Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - November 9, 2020 Head Coach Sean McVay

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts -
November 9, 2020
Head Coach Sean McVay
(On what weaknesses does he see in the Seahawks Defense that he can take advantage of)
“I think the season's been up and down. I know that certainly being able to look at us, that's the exciting part of the second half of the season. I don't know that you'd say weakness – I think Buffalo did some good things, but then when you watch the film from the previous week, they played excellent and outstanding against the 49ers. So, we know this team too well to take anything for granted. I know (Seahawks Head) Coach (Pete) Carroll and (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Ken) Norton will have these guys ready to roll. They still have (L Bobby Wagner, (S) Jamal Adams that they added - getting him back for the first time since Week 3, you feel his presence. Then adding (DE) Carlos Dunlap (II), I think it's a big boost to them. They have good players, they have a great system, and it's going to be a challenge for us.”

(On S Jordan Fuller being ready to go on Sunday)
“That's the hope. I think what we'll do with a handful of guys is, we'll really just take it a day at a time, but the hope and the plan is for him to be ready to roll this week.”

(On how Fuller returning will affect S Taylor Rapp)
“I think that'd be something that, as we put the game plan together – really today kind of represents getting our players in, just kind of talking about ourselves, while getting an intro the Seahawks personnel. As far as diving into the game plans, that's kind of what the coaches will really get into today, as far as our different personnel groupings and how we activate that. I’d be able to better answer that a little bit better later on, but I'd probably tell you I'll answer that after the game when you see what happens as well.”

(On how he spent the Bye Week and things that he liked and would like to improve on in his self-scout of the team)
“I was able to just relax, get caught up on some sleep, do a little bit of football here and there and actually started watching with my fiancé “This Is Us”. It’s a pretty good show, pretty emotional, but started watching that a little bit. I did like it.

“As far as the self-scout, you know, that's something that we stay up on consistently. I think we've been able to run the football pretty consistently through the first eight weeks. Then I think other phases of our offense, there's some real bright spots and we've had spurts in three weeks. You know, when we are in some of those known passing situations, we've thrown the football well, we've executed at a high level. I think the big theme for us is consistency throughout the course of games and scoring more points. The run game has been a positive but being able to make plays and then in the known-passing situations, let's execute at a higher level, because I believe we're capable of it. But I don't think there's one overarching theme. From the Dolphin’s game, we talked about it a lot, being able to just handle the pressure and that's exclusively what it was. It wasn't like anything we didn't anticipate. I love the way the guys were able to handle it, own it, address it, and then we can move forward and learn from it. And so, for us, we're focused on playing a really good second half of the season. We want to be able to learn from those first eight games, but I think there's a lot of things that we can do just at a more consistent, more explosive level that is indicative and reflective of the caliber of offense that I think we're capable of being, where you see more points, more explosives.”

(On injuries from the last game and who else he is managing for injuries this week)
“We came through pretty clean. I talked about some of the bumps and bruises and how they got pretty good and banged up with (R Darrell (Henderson Jr.) and with (WR) Cooper (Kupp), so we'll see what their status is. I think the Bye Week really came at a great time for those two players in particular. (TE) Tyler Higbee made good progress, didn't have any setbacks with his hand. And then other than that, you know, we'll really be able to see on Wednesday kind of where we're at from a personnel standpoint with guys being able to go.”

(On how much the next few games feels like a defining period and what the Rams need to prove to show they are a playoff team)
"I think winning these games. It's about showing up, winning these games. Really, it's simple, but it really is the approach we're taking. Let's find a way to have all hands-on deck, do whatever we can to play our best game yet and go attack an opportunity to get our sixth win. We do know that five of these eight games are all division games. We know how relevant every team in our division is. We know we get to play the Bucs, we know that we play the Jets and the Patriots, but it really doesn't matter. The games become increasingly more important if you handle your business in the meantime. Us getting our sixth win, makes then our 10th game more important and so on and so forth. For us, we're focused on having a good second half of the season. We put ourselves in a position to be relevant right now. There's so much ball to be played and we're going to do everything in our power to go attack that great competitive opp against the Seahawks this week."

(On the rest of the teams in the division losing over the weekend and how he assessed that)
"Well, I certainly wasn't upset to see those teams not come away with wins. I'll say this, if we handle our business, you don't have to get into the business of watching other teams, because if you handle what you're supposed to, then you know, based on the opportunities we have getting to play two of those teams twice more, get to see the Niners once more, if you handle your business, you don't have to ride the ebbs and flows of relying on other outcomes to occur. Really, I think this has helped us - this has been the consistent messaging since we all got here in '17, We're really just being present and focusing on the next game. So much changes. I mean, I've never seen a year since I've been involved in the NFL where so many – that's what you love about it – is every single week there's that, 'Oh my gosh, can you believe it?' But I feel like even more so this year than ever, because of the competitive balance that you see across the board, whether it's the NFC, the AFC and different outcomes occurring. I think it's the teams that will have the mental toughness, the resolve, and the ability to play the most consistent football week in and week out, especially in those three-and-a-half hour windows, that'll be standing at the end. We're certainly going to do everything we can to try to be one of those teams and it starts this week."

(On if DL A'Shawn Robinson would play and how OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is with his injury)
"Yeah, I think he's making good progress. Not something that I do anticipate him being able to play this week, talking about (OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo) Obo. With the big fella (A'Shawn Robinson), I think this will be the week you see A'Shawn Robinson make his Rams debut. We'll be excited about that. That's the plan, that's the anticipation and sure looks good and I'm hoping that as good as he looks, he plays that well also, so it'd be good to get him going."

(On expanding on his mention of scoring more points and if the team needs to be more efficient)
"Yeah, I think that's what it is. I think it's finishing drives. I mean, you look at some of the red-zone drives that we left out there against the Dolphins, whether it's turning the ball over, letting them score on points, whether it's some of the play calls where I put our guys in some spots that I'm not proud of and then the overall execution. I think it's maximizing our opportunities and I'm not interested in looking at, 'All right, hey, what's the average?' I want to see how the game unfolds, when we get our opportunities. We've got to just be more efficient. We've got to come away with points when we get our drives and then especially when we get in the red area, we've got to make sure we're coming away with points. You can't turn the football over. You've got to finish as many drives as possible with touchdowns, as opposed to kicking field goals and think it's going to be really relevant as you start to play some of these upper-echelon offenses. I've got a lot of confidence in our defense, but overall for our team to continue to ascend, I expect more and I know our players expect more of just the overall production, and that’s snap in and snap out efficiency in all situations. And ultimately you're measured by scoring more points and that's what we've got to do."

(On facing an evolving Seahawks QB Russell Wilson)
"I've always been so impressed with the competitor that he is and just the ability to keep competing. He can make you pay in so many different ways, whether it's with his mind, with his legs, with his arm. He's playing the position at such a high level right now and he's progressing through things. I think he's getting more opportunities to make you pay where they're throwing it a little bit more than they have in previous years on the early downs, I think that's reflected in the offensive success that they've had. He's got great weapons around him as well. I think (Seahawks Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Brian) Schottenheimer's done an excellent job of mixing it up – where they're in the gun, they're underneath the center, they're spreading out, they're condensing the formation. (Seahawks WR DK) Metcalf is a nightmare. (Seahawks WR Tyler) Lockett has been balling for years in a variety of ways and they’ve got capable tight ends in (Seahawks TE Will) Dissly and (Seahawks TE Greg) Olsen. If (Seahawks RB Chris) Carson's back healthy, I've always thought he's one of the tougher, concrete contact-balance. But it all goes and starts with (Seahawks Q Russell (Wilson). There's a reason why he's being talked about as the MVP of the league. When you flip the tape on, the respect goes through the roof. I've felt that way consistently about him. I just think like any great player, he's getting better as he accumulates experience, he's owning the position, playing at a really high level. That's why it's going to be a great opportunity for us to try to slow them down because people aren't doing that, and he can strike fast. I mean, you look at yesterday, even if you're watching that game, Buffalo takes a lead and then, boom, boom, before you know it, he scrambles off schedule and he's hitting (Seahawks WR David) Moore for a big touchdown. You're like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ How quickly they can strike and in a variety of ways. It's all because of him.”

(On how to resist approaching Seattle with a similar pass-heavy game plan used by the Buffalo Bills)
“So, what I think you've got to do is you got to look at it, number one, how are we built? Then how do we want to try to attack this defense? Yesterday was one performance. You watch that Niners game, they played pretty good there. I think there was a high level of execution in some instances by the Bills. But number one, it always starts with our guys. What do we feel like we do best? Then how do we implement the things from our players to then attack some of the schemes and different things that they're doing? For us, I think we're at our best when we are balanced, when we've got the ability to have kind of your runs go with some of the stuff you're doing in the pass game. We know this team too well to know what a great coach Pete Carroll is, Coach Norton. They've got plenty of guys that have made plays and played at a high level throughout the course of their careers. Especially, just against these guys twice a year, each of the last three years, I think we know better. But we’ve got to be at our best and there'll be some opportunities that you can maybe try to take advantage of. I think yesterday was one game and you’ve got to look at the inventory of all eight games that they've played and figure out what's the best plan of attack for your guys and how we win this game as a team, ultimately.”


--RAMS--