Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay, QB Matthew Stafford - November 11, 2021

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay, QB Matthew Stafford - November 11, 2021



Head Coach Sean McVay, QB Matthew Stafford
Head Coach Sean McVay
(On how the team is doing health-wise)
“We’re doing pretty good. (OL) Brian Allen, he's got an elbow (injury). He won't be a participant today. (He) came out a little bit sore after the game, so we'll see what his week looks like as we progress. We're going to be smart with (OL Von (Miller)’s ankle, but he's making great progress. I feel really good about him. We’ll rest (OL) Andrew Whitworth and we'll rest (OL Terrell Lewis today.”

(On if there is anything specific he’s looking for from OLB Von Miller to feel ready to clear him)
“I think it's really just the movement. Seeing how he's transitioning and seeing how he's able to kind of change directions and just some of the things that are required of the position and for him to be able to play at the level that we know he's capable of.”

(On if it makes sense to rest Miller this week from a big-picture standpoint given the bye week next week)
“That’s definitely been a part of the conversation. He really wanted to play last week. He’s preparing as if he's going to play this week and if he's ready to go, then we'll definitely have him ready to go.”

(On any updates about QB Matthew Stafford’s ankle)
“He's good. He’ll be a full participant today. Fortunately, he's as tough as they get. He was able to finish the game and play through it. I think he's a little sore, but (I) don't expect that to restrict his ability this week.”

(On given Stafford’s time in the NFL, if it’s too be expected that he’ll be sore and have little knicks and bruises)
“I think so. He'd be better equipped to be able to answer that, but he's so tough. You just look at the nature of this game in general, no matter what position you're playing, it's a physical game, especially as you get in the later parts of the year, as you mentioned. He took some shots the other day, but he continued to get up and battle with his teammates. He’s a guy that's played through a bunch of different things throughout the course of his career that I've even witnessed from afar. He's so tough. But, I think that's a fair statement that you made.”

(On how often your quarterback is feeling 100-percent regardless of if they show up on the injury report or not)
“I think once you start accumulating games and you're taking hits and competing the way that these guys do, probably not ever. Probably once you get into the offseason a couple months after that thing finishes up, but these guys get accustomed to learn how to play through things. And I think they would probably tell you they're never truly a hundred percent after you start playing the games.”

(On if he’s happy with where the bye week is this year in the schedule)
“What I look at is just, ideally you like the Thursday night game earlier and then the bye week somewhere where we have it. I think that's good just in terms of the timing, especially 17 games, knowing that we're going to play 10 games then we'll have seven on the back stretch. I think it suits itself well. We got to be ready to go and be totally present and locked in on this moment and the opportunity to compete against what we know is a really good team. I don't care what the Niners record is. I've got a lot of respect for these guys and the way they compete and the way they operate. They've gotten the better of us the last couple of years.”
(On if the 49ers are the worst team in terms of allowing explosive plays because of their tackling)
“You look at last week, there was a couple screens. They ended up getting some explosives on that are not really reflective and they do a great job right now reading out of the stacks. There was an instance where (Cardinals WR Christian) Kirk got over the top on kind of an over-the-top crossing route (where Cardinals QB Colt) McCoy dropped in there, but I see a really good defense. I see a sound operation. They've had a couple of different bodies that have rotated through, but it's a really well coached outfit. They’ve got a commitment to a philosophy. They play hard, they tackle well. This is a defense that's as good as any over the last couple of years.”

(On what the center and right guard depth looks like)
“So, (OL) Coleman Shelton's done a great job. We really saw him play a lot of snaps in the preseason. He got better and better. He's always been a really sharp guy, but then you see the physical reps that really were illustrated by the way that he played in the preseason against some really good players. And then we saw that every single day during camp and everyday out here when we're competing in practice. And so, he's done a great job, just did an excellent job in the walkthrough, and so if (OL) Brian (Allen) isn't able to go, which we hope he is, but have a lot of confidence in Coleman.”

(On if they have reached out to Odell Beckham Jr. at all)
“Just focused on the Niners right now, it's kind of where my focus is.”

(On if he talks to 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan at all during the season, especially when he’s going through tough times)
“Typically, I'll talk to guys here and there. We'll talk before the game, but this is a natural thing that we go through. ‘Tough times don't last, tough people do.’ That's what his dad always used to say. I know Kyle's wired the right way and he's a great coach. He's done an outstanding job. I sure have learned a lot from him, and we know it's going be a great challenge this week.”

(On the status of DL Sebastian Joseph-Day after his surgery)
“It sounded like everything went really well, so that's a positive thing as far as the timetable. If he's able to return? Don't have that quite yet.”

(On how much he leans on Running Backs/Assistant Head Coach Thomas Brown to help with game plans)
“In a lot of instances. You talk about a great leader of men, a guy that's got just great capacity, great command when he gets in front of the room. Really an impressive human being just with his core beliefs, his character, the way he operates, and he's got a vast knowledge of this game on both sides of the football. He's a great competitor too. I remember playing against him in high school. He's a five-star recruit, goes and starts at Georgia as a true freshman, which we know the caliber of backs that they have come through there. If it wasn't for injuries, he would've played it for a long time in the NFL, I believe. But I think his toughness is embodied by the way that that group has played this year with (R Darrel (Henderson) and (R Sony (Michel) and (R Buddy (Howell) when he's gotten his opportunities. (I) lean on him in a lot of ways, he's assistant head coach as well. He’s just got a great feel for people. He's got a great pulse of the team and he's one of those guys that I can always trust is going to be able to give me valuable information. And he's not always going to tell me what I want to hear, but what I need to hear, similar to what I said about (Defensive Coordinator) Raheem (Morris).”

(On where the ability to lean on Brown come from)
“I think just how secure he is in himself. I think when you meet certain people, they're refreshingly secure, just comfortable in their own skin, and that's exactly how he's always been from the time that we've been working together for the last couple of years.”

(On if 49ers WR Deebo Samuel and 49ers TE George Kittle are a good matchup for CB Jalen Ramsey)
“It's a great opportunity, but they pose a lot of problems. They do a great job schematically of really challenging your edges in the run game, the boot game, the different things they do in the play action. Everything starts out looking the same and ends up being different. Jalen’s versatility is a real value, but you just mentioned they got two players, (WR) Deebo Samuel and (TE George) Kittle. (FB Kyle) Juszczyk you can really throw into the mix. They're kind of Joker-esque type of players that they utilize in a variety of ways that really challenge you defensively.”

(On if General Manager Les Snead is still pursuing Beckham Jr.)
“Les is always doing work behind the scenes. Like I said, I’m focused on the Niners right now here.”

QB Matthew Stafford
(On if he checked the news about WR Odell Beckham Jr. being acquired by the Rams)
“I did. I saw.”

(On if he talked to Beckham Jr. on the phone)
“Yeah. Great to be in contact with him. Obviously, I have a lot of respect for who he is as a player. (I’ve) been watching him do his thing for a long time. (I) got a chance to play with him in a Pro Bowl. (I) watched the way he worked, the way we went about his business. (I) have a lot of respect for him. So, it's an opportunity for us as a team. It's an opportunity for him to come in here and prove himself to us. The receiver room is pretty special. I know he'll fit right in and just continue to get better and hopefully to help us as a team.”

(On what Beckham Jr.’s ability to give to his downfield passing game)
“I think it's going to take time to get it. It's going to take work for everybody to be on the same page, him to learn what we're doing, and how we go about our business, and us two working together and all that kind of stuff. But, what he's able to do when the ball’s in the air, he's proven it year after year. He’s outstanding when the ball is in the air, going up and making catches. He's really good after the catch as well when he can stay grounded and catch and run. He's obviously a very, very talented player. (I’m) excited about getting the opportunity to work with him and what he can bring to our team.”

(On how he bases how Beckham Jr. will get the ball – being open versus skillset)
“I can't tell you right now. I think it's going to be one of those things where we get on the field, we get some reps together and figure out what becomes comfortable the quickest. We go out there and do that and then we continue to work on things that maybe you need some time to work on it. This is in-season. We've got games to prepare for, people to go play and games to try and win. He's a professional. He's done this a long time. We've got no doubt that he's going to come out here and work his tail off for us. We're going to work together and try and get us going as quickly as we can. That's something that we're just going to have to see when he gets in here, but I'm definitely excited about having the opportunity to work with a guy like that.”

(On if he envisioned playing with a wide receiver of his magnitude in addition to the prolific wide receiver corps that he already has)
“I've played with a bunch of good ones in my career and he's up there. He's a talented guy. It's one of those things where everybody on our team carves out their role. They do a great job of figuring out what that role is going to be and going out there and proving it - both on the practice field and in games and then getting those opportunities. I know he'll do the same. There's a lot of time between now and that. We’ve just got to make sure that we're on the same page, go out there and play ball.”

(On how his ankle feels and what it’s like playing for a team that has no limits on what players they will get and when)
“Ankle's fine. Ankle feels good. (I) did everything I would normally do on a Wednesday practice today. So, that was nice to get back out there and not have to sit around like I did last week. As far as an organization goes, it's great. Didn't happen a whole lot of times when I was in Detroit- either free agents wanted to come there or big trades happen probably on the other end of the spectrum, probably a little bit more trading guys away. But, it’s fun. I know as a player, the more talented players you can accumulate, theoretically the better. So, we're excited to have both (OL Von (Miller), (WR) Odell (Beckham Jr.), a bunch of guys that we've picked up through either free agency or the trade and it's on us as players to wrap our arms around them, bring them in, show them how we do it and bring them along as quickly as we can.”

(On what it’s like to be a part of a player driven push so late in the season)
“I think certain guys on our team know Odell probably a little bit better than others. Those guys have a great relationship with him and understand what makes him tick and what he's all about probably a little bit better than some other people. It was cool to pick their brain and see kind of what he's like, what he's about and how interested he was in playing with us. It was a fun thing to kind of be somewhat involved in I guess.”

(On how much of a surprise this was after the Rams acquired OLB Von Miller last week)
“Nothing really surprises me anymore to tell you the truth. I know that this is an enticing city to play in. This is an enticing an organization to come play for. We have a bunch of other great players on this team - (DL Aaron Donald) AD, (C Jalen (Ramsey), (WR) Cooper (Kupp) all those guys. Great players. So, it's exciting for other people to come in and play with those guys. So, I'm just happy to be a part of it.”

(On what his message is to Beckham Jr. as a leader)
“It's (that) we do things a certain way and it's a fun time. We work our tail off. We have a bunch of fun. We got a bunch of great guys that are willing to do whatever it takes to try and win. I know he's excited about getting the opportunity to come in and try and win. That's what he wants to do. And if that's what he wants to do then shoot, that's what we're all about. So, I got no problems. I'm excited about it. I don’t know when he's supposed to get here or whatever, but he'll be out here. I'll be throwing around to him at some point.”

(On how much his addition changes the dynamic within the wide receiver room)
“What he's done in the past, what he's been able to do in his career is well documented. He's a very talented player, a Pro Bowl receiver and it's on me to give him the ball when he has the opportunities, our guys to scheme him up and get chances for him. I'm just excited that he's part of our team. As far as what defense do, I haven't played a whole lot of defense in my life, but I imagine the more number of receivers we can get out on the field and run down the field, the scarier it's going to be.”

(On what he sees on film of the 49ers)
“Yeah, they play extremely hard. They play very physical, fast, relentless. Their front seven really gets after it downhill, does a great job tackling the running back on the way to the quarterback. They really get off the football, get into the gaps and try to penetrate and disrupt plays. They've got playmakers on the back end, so it's a big challenge for us. I was with their Defensive Line Coach (Kris Kocurek) in Detroit for a long time. I know what he's all about. And those guys play like I remember the guys in Detroit playing. They played hard for him. So it's a big challenge for us. San Fran is a really good football team. We'll have our work cut out for us.”

(On how often he would say he is 100-percent healthy)
“How often am I a hundred percent? Not often, but I feel good. I really do feel good. Coming out of that game, I felt great running around here today. So much better than even last Wednesday having to run around. So not getting the chance to…I love to practice. I love to be out here. I love to work with our guys throw the ball around, be involved. There's nothing worse than sitting on the sideline. I love getting the opportunity. I felt great today.”

(On if as a veteran you fight through those things)
“Yeah, absolutely.”

(On any memories with Beckham Jr.)
“Yeah, he made some great plays in that game. Had him on like a flag route that I told him if I touched my shoulder, he needed to run a pump and (I would) shoot it through the safety. And he was like, ‘Hey, you want me to go in front of him or behind him?’ And I was like, ‘I don't care. Just don't slow down.’ And (he) ended up going behind him, I think it was (S Donte) Whitner at the time. (I) threw a ball up and he made a great diving catch in that one. So in practice, it's not real serious practice, but he was still doing his stuff where he's making front hand and one handed catches and doing all that kind of stuff. It's impressive, what he can do when the ball is in the air. And then again over years you've seen what he's been able to do catching the slant and just ripping through the zone. And making some big plays too. So a lot of work between now and then, but I'm excited to add a player of his caliber.”

--RAMS--