I have pretty low expectations for this season. I have never seen the Rams follow up a great season with another one. Indeed, they have generally regressed significantly. And, actually, this is the league pattern.

The margin of error for a great season is impossibly thin. I just don't expect that the breaks will fall for us again this year. Then you look at our killer schedule, and the odds drop even lower.

Only one factor can beat these odds. A truly great coach. I think of McVay and I see hope and opportunity. Preseason game 1 raised my expectations a notch or two. How?

The level of play was so flaming high throughout the team. These were third stringers and scrubs. And each unit, offense, defense, and special teams, played sound, integrated football. Consider this.

We had 2, yes only 2, penalties for 10 yards. The Chargers had almost 200 yards in penalties. Locked on Rams reported that the Cowboys had almost 20 penalties. And, indeed, preseason football is routinely compromised why high penalty counts. Our 3rd and 4th stringers committed 2 penalties for 10 yards.

That result testifies to 1 cause: coaching. McVay is running an operation that shows signs of the gold standard of football management: execution with minimal mistakes. An entire roster that executes the game plan with precision, focus, and channeled intensity.

Sean McVay could be one of those transcendent coaches who can sustain greatness. The league has known very few of these masters. Our performance on Saturday, the very first preseason game with only scrubs on the field, suggests that our guy might be approaching that level.

The best testimony to this possibility can be seen in the play of the offensive line. But that is for another post.

If Sean McVay is really that good we just might be ascending the mountain again this year.