LA Angeles Rams Transcripts Correction - Head Coach Sean McVay - September 29, 2021

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts Correction - Head Coach Sean McVay - September 29, 2021




Head Coach Sean McVay
Head Coach Sean McVay
(On if LB Ogbonnia “Obo” Okoronkwo and OL Tremayne Anchrum Jr. are expected to be available this week)
“They could potentially be. That's something that we're going to look at. We'll see how (L Obo (Okoronkwo) handles the week. (OL) Tremayne (Anchrum Jr.) is someone we might be a little bit more patient with, but Obo is somebody that we're going to monitor that could potentially be up as soon as this week.”

(On what he and Les Snead saw in recent addition OLB Jamir Jones, other than needing depth at that position)
“Yeah, that was kind of it. He had put some good stuff on tape. Talked with (GM) Les (Snead) pretty quickly about it this morning. There's so much going on as we're getting ready for the Cardinals. I have a lot of trust and confidence in his evaluation and our personnel’s group, and then to be able to collaborate with the coaches. Once we get him here, I'll be able to have a better feel.”

(On how QB Matthew Stafford's start with the Rams has looked to internal members of the Rams, as outside it has looked good)
“It looks the same to me. He's done a great job. With the amount of things that are involved with the quarterback position, there are always things that we can improve on. But his command, his leadership, and his ability to be at his best in those most important moments has been on display through the first three weeks. We've got a great challenge this week. You look at (DC) Vance Joseph and Arizona Cardinals. This is going to be an outstanding challenge. They are a 3-0 football team and they're winning in a lot of different ways as a complete team. We've gotta be ready to go. It's going to be a really important week to continue to take steps in the right direction.”

(On what allowed Stafford to come out with such a bang this season)
“Well, the work that he's put in. He does a great job of leaning on his other teammates. You look at what a great job he's doing leading, but it's also a reflection of the other 10 guys around him doing an excellent job. His preparation, his consistency, his ability, all those things are in alignment. What you're going to see is anytime you have a conscientious player that works at it, has the right rhythm and routine, and the process that kind of enables you to have that consistent improvement and have those high standards. I think you're going to see that from Matthew and a lot of our other players. That's what we want to see from our team as well.

(On what he is seeing from Kyler Murray)
Unbelievable Playmaker. Seeing the field really well. You talk about being able to make plays on schedule, and off schedule. Being able to create with his legs, being able to extend plays with his legs, but then be able to deliver the football down the field. He's making as many plays as anybody. He is outstanding and he's a problem.”

(On what has enabled the Cardinals defense to get to the QB so much)
“Well, they got great rushers. You look at (L Chandler Jones, what he did in Week one is as good as any performance that you'll see ever, in the history of this league. One of the more impressive ones. (DE) JJ Watt’s track record is well-documented, but they've got a lot of different things. They can activate other non-known rushers as blitzers. (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Vance) Joseph does a great job mixing it up. It is the mixture of being able to hit home with a four man rush, sending five, being able to send more than that. The variety of different things that they keep you kind of on your heels is what's such a problem when they are in an aggressive outfit. Kind of similar to last week (against Tampa Bay). There's obviously some differences in terms of what they're doing schematically, but a similar approach where they're aggressive and they're coming after you.”

(On if RB Darrell Henderson Jr. is going to practice this week at all)
“I think he's going to. I feel good about it. We're going to be a little bit more modified in our approach this afternoon. He had a good look in his eye. He took part in the walkthrough just now. I think the expectation, the anticipation, is that he'll play, but I'm not a hundred percent sure on that.”

(On why WR Cooper Kupp has been able to stay productive with more attention on him)
“We've got other players that you've got to defend too. (WR) Cooper (Kupp)’s done an outstanding job maximizing his opportunities, but when you've got (WR) Robert Woods, you've got (WR) Van (Jefferson), you've got (WR) DeSean (Jackson), (TE) Tyler Higbee, (TE) Johnny Mundt is more than capable to make his plays as well. And then our backs are capable of receivers. You want to always make all five eligibles come to life. The versatility of where he's at, and where you can place him. He's just a great football player and he's played really well. He's done an excellent job maximizing those chances that he's gotten. It's kind of on a week to week thing, but Matthew's also doing a great job of getting the ball where the coverage dictates.”

(On if Stafford has done anything better than he anticipated)
“When you watch all the film and you come away really impressed. There's nothing like…you can't ever really simulate those game day atmospheres. The poise, his ability to recognize things in the midst of the games is something that's really stood out to me. I continue to say it like a broken record, but he just so steady. Because there'll be a couple of plays in the beginning of that game that he expects to be able to make, but he's unfazed by it. That's a reflection of a great player. You show me anybody that's great at what they do, and I'll show you somebody that's mentally tough. He has definitely demonstrated that in small parts through these first three games. In particular, the Indianapolis game, and I thought last week with the way that we had started. You are just really pleased. You're enjoying doing it with him, but I'm not necessarily surprised because you did have such good expectations. You don't take it for granted and you don't minimize how difficult that position that he's playing really is. It is as hard a job as there is in sports. He's done a really good job for our team so far.”

(On what an empty set does for an offense and what problems does it present to the defense)
“I think it just expands the field in a lot of instances based on some of the empty formations that we're presenting. You got to really defend all five eligibles immediately. There (are) some negatives to it too now, offensively, but it's worked out in our favor. I think for these first three games, it's presented itself as something that we felt like could give us some favorable looks and (Q Matthew (Stafford) has done a great job of getting us in and out of some of the right plays and things that we wanted to do there. Each week kind of presents a different narrative and if we want to be able to utilize that part of our offense or not. But through three weeks, he's done a good job at that.”

(On if he talks with Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury during the offseason about offenses)
“We’re friends. I have tremendous respect for (Cardinals Head Coach) Kliff (Kingsbury). I've gotten to know him through a mutual friend. He’ll come out to LA pretty frequently. The COVID thing has obviously been a little bit different these last couple of years, but we keep in touch. We’ll talk a little bit of ball here and there, but there's always that you kind of always have your guard up similar to even with (49ers Head Coach) Kyle (Shanahan) and some of my friends on the Niners coaching staff and now with (Seahawks Offensive Coordinator) Shane (Waldron) in Seattle. The fact that you see somebody twice a year, always a little bit more guarded. But we'll talk a little bit of ball. I don't think anything that's going to give any good secrets away to one another.”

(On when he’ scheming for the next game how much of it is attacking what he wants to attack on the opponent versus switching up his tendencies)
“It’s a good balance. To say it's truly 50/50 is hard to say, but they're both very important factors. I think that's really an important thing. Also, I think especially last week with me kind of missing the early parts of it, what a great job our offensive coaching staff has done putting together great game plans, being able to put our players in the right spots, led by (Offensive Coordinator) Kevin O'Connell and the rest of our coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball. (I) couldn't be more pleased and impressed with the job that they've done through these first few weeks. They’ve been responsible for putting together some really good plans for our guys and then our players have ultimately made it come to life.”

(On what’s impressing him about the offensive line)
“I think it's just the way that they're playing completely as a unit in both phases. I think they're protecting really well there. They're doing an excellent job seeing things as one, playing as one, having that communication - all five on the same page - and the back's involved. I think their rapport with Stafford has definitely been illustrated in these first three weeks. I think we've been physical at the point of attack in the run game. I think what you're seeing is a unit that's playing really well in both phases. When we run the football, they're doing an excellent job. When we're protecting, they're doing a good job in some of our screen games as well. You look at the block that (OL) Rob Havenstein had on (TE) Tyler Higbee's first touchdown. He's getting two people. You look at just the overall effort, even when we put the ball in the ground, there's (OL Austin) Corbett and there's (OL Andrew) Whitworth right there ready to recover, which that's potentially a game-changing type of play with when that occurred. (I) love the job that those guys have done. I think those leaders on the edges have been outstanding with Whitworth and Havenstein. (I’ve) really been pleased with the progression you've seen from Corbett and from (OL) David Edwards. He’s doing a great job really throwing hands in protection. And then (OL) Brian Allen stabilizing the middle of the group. It's been a fun group to work with. Like I said, (Offensive Line Coach) Kevin Carberry has been great as has (Offensive Assistant) Nick Jones and (Offensive Assistant) Zak Kromer. So, there's a lot of good things. And another great challenge, like there is every week, it seems like.”

(On what the plan of approach is for the Cardinals defense)
“It's tough. (Cardinals C Byron Murphy (Jr.) did a great job last week. He’s a guy that's gotten better and better. You look at it from his rookie year to where he's at now. He's got great versatility where he can play outside. He can play inside. (Cardinals CB Robert) Alford’s a guy that's done a nice job and (Cardinals CB Marco) Wilson, so they've got really good corners. (Cardinals S) Budda Baker is one of the better players in this league that I think has made his presence felt over the last couple of years with the physicality, the presence, the ability to get the ball back. They’ve got great players on the back end. It's going to be a great challenge for us.”

--RAMS--