1/18/22 Transcripts

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay - January 18, 2022
Head Coach Sean McVay
Head Coach Sean McVay
(Opening Statement)
“I'll start out with some of the injury stuff. (OL Andrew) Whitworth got his ankle and kind of his knee rolled up on, on that on that first run of the game and he'll be day to day. He was getting a scan today and so, waiting on those results. (C David Long’s (Jr.) knee looks like it's (going to) be okay. We'll still take it a day at a time with him. But I think the initial feedback that we're getting is positive results and just kind of based on how he's feeling. (WR) Ben Skowronek just had his back lock up on him. He's feeling better today, so I don't expect that to even affect the way he practices this week. And then (WR) Brandon Powell got his ribs, but he should be good as well with those four guys.”

(On if it’s possible to see LB Ernest Jones return anytime soon)
“Yeah, that is a possibility. Both, he and (R Darrell Henderson (Jr.) are potential guys that could return or that we could start their clocks - whether that means they're actually available this week or not is to be determined, but both of those guys are kind of in the same boat. (L Ernest (Jones) might be a little bit further ahead of Darrell, so that is a good thing on both of those guys.”

(On what the biggest challenge will be preparing for and controlling Buccaneers QB Tom Brady in a playoff situation)
“I mean, he's got so much experience. He's so smart. He's so twitchy in his upper half and can beat it up. He recognizes exactly what's going on. And so, I think the best way is try to influence and affect - move him off his spot, be able to win with your rushes. Easier said than done. It's why he's the most successful quarterback of all time.”

(On DL Aaron Donald saying he respects what Brady has done, but it’s a new year and what the right level of confidence is for players to bring up in themselves going against Brady)
“I think it's tremendous respect, but not fear. I think you're talking about two of the best at what they do with (DL) Aaron (Donald) and Tom. And so, as a competitor, he is a great, phenomenal player. We have tremendous respect for him, but we're going to have the expectation and anticipation that we're preparing to try to go win this game. And so, we know what a great challenge it's going to be. We've got to have a great week of work, and then go play to the best of our ability and let the chips fall where they may. But I know Aaron has a lot of respect for Tom, and I'm sure Tom would say the same thing about Aaron.”

(On what it does to be able to increase their ability to rush and to rush four consistently)
“It's huge. I mean, you are always talking about changing the math and if you can apply pressure while you're rushing four when they're protecting with five or six people - now you've got the numbers in our favor. You can play loaded coverages. And then with some of the different personnel we have on the back end, now you can really gain some elements and some advantages, but (OL Von’s (Miller) been outstanding. I think he's really clicked it up a notch this last month. (I) thought he played great from the jump yesterday and really excited about him building on that performance.”

(On why traveling the day before is better)
“I think what we learned really last year - was just based on the nature of the COVID protocols - that if you can have another night of sleep in your own bed and try to keep guys on as close to a normal rhythm and routine, that was good. Once you kind of learn about their circadian rhythm, it usually takes more than even a couple days to truly get acclimated and adjusted. And so, our guys have done a nice job. With this game, it'll be a little bit different, because it'll be 12 o'clock (p.m) in our head's kicking off at three (p.m.). It's the ones that are the unique circumstances that I think our guys have handled tremendously are when it's a 10:00 AM kickoff in their head. But ultimately, it's about being ready to go, being smart, doing a great job with your mental, your physical, and making sure guys get their rest. And I think we got a lot of people that really help our players, and ultimately they do a great job, and (it will) be a lot of reasons to be ready to go at three o'clock Eastern time on Sunday.”

(On how normal this week is considering it’s another short week)
“I would say this—this kind of normal is unnormal this year. We really haven't had much normalcy over the last six, seven weeks. We haven't really had regularity in the schedule. And I think if anything, our guys can draw on a lot of confidence that - this late in the year anyways - you've only really got a couple days of physical preparation that you're really going about it with that regard. And so, give our players off today, we'll be smart with what we do tomorrow, and then you really look at it as Thursday and Friday kind of represent our major physical days of preparation, and then we'll travel on Saturday.”

(On the progress of DL Sebastian Joseph-Day and DB Robert Rochell)
“Those guys haven't been a part of the conversation. It’s a little bit different circumstances with them, so don't have any true updates on those guys.”

(On if OLB Von Miller is playing at the level he knew he would be playing at)
“I think he's playing like the great player that he's always played (like) throughout the course of his career. I think for him, he is so tough—and that ankle injury was real—and I think you're starting to see how he's feeling fully recovered from that. (He) did a great job of really pushing through kind of with some of those first few games. And now I think you're seeing him play where he's uninhibited and he's playing great football. He's got a great look in his eye. He's just brought such a good dynamic to our football team and his perspective and experiences are very valuable.”

(On when he watches tape on the Buccaneers, does he look more at Super Bowl LIII or the regular season games)
“I think you remember a lot of those things. They're doing some similar concepts. I mean, you can see it's a huge influence, obviously which is a really smart approach by the Bucs that Tom has in regards to you see a lot of crossover with some similar concepts they had in New England. But it also does have a very different feeling in the nature of with (Bucs Head) Coach (Bruce) Arians and (Bucs Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Byron) Leftwich, and I think they've done a great job of meshing both. So, I don't necessarily know if you use that game, but you definitely know some of the concepts that they made us pay with. We're a different defensive structure as well, so some of the things that they would want to try to attack us with, I think would be a little bit different, also.”

(On what kind of confidence he takes from the win against the Cardinals and its importance)
“I think it was really important for us to be able to find a way to win and do it in that fashion. I certainly think you can take a lot of confidence from it. I think our guys also know that what they did last night won't have anything to do with what we need to do on Sunday in Tampa. But I think you can draw on the confidence that, hey, we can play at this level. We know that's the kind of performance it's going to take to give yourselves a chance to come away with the win against the reigning Super Bowl champs who are playing really well, doing a great job in all three phases. And that's where it's going to be a unique challenge, but one that you love as a competitor.”

--RAMS--