Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay - October 11, 2021

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay - October 11, 2021



Head Coach Sean McVay
Head Coach Sean McVay
(On how he spent his weekend)
“I relaxed with my fiancé, Veronica (Khomyn). My parents are in town, so I spent a little bit of time with them, it was good. Watched a little football, did a little work here and there, but it was good to be able to catch up on some rest.”

(On how to convince his team that this week’s game against the Giants is not a game to look past)
“I think you show them the film. I think you show them guys like (Giants WR) Kadarius Toney making plays. I think you show their defense and how violent and disruptive they are. Let’s put it this way, we've got the wrong guys if I have to convince them that they need to be ready to show up in this three-hour window of time. Part of our job as coaches and players is to make sure that our weekly rhythm and our process is in alignment with peaking and planning really well in that three hour of time. And if you're really an ultimate competitor – and we know that every single week, there's great challenges and that's what makes this league so great. There's guys that get paid that are ready to step up if they're missing some of their key players. We’re not the team that I think we are if we're not able to handle them with that maturity and let that affect our process and our ability to focus and concentrate. And also understand that I've heard this said before, humility is only a week away in this league. If you think that you're not ready to roll every single week and that you're not going to get embarrassed if you're not, then we're kidding ourselves. I think why we've been able to have a little bit of success around here is because we do have the right players. We have the right coaches. The sense of urgency is only increased as the season goes on because the best teams just get better as this thing progresses. And if we want to continue on the trajectory that I hope we are, there's going to be a lot of work that needs to be done for us to play well enough to try to get our fifth win against a really competitive football team that's beaten some really good ones. They’ve been in really tight games against some outstanding football teams too. So, that’s the furthest thing from my mind.”

(On any updates on CB Darious Williams)
“Those ankle sprains with some of those corners can be pretty volatile. There's a possibility that we'll place him on IR given the fact that he can return in three weeks. (As far as) his status, I don't think you can expect him this week and there's a potential possibility in the next day or so that we might place him on IR. (There’s) still a couple of things that we need to get in alignment before we do that, but the anticipation, the expectation is that he will not be available this week.”

(On looking back to last year’s games against the Jets and the Giants, is there something different about his team this year)
“No, it's hard to win in this league. We didn't do enough things (last year). Every single year is a new year. You look at that Jets team, they had played really competitive ball and had a chance to win a handful of games. We can play well enough to win in that game right there. I didn't coach good enough. And then the Giants game, they did a great job. They kind of hung around. They played really tough, stingy defense. We missed a couple opportunities, but we made enough plays where (C Darious (Williams) came up in the clutch and we ended up hitting (WR Cooper) Kupp when we had to have it on a long touchdown. Those games are great examples of ‘you just don't take anything for granted.’ I don't care what people's records are. These coaches, these players, everybody works too hard every single week for those three hours to try to put your team and your players in the best positions to succeed. Then these guys make plays, they do things off schedule and that's what makes this game exciting. It is so difficult to win in this league and the focus and concentration that's required snap in and snap out to perform at a high level in all three phases of the game. Also, to have your performance in alignment with that preparation and letting that practice preparation and everything you do throughout the course of the week, give players a quieted mind and then let it really come to life, is part of what you love so much about it. It's why the feeling in the locker room is something that you can't replicate in any other situation or scenario. But it’s also why you can just go back and use example after example, week in and week out of, ‘Hey, if you are the team and if we're the team that we're capable of.’ We're playing a really good competitive football team. If you don't have the maturity to block out injuries, records, different things like that – look at the tape, that's the truth teller. That’s where our players know, ‘Hey man, I'm flipping this tape on. I'm seeing a really well coached team. I'm seeing good personnel on all three phases.’ If we're not ready to go, then we'll be sitting here saying, ‘Hey, we didn't do our job. We didn't play at high level.’ We know it's going to a battle to try to get our fifth win against a very well-coached, disciplined football team that has players on each side of the ball.”

(On if DL A’Shawn Robinson was injured considered that his number of snaps went down)
“It was just kind of how the game unfolded. Sometimes a lot of those rotations, especially on the defensive line, are a product in our reflection of some of the personnel groupings that we activate and how we best feel to defend them.”

(On what caused the number of explosive plays to go from 29 to 40 in a year)
“I think you can look at the response after the Bills game, but I thought we played pretty well early on in that season. We played consistently well throughout the season. I think one of the things that you realize in this league is if you're at the upper echelon of the league, these coaches, these players are too competitive. You're getting studied in the off season and there's a blueprint and there's a plan of attack on how you want to approach those things. It's no different if you're at the upper echelon of the league offensively, in the kicking game or defense. So, there's different ways that people spend their whole off seasons to try to activate things that are in alignment with trying to have success against whatever those core foundational philosophies are. That's why you hear me say it all the time, ‘Consistency is the truest measurement of performance.’ It's how do you produce year in and year out? And then also for us as coaches, how do we have the agility to know that each year is a new year and then also each week's a new week based on, ‘Alright, how do we want to move the ball on offense? How do we want to stop people on defense? How do we want to excel in the different phases of the kicking game?’ And so, to answer your question in a long-winded way, I think guys have an understanding of it, but I think it's us continuing to figure out what's the best way for our players and our coaches to activate the things that we want to do, and what's the identity of this football team? And that’s something that we put our heads together as coaches. We're continuing to figure out how to maximize our personnel, how to maximize the 48 guys that are up during gameday. You look at the explosives, it's not one all-encompassing answer. The first play of the game there that we've got an answer for. We've got to be able to execute. I don't want to get into the specifics of what should have occurred right there, but there's been a lot of different reasons whether it's just simple execution. There's a couple of things we can do for clarity for our guys, but if there was one all-encompassing answer, it'd be a lot easier to solve. But I think there's been a lot of good things, but there's some things that we can clean up. In regards to the explosives, I think you study it hard because your questions are so good and so detailed I think you can see that it's not kind of one thing it's just understanding how do we minimize that, and then how do we pick and choose our spots to figure out, ‘Alright, what's the best way to play 2021 Rams defense within the philosophy of how we want to operate?’”

(On if he’s noticing anything pressure wise that would cause them to skew in their passing game)
“I think that's certainly always a part of it. Again, it's hard to isolate one thing in particular. I think rush and cover all go together. You always hear about being able to see things as one. If the rush forces the ball to come out quickly, there's less stress on some of the coverages, different things like that. And so, there's a lot of different things. There have been some extended plays and then some one-on-one (opportunities) where guys are throwing it up and they're making some plays, or there are some loose plays where we might add some miscommunication with how we want to hit home with a four-man rush. They break containing guys are working in the flow of the quarterback and it's hard to plaster in some of your zone principals for that long. Or it might just be something as simple as I'm in good position, my eyes go back, I just kind of get out of position and at the moment of truth, I leave my feet a little bit too early, and then that ball goes over my head. So, again, that's what you love about football, and I know you feel the same way. There are so many different things. There are so many problems to solve, but really for us, at the end of the day, what we're trying to do is ‘Okay, what's the play, what's the intent? What are those mechanics and how do we make sure that we're providing the solves for the problems that can arise?’ And then sometimes it's like, ‘Hey, get back in the huddle and play the next snap. We put you in a tough situation right there.’ It’s always kind of who has the pen last, which is what makes this game so fun. And then there are some things that are designed where whether it's offensive coaches or defensive coaches, understanding how to attack protections, vice versa that you say, ‘Ooh, they did a good job right there. Let's keep it moving.’ Or a guy just makes an incredible individual play. And so, there's not just kind of one all-encompassing answer, which I know you know that as well.”

(On how he implements the offensive line when he’s designing schemes)
“That's a good question. First of all, I think I've been really pleased with the way that those guys played up front. I think when you look at the offensive line, it's all about how do they see things as a unit? When you talk about the run game, how are we communicating? How are we targeting front structures? How are we making sure that we try to get a hat on a hat? And then, we're getting that ball to whether it's crack replaced corners or middle safeties and I think our guys have done a nice job of being able to execute in the run game with our combinations and wear a heavy zone outfit. I think they've done a really nice job, both on the front side and the back side. Some of the other phases of our run game, I've been really pleased with those guys. They've been able to move the line of scrimmage when we've asked them to do that. There's been clear communication across the board for the most part. So, I think we've performed well in the run phase of the offense. Then as far as protection, I think our guys have done a really nice job. You ask about the design - it's always about we might have all the cool designs, but if you don't feel like you can block it and protect it based on some of these freaks that these guys are having the blocks snap in and snap out, shame on me and shame on our coaches. Our guys have done a great job of being able to assimilate to the run game, see things as one, make the different calls and communications based on, ‘Are we protecting with five, six, seven? Are we adding a couple of guys into the protection in some of our max pro play actions?’ Overall, they've done a really good job. I think (Offensive Line Coach) Kevin Carberry has done an outstanding job with (Offensive Assistant) Nick Jones and (Offensive Assistant) Zak Kromer. I think we've gotten great leadership from our edges. I think you're seeing (OL) Rob Havenstein take steps in the right direction. (OL) Andrew Whitworth continues to play at a really high level. I love the way (OL) David Edwards has played. I think his consistency, I think his length, and athleticism has really shown up. Same thing with (OL) Austin Corbett at the right guard spot. And then I think (OL) Brian Allen has really solidified the interior parts of the offensive line with his command, his communication, and his competitiveness. He is a great competitor and he's gutsy and he finishes. I think that those guys have really been a stabilizing force and done so many good things that have enabled us to be able to push the ball down the field. Everybody wants to talk about explosives. But do you have the ability to create the time to have a feel for the soft spots in the pocket to distribute the field in a manner that's reflective of attacking some of these coverages when you can get plays down the field and you can't do that if you can't protect it. Probably a little bit more long-winded answer than what you were looking for, but I've been very pleased with that group and I want to continue to see them progress against what's going to be a really stout, tough physical front in the New York Giants that we play this week.”

(On something the offensive line did that was spectacular in the game against the Seahawks that fans may not have noticed)
“I think if you look at a lot of just even the runs that we had, there's a handful of ones that I can point out. But I think if you look at the effort, sustained, strained and finished on (R Darrell Henderson's (Jr.) longer run, what Rob Havenstein does to (Seahawks DE) Carlos Dunlap, watching the strain on the second level - whether it's Brian Allen - or even on the backside of that run with Whitworth and David Edwards, I think the run game is a reflection of all 11. Watch (WR) Cooper Kupp come through the hole and throw his shoulder on (Seahawks SS) Jamal Adams and how it bumps him into the corner. Watch the way that (WR) Robert Woods sells on the jet motion to try to be able to get that removal to straighten up some of the angles. Watch the way that Darrell Henderson Jr. really sets and presses that edge. The offensive line is a good reflection of the unit, but I also think what makes the run game special is the other guys that are part of that - whether it's (QB Matthew) Stafford carrying out his fake, Darrell in those blocks at the point of attack. You look at (TE) Tyler Higbee straining into finish there and so that play stands out. I think you just look at the way that these guys battle, but I could go on and on really to be able to say like, ‘This is a good example when you just watch the way they consistently compete, perform. There was a lot of instances like that and there's been a lot of instances through those first four games prior to the Seattle game that have been in alignment with winning football for us. And I've been pleased with that group. I love the mindset and mentality that they display. I think it's a tough group and I love that.”

(On if Williams is out, who will step up and replace him)
“That'd be something that we're in the process of working through. It might not be one guy. It might be kind of by committee approach. Again, those things are predicated on, ‘Are you playing two corners? Are you playing three corners? Do you get into some of your subgroupings where it might even be more than that?’ So, we're going to explore all measures. Those will be things that we'll look at from our 48 possible practice squad guys as well. That's kind of what today will really involve is making some final decisions on that, knowing that he's likely going to be out for this game and potentially after that, and how do we get our ducks in a row that is in alignment with being ready to go against the Giants? But, also not minimizing the importance of some things after that as well.”

(On if practice squad promotion is a possibility to replace D. Williams)
“It is a possibility. Some of the flexibility that you have with being able to flex guys up and then deciding after those two times you've done that, whether they deserve to be on the active roster, it gives you a little bit more patience with how you can make some of those moves a little bit later on in the week if you haven't flexed guys up yet. That's a positive for us and something that we'll definitely entertain as we really put our game plan together today, and then tomorrow, and then getting it started with our players on Wednesday.”

(On what he’s losing if D. Williams is out an extended period of time)
“You're losing an outstanding corner who has position-flex to play outside, to play inside. He's got great ball skills. He's got great concept trigger recognition, all the things that he did a great job of. And I think really, I was going to say the Giants was a coming out party, and then I'm immediately reminded of the unbelievable pick he made against Philly in Week 2 last year. All this guy's done is deliver when he's been asked to. I think he set a great example. But, I think when you talk about all the different, great things that (D Jalen (Ramsey) has done for our defense, it's been as a reflection of the flexibility that Darious Williams has. Now, guys will be asked to step up and that's why I think I don't know that it's that one person that you're asking. I think we're really working through what does that really look like? Knowing that you still have an incredibly special player in Jalen, but Darious’ flexibility, and him being a special player is what enabled us to be able to activate those guys in different ways. That's the beauty of what this week entails. It's great opportunity for guys to be able to step up. And it's a great challenge for us as coaches to figure out, ‘How do we really do an excellent job of putting players in a position to have success, getting the most out of them? What can guys do?’ Not about what they can't do, but you're missing a lot with Darious Williams and there's a reason why we tendered him as one, because of the belief and confidence we have in him and his resume and body of work.”

--RAMS--