played well. You know, (Bills LB A.J.) Klein is a guy that's played a lot of really good football for New Orleans that we're familiar with, that steps in. (Bills LB Matt) Milano and (Bills LB Tremaine) Edmunds are excellent football players, but they've got depth at that inside linebacker position. I would expect those guys to play, but if not, they've still got very capable, really good football players behind them. So, it's still the same defense. I don't think they're really changing the way that they play things because you've got really good players, whether it's the starting two, or you end up getting some of their other players.”

(On what allows Bills QB Josh Allen to be so accurate and not throw any interceptions)
“I think (Bills Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Brian) Daboll has done an excellent job and you can really see there's a connection between those two and a rapport. It’s a mixture of they get the runs, these ‘RPO’s’ (run-pass-option) going, and then they do a great job with their play-actions. They can spread you out in their empty (set) and I think he's just got a good feel for what they're trying to get done. Coach Daboll is putting their good players in the right positions and then those players ultimately are the ones that have to execute and that's what they're doing. Then when things go off-schedule, his ability to be able to make plays out of rhythm where he's breaking contain, eyes down the field, whether it's as a runner or as a passer, is really impressive. You see some of the throws that he's able to make and the accuracy that he's throwing the football consistently with throughout the course of these first two games. You see why he's putting up the numbers that he is and why their offense is as productive as it's been. So, our guys have their work cut out for them, but we're excited about the challenge.”

Offensive Coordinator Kevin O'Connell

(On if he evaluated Bills QB Josh Allen coming out of college and what did they see from him)
“I definitely did. I remember that draft class really well. As far as the evaluation, really talented class full of quarterbacks that year. Being a fellow Mountain West (Conference) guy, obviously I made some trips up to Wyoming and knew the type of program that they had up there, but also the environment and the weather he would play in some games. I knew he had to be a big, strong guy that could obviously throw the football at an elite level to consistently have the production he did up there in some of those environments from a weather standpoint – wind, snow, ice, all those things, that's what you get when you go up there. Then when you turn on the tape, you saw some of that play-making ability. You saw his ability, that competitiveness that shows up time and time every Sunday. You see him extending plays, making plays out of the pocket. I think he's done a really, really good job. That coaching staff's done a really, really good job with him and he's definitely going to be a big challenge for us.”

(On how much pressure it puts on the team’s run game knowing that the Bills defense rank high in stopping the run)
“I think it all boils down to just first and second down efficiency, however you're able to accomplish that. We've got a lot of different tools at our disposal to try to do that as well. Just multiple personnel that we feel really strongly about. We can feature a variety of different guys at multiple positions to try to get some things going. But at the end of the day, we're playing one of the better defenses in the league, they are so well coached, they fly around. It presents a great challenge for us to try to stay ahead of schedule and try to keep those downs manageable because that's when our offense is obviously at its best, but that's every offense. And that's what this defense is designed to try to take away.”

(On if replacing OL Joe Noteboom with OL David Edwards change the way the team has to game plan)
“I'll tell you what, obviously, (OL) Joe (Noteboom) has been playing really well since really the start of training camp all the way through these first two games. It's a tough loss to lose Joe, but to have the type of depth, to have a guy with (OL) David Edwards’ experience to be able to jump right in there, not only this week, but in-game last week and do some really good things. I think that's just a credit to our depth that a guy like David Edwards isn't in that starting five. So, now we can feel great about if something does happen from an injury standpoint, you've got some depth at multiple spots like David going in there and hopefully we don't miss a beat.”

(On how much pressure it puts on the defense to integrate wide receivers into the run game)
“I think it puts a ton of pressure on the defense. It validates everything you do from a fly-sweep standpoint – any gadget type plays you may have, because we try not only trust those guys with the ball in their hands, but they're great with the ball in their hands. You talk about (WR) Robert Woods, he's one of the better slash-runners I've ever been around from a standpoint of having the ball in his hand, setting up blocks, his understanding of getting on a defender's edge and being able to physically finish plays. It's a special trait that both he has and obviously (WR) Cooper (Kupp) has. You've seen those guys in space catch and get vertical, but there's the way we try to give them the football. Sometimes it's just another way of putting a playmaker in space via a sound scheme, trying to get maximum yardage after catches, or in some cases handing them the football. So, it's definitely a powerful thing. Defenses have to take note of that, especially when it's such a big part of our offense on those early downs.”

(On what it was like seeing QB Jared Goff go on a hot streak to start the game and how they are helping him get out to a hot start)
“Well, first and foremost, (I’m) so entrenched in the game a little bit, you lose track of the fact, ‘I don't know if he’s thrown an incompletion yet.’ I thought it was funny hearing him talk about some of his teammates talking about that. I heard a little bit of that as it got a little bit later on in that first half of guys whispering about it. But, I'd like to think that him being ready to play, our goal on gameday from the time we get to the stadium, to between the stuff he does with our training staff, strength and conditioning staff, all the way through some of the things we do during warmups, is meant to kind of simulate what we do, what you guys see us do on the practice field, every day at practice, to get him ready to play, get his lower body activated. And also, he's such a pure thrower of the football, it really allows us to focus on those lower body mechanics. That base, his balance, his body position and then getting all that to the point where it's as warmed up as maybe his shoulder and his arm can be when he's taking those warmup throws. So, everything we do is part of a plan and a purpose to help maximize him when he gets on the field, both for practice and then hopefully that translates to games. I think both games he's been ready to play when we go out there for our first snap and we're just trying to maintain that and continue to grow from there.”

(On what stands out to him from WR Van Jefferson and what he has been able to do in the offense)
“I think from day one, just his game is so polished to me. (inaudible) I was around a pretty good one last year in Washington in (WR) Terry McLaurin and I see a lot of those same traits, as far as guys that were polished from a standpoint of route running. Also both those guys, (WR) Van (Jefferson) been really impressive to me, just his process. You just watch him, how he takes notes in meetings, how he's committed to the details and walk-thrus and then obviously he's able to carry that over to practice. Then the best part has been, seeing him carry it over to games and take advantage of those opportunities. So, I know me personally and some of our coaching staff. (Assistant Wide Receiver Coach) Zac Robinson and (Wide Receiver) Coach (Eric) Yarber do an unbelievable job with those guys as a group, but then I wouldn't discredit, Cooper and Robert and (WR) Josh (Reynolds), as far as setting the standard in that room. That has really allowed Van to come in there and really thrive, so I think it’s a credit to all of those things.”

(On what makes Woods such a great fit for this offense)
“We already talked about his ability with his football in his hands. His detail and ability to take a game plan and go out there and execute at such a high level, within the confines of the system. He's not a guy to have production that needs to have his number called every single time or called early on in the game to get him into a rhythm. He shows up to the stadium ready to roll and every snap, no matter whether he's cutting off in the run game, he's blocking man over, he's catching a screen, a reverse, a fly sweep, or he's winning against man-to-man coverage on third down. However, it's been for Robert, the reason why he's had success in this offense, I credit (Head Coach) Sean (McVay) and the coaching staff for putting him in great situations, but I also credit Robert for being an all-around really good football player. That's really what he is.”

(On if he is surprised on how long it took for TE Tyler Higbee previous years in this offense)
“Yeah, it's a good question. The only thing I would say to that is, I've always known about (TE) Tyler Higbee. From afar, it maybe doesn't show up sometimes like it did last Sunday from a fantasy-football standpoint of, everybody's checking their teams to make sure they had Tyler Higbee on there. I'll tell you what, from a standpoint of just watching Rams’ tape over the last few years, since he's been here, his impact in the run game, his impact obviously with explosives in the pass game and really what helps make this offense go, marrying everything together. From day one, I know he's been a tremendous fit in the system and then the growth he's had, not only with (Tight Ends) Coach (Wes) Phillips, but (Pass Game Coordinator) Coach (Shane) Waldron, before that, they've done a tremendous job, really building, stacking a lot of really good plays in games by Tyler and now it’s to the point where it's an expectation for us as a coaching staff, that he's going to continue to play at that high level.”

DL Aaron Donald

(On what this week’s preparations have looked like considering the team is playing against another athletic quarterback in Bills QB Josh Allen for the third straight week and if the first two games helped them prep for this week)
"You can say that, but he is definitely a different quarterback than the ones we have faced – similar in a lot of ways, but he is definitely a good quarterback and does a lot of good things. So like I say every week, we've got a gameplan. We’ve got to stick to it, we’ve got to go out there, compete and do what we are supposed to do."

(On what makes Allen so tough to bring down)
"He's a big quarterback that’s mobile, that plays hard. He will run through you, run past you, and he will make you miss. He can do it all. So, when you get him you better come with your big boy pads and find a way to get him to the ground. You have to play physical, you’ve got to play hard and you’ve got to be the physical guy when it comes to getting him down."

(On if he can compare Allen to any other quarterback in the league)
"I guess like a (Patriots Q Cam Newton, a bigger guy that can do a lot of things. I would say similar, you know, different as far as body size and all that.”

(On how they plan to knock Allen off his rhythm)
“That's putting pressure on him, getting to him, hitting him. Not letting him sit back there, not letting him be comfortable. That's on us that's up front to find a way to put pressure on him, find a way to be in his face so he can’t get those clean throws, to the point where we’re trying to make it a tough day for him.”

(On if he does anything to plan for extra sleep and treatment especially during back-to-back road game weeks)
“Well, you do all that because you're going to do it anyway, but just trying to find ways to get yourself ready. What we did last week, I felt like it was a good gameplan. I felt like everybody was ready. Everybody was woke, everybody was excited. So, as long as we go by the same steps and do it that much better, we will be cool.”

(On there being a level of uncertainty coming into the season about the linebackers and some of the defensive backs due to their lack of experience and what it was like to see them have so much success in Week 2)
"Like I’ve been saying, they’re playmakers. They showed it in camp and they’re translating to the football field and, you know, that's what you want to see. Those guys are flying around. (IL Micah (Kiser) has been playing a hell of football. He’s playing tough, he's playing confident. Anytime you look around, he's by the ball. So, that's the type of linebackers you want and that's what good linebackers and great linebackers do. They are always around the ball, always finding ways to make plays and he's been doing that."

On if it was nice to see ILB Micah Kiser earn Defensive Player of the Week)
"For sure. You're definitely excited for him. Like I always say, he's just going to continue to get better. He got better from Week 1 to Week 2, and I'm expecting even better this week. Him accomplishing something like that, don't do nothing but boost his confidence and let him know that he can do it at this level, at a high level. I'm pretty sure he's going to continue to keep getting better and better each week."

(On his evaluation of how the defense has done against the run through the first two games)
"Good, but at times, little leaks here and there, but that's on us. I think overall, guys have been doing what they need to do, as far as gap sound and things like that, but you always can clean it up and trying to find ways to eliminate the little sneaky runs that have been getting through."

(On the leaks in the run defense and where that problem comes from)
"I wouldn't say a problem, just certain little things as far as technique things here and there, but nothing to stress over, nothing to worry about. I think overall guys have been playing good in the run."

(On if he was aware of Buffalo’s offensive coordinator joking that their gameplan would be Donald maybe missing the bus and his thoughts when others respectfully joke about not wanting him to play)
"I didn't see it and I wish people could just not worry about me and just let me play. Don't give me no attention (laughs). You ain’t got to slide, you ain’t got to double team me, you don't have to do nothing. Let's all play football fair, get some one-on-ones and let's just do what we've got to do. That's all I want (laughs).”

(On if it would be a sign of him slowing down if teams start to play him one-on-one)
"I would think I'll be slowing down if I'm giving them opportunities like that and I'm not making the plays. I'm just a guy. You ain't got to worry about me."

(On if he has ever missed a bus for anything in his life)
"No, I'm always early. I'm always, probably, the first one on the bus and the first one on the football field. I'm always early, so I'm never late."
--RAMS