Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay - September 17, 2021

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay - September 17, 2021
Head Coach Sean McVay


Rams Head Coach Sean McVay
(On injury statuses)
“I think everybody will be probable for the game. There was one that was going to be doubtful. (WR) Ben Skowronek is the only one. Anybody that you're expecting to play, we expect them to be up. So, (DL) Sebastian (Joseph-Day) is going to be probable, and it'll be good to be able to have him ready to go.”

(On OLB Chris Garrett)
“He's doing good. He's making good progress. This thing is real and he's doing everything in his power to get himself back and ready to go. I really liked the way that he has approached those workouts and he's coming along, but this thing is real.”

(On how CB Jalen Ramsey’s role is different from last year)
“It's not too different. It was kind of a thing that built as the year went on last year. It's more of we're kind of just starting that way this year, but his versatility I thought was really on display last Sunday night. He can do so many different things. He's so talented and gifted. He has got such a physical presence where you can play him all over the place, but for him to be able to make plays on the outside, make plays on the inside, you'll be able to activate them in a variety of different ways. He's going to get more play opportunities and the more play opportunities (C Jalen Ramsey has, the better it is for the Rams football team. I think it's a really great display of his football acumen. He's so physically gifted, but he is so gifted above the neck as well. The game makes sense to him and his ability to pick things up quickly. He brings great feedback to (Defensive Coordinator) Raheem (Morris) and the defensive coaches. He has got great thought process in terms of recognizing concepts, ways to defend it, what to anticipate, and what to expect. You guys have heard me say this before about people where the game makes sense to Jalen. So, it's not too different. It's just starting this way as opposed to it kind of being a build like it was last year.”

(On who he can compare Ramsey to)
“I think he's kind of one of one. I think that he can make an influence where you're saying, ‘Who are these premier shutdown corners on the outside?’ He can do that. And then ‘Who are these guys that can bump inside and really affect and influence the game?’ I think about when I first started coaching the guys that were really the premier nickels or stars as we call it – you're talking about the (Former Buccaneers C Ronde Barbers, the (Buccaneers S) Antoine Winfields – but Jalen is so big and he's so physical. We can utilize him where, if you look at last week, he has taken on offensive linemen and snapping them back pretty good and blowing plays up. If you just watched him the whole game, you'd say that guy is a unique, special talent that plays with great energy and passion every single snap.”

(On what it’s like to have a CB like Jalen who is so willing to be physical)
“It's awesome. All the great defenses, all 11 (players) tackle. When you have a guy that's such a tone setter on your backend like that, it just affects everybody else. I've heard it said before that the best people make others around them better. And I think he's really raising the level of play and the expectations, that toughness to compete, that we're looking for, for everybody. Jalen has done that at a really high level. It's really fun to be around.”

(On what kind of challenges a physical cornerback present against an offense)
“It's equivalent to the (New Orleans R Alvin Kamaras or these joker types of players – the (Raiders TE Darren) Wallers, the (49ers TE George) Kittles that can do a lot of different things that you don't really know how they're going to be activated, but you know they're going to influence and affect the game. That's what Jalen is doing for our defense. He's so versatile. He can play inside. He can play outside. You can blitz him. You can drop him in coverage. He can literally set the edge on a defense. You're not limited in any ways that you want to be able to utilize him. He has got a great ability to handle that. The capacity is something that I think is as special as anything, in addition to those physical things we're talking about.”

(On how difficult it is to adjust to a versatile CB when you don’t know where he will be on the field after the huddle)
“It's really tough. I also think it's a credit to (C Darious Williams' ability to be able to play outside and inside. To be able to do that with those same 11 bodies on the grass, but you don't know is the inside is the outside – I think it's a real credit to those players, number one. And also the creativity of some of our defensive coaches to be able to activate them in those right scenarios and situations, but it's a problem. It's something that, in a lot of instances, you're saying, ‘Oh man, I'm glad those guys are on our team.”

(On if he thinks he has a good read conceptually on Indianapolis and what they do)
“There were some good clips in some of those normal downs. But one of the things that I think (Colts Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Matt) Eberflus does a great job of they've got an identity on early downs. They do a really good job. They're fundamentally sound, they play hard, they're penetrating front. They'll stir the front a little bit, depending upon what they're doing on the back end. Then, he does a really nice job of having designer ways of attacking you in some of those known pass downs. So anytime that you have a similar or offensive approach – whether you're saying it's Seattle with (Offensive Coordinator) Shane Waldron. It’s the San Frans, the Green Bays, the Cincinnatis, Atlanta now. That's always helpful film because you're saying, ‘We're seeing similar types of formation, similar types of things that maybe we would do.’ It was a small inventory, but they're a really good defense. They play really sound and they've got excellent players at some of the key spots, and you can see they do a nice job building around those guys.”

(On if having QB Matthew Stafford is one advantage in terms of having more possible solutions to presented problems)
“I think he can do so many different things. You're not limited in any way that you can utilize him. I think what you're saying is, we can do some stuff underneath the center. We were in the shotgun a lot more than what you've typically seen in some of those early downs. We have a lot more things that we're doing both in the gun and underneath the center that you're presenting to the defense. And that was something that I don't necessarily know if it's exclusively (Q Matthew (Stafford). It's, ‘Hey, let's be honest with a self-scout and making sure that you're presenting a variety of different things to the defenses to try to keep them honest.’ Last week was a small representative example of being able to do some of those things. It always starts with the quarterback, and Matthew's ability to do all of that makes more multiple in what you can present as opposed to just exclusively being one thing or the other. That’s something that we want to be intentional about as coaches as well, regardless of players, but Matthew did a great job at that.”

(On how they’ve been able to develop such versatility at wide receiver position)
“I think when you've got guys that have the capacity and the capability to do it, you want to make sure that you keep people honest. So it's not just, “Alright, they're only doing this.’ You always want to play the player’s skillsets and their strengths, but like I've kind of said to you guys, really all of our receivers, they have the ability - short, intermediate - and being able to make plays down the field. That was an important thing for us to be able to establish. A lot of those things are predicated on, ‘Okay, what are we trying to get done? What's the intent of those plays?’ It’s something that our coaches have done a really good job of trying to really put those guys in the right spots, but ultimately those players delivering. That's something that you want to continue to see week in and week out.”

(On the gold standard of DL Aaron Donald and how that rubs off on younger players)
“I think it's an absolute example of (DL) Aaron (Donald)’s greatness. The way that he goes about his business, it really reminds me of when my grandpa talks about some of the greats that were in San Francisco when he was there, whether it's Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, when Deion (Sanders) was there for that year, but those guys, they raised the standard of everybody. It’s kind of similar to what I was talking about with (C Jalen (Ramsey), but Aaron is so steady. He's the most consistent player I've ever been around. The way that he approaches practice, the way that he approaches games, the way that he prepares both on and off the field. Just the competitiveness. You talk about a guy that's intrinsically motivated. I'd like to find somebody that's more motivated than he is and has higher standards than he does for himself. When you have somebody that's great like that, he raises the level of our whole building, including myself. (I’m) really grateful to work with a player like him and a lot of the players that we do have, but he definitely has an influence and an effect that is very tangible for us. And it's been that way ever since I've been here.”

(On Donald’s matchup with Colts G Quenton Nelson)
“(G) Quenton (Nelson) is a great guard. They've got really good physical offensive line and they do a great job catering to those guys’ skillsets and two backs that are excellent. (Q Carson (Wentz) has great athleticism if they decide to activate him as well. It will be a sometimes thing based on the personnel, some of the front mechanics and different things that we want to be able to present to them. That’d be definitely a good five-star matchup when those guys are lined up against one another.”

(On if RB Sony Michel will get some opportunity early on)
“I wouldn't say that. I think you have confidence that you can utilize him if need be, but (R Darrell (Henderson Jr.), I thought, did a great job. Darrell’s going to start the game. We want to really get him into the flow of it. And that was really a large part of it too. The first half didn't really even represent him getting into the flow of the game because we had so few touches in the run game. You do want to be able to say, ‘Hey, if we're able to sustain drives, be able to get some things off, could you expect to see (R Sony (Michel)?’ That's a possibility, but Darrell’s a guy that's done a really nice job and I was really pleased with how he got stronger as the game went on.”

--RAMS--