I hope for a lot of that earful McVay gave the players that he is in an echo chamber and gets an earful himself.
When it comes to game-planning and motivation against a team like the Bills (and all teams for that matter) coach, it's time to quit trying to out-think 'em, and get your guys to out-heart and out-muscle and out-will their opponents.The game planning and prep (getting players amped up, motivated) for this one were not what they could have - should have - been.
Maybe there was too much distraction - hang the banner, celebrate the opener for the Super Bowl champs. The Bills came out on fire, the Rams came out ready to go to work - and that wasn't enough. I was worried about the game when that pre-game tone was set. "The Rams better pick it up after the first crunch of the pads," I thought. "Reality has to set in fast if they're gonna neutralize the energy the Bills are bringing." Didn't happen.
The soft zone bend don't break approach against Allen and his crew didn't work. When I saw that D playing the CB's and LB's deep on the first series and through the first posession, I thought "Ohhh s#!t... here we go again - I hope not... oh nooo" and the Bills scored their first TD.
I was glad to see the Rams back in it, and lucky to be tied at halftime. I was eagerly anticipating some game-changing strategic halftime adjustments on both sides of the ball - but didn't see any.
Most of the players - not all - deserved the arse-chewing they reportedly got in the lockerreoom; they also deserve a game plan and resiliancy enough when it doesn't work to put them in a position to win.
Now your team is limping off the field, too many key players hurt, demoralized, and desperately in need of something that can only come from you, coach. That's your challenge, and it's a big one. Your move.
