The Coach McVay ShowEp. 46: Sean McVay talks Week 3 comeback, special teams impact, injury updates & more
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Coach McVeigh Show, presented by Microsoft Surface.
I'm JB.
Long with DeMarco Farr and Sean McVay. The Rams coming off their first win as you are well aware, and off to Chicago for a week for this week. Good to see a Sean.
Good see you guys. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, how you feeling feel good? You know? I was proud of the team. I think what was important is that we took a step in the right direction, and sometimes that can be reflected by getting the result you want. Sometimes it might not be reflected. But I wanted to see improvement, wanted to see growth, wanted to see us compete to the best of our ability stay in the fight, and there was. There was a lot of things that unfolded in that game where we made it hard on ourselves early and you don't take away any of the credit San Francisco deserves. They jump out to a fourteen zero lead, They had some things that they did that you know, you give them a ton of credit for, but our guys kept battling and I thought there was great examples. I thought special teams came up huge to be able to do some things that led to really our first scoring drive offensively, got some stops at the right times defensively, and then we were able to create enough and sustain some drives and get some momentum that ended up leading to the outcome that we wanted. But there was a lot of grit, there was a lot of toughness, there was a lot of fight, and there was definitely some improvement that I saw and I was I was really proud of the group and it was a fun day for them.
Going from one week. I mean, you get the w that's all that matters. You won, But to see what you said from going from one week, we're going to challenge each other. I need to see the best out of you going to this week and then you see what you did on in so far this weekend. It's got to make you proud, like you said it did.
And it wasn't perfect either. You know, there's a lot of things that we can improve upon, but I think you know you emphasize everything, you emphasize nothing right. So there was a handful of things that we did emphasize that we saw. It helped give us an opportunity to try to come away with the results that you're hunting up and now it's like, okay, how do we continue to do some of those things, and now let's improve some other things and let's continue to build. We were talking about it before we started. You know, I'm grateful that we came out healthy. That hasn't been the case in the first couple of weeks. It's been kind of unprecedented. Nonetheless, the season goes on, and so how now do we establish some rapport with the guys that are playing. How can we put the work in that allows for that growth, for that improvement that will lead to a process that we talk about committing to the daily improvement and the standards that we have and the rapport that's important, especially at those specific positions. And there's a lot of things that we can improve upon. But there was a lot of cool things that our guys did, and I was happy and I was proud of them.
We fully appreciate that you play seventeen nameless, faceless opponents, right, and each is only worth one, But rivalry is also matter in this sport. It's what makes it special. Can you acknowledge that for our city, our fan base like that that was really worth something?
No, it was fun and really. You know, that's a team I don't know. Rivalry is a team that you old and high regard because their body of work over the last handful of years has merited that they're they're they're a really well coached team. I hold Kyle in the highest of regards. You guys know that they have great personnel. John Lynch and Kyle do a great job of acquiring you know, guys that are very similar to the things that we look for in players. And then they do a great job of challenging you and testing you schematically in all three phases, and so we know them, they know us, but they do a great job. They're always a really difficult matchup, uh, and for our guys to be able to just kind of, like I said, stay in the fight, find a way to make enough plays to be able to give themselves a chance to come away with the result. At the end, I was really proud of them. But that's a quality team. You know, you know, good football, and they've put you know, good football on tape consistently year in and year out. And I got a ton of respect for that guy.
Respect the team, respect the coaches love seeing their fans leave. That's fair right, love seeing a lot of them there, but bye love it. Uh, how do you guys stay.
So I think the percentage was of Niners fans to Rams.
Let's see eighty twenty Rams Niners there.
They didn't build the escalators wide enough.
No doubt, yes, sir, But how do you guys stay so cool and cool and calm, you and your quarterback in particular when it's it's chaos down?
You know, here's what I would say, DeMarco. I'm glad you mentioned that. Not necessarily you know about me, but I think he had such a great, even keeled demeanor throughout. I thought he let the game come to him, you know, when you are behind two possessions or you're behind ten points as the fourth quarter is going on. I thought he made great decisions. I thought he was in complete control, and even though there weren't as many opportunities to throw the football, I thought he made great decisions. Some of them were great decisions to throw it away. Thought he recognized and read coverage. I thought he, you know, made quick decisions and accurate decisions. And guys believe when he's got that just confidence in that aura about himself. But he didn't force anything. You know that, that to me was why I think everybody kind of knew that. Man, there was a lot of reasons to feel like the percentages of the analytics, I'll tell you you're out of that game, But it never really felt that way because of you know, how steady and even keeled he was. And I thought Matthew was in really complete control and command yesterday, and I thought that gave the rest of the team kind of a calm and a steadiness that was needed. And coaches included.
Top ten in the NFL career completions now for Matthew Stafford.
But could I make the case that's cool?
It has been nice to know before the team meeting where I could have given him.
Some level he was his best completion post game with the game ball, Yes.
It was you know what that was a he he ended up bailing his coach out there. I was so excited for so many guys. How could I forget my man, CARDI you know.
I thought you did it on purpose to let QB one kind of take.
That's exactly what I got it.
Let's go special teams then, because are right there best ram special teams game, and who knows how long. You want to take us inside the fake punt execution first, because you know, I.
Think what was big. It was a third down and twelve Tyler Johnson gets six yards. It's a fourteen to nothing game, JB. And this is something that our guys had worked on. There was a possibility that the look could present itself. And thought, excellent snap by Alex Ward and then what a great job when you really look at it. You know, I don't know what kind of shots you guys have of it, but you know for it to be a great snap to Ronnie. And then you look at the sellout by Niko Klinitch. He secures Conley and then to be able to sell out on Odum on the second level that allows Ronnie to be able to put his foot in the ground. This is just a great job. I mean that layout right there and now he levels it off inside of him. I think we got six and a half yards we needed six and that extended the drive and that led to Karen Williams touchdown reception from fifteen yards out. But true credit to our special teams as a whole. I thought Chase Blackburn, Scott Frost did a great job. This is a great example of practice performance equal in game reality. We had worked this one. They had an ownership and an understanding of what the intent was, and they executed it in a in a key moment that we had to have. You know, there wasn't a lot of momentum. This gave us some life and these were one of those plays that you talk about just keeps you in that fight. Thought it was great for what that did in terms of just you know, some positive momentum and huge job by the special teams. I was really proud of them.
Ye something about teams when when you hit a big play it lifts the entire team. Maybe it's because it's offense and defense working together.
Yeah, I think you're right, you know, and really we needed that. I think we've been at our best when we're playing complimentary football. And so you end up getting this fake punt conversion to basically steal a possession, and what does it lead to, Like if you end up having the punt back or you don't come away with points and it's kind of all for not right, But it led to a touchdown. So now it's a fourteen seven game, and so this was big. Obviously Xavier Smith's return was so huge, So happy for him the work that he's put in to be able to deliver in a crunch time moment. I thought it was really smart by Omar Spates, not the block in the back, you know, as a young player, to make a good decision at the point of and really at the moment of truth. Jalen McCullough goals next level to be able to get that wall set up and then for that to lead to us being in, you know, right around the fifty yard line, you know, with you know, a little bit under a minute left. That was big where you don't feel like you're really having the press and got a chance to be able to end the game in regulation, which our guys did.
How much did Cardi kick last week out here on the practice field.
Just kicked one time, you know, on Friday he kicked went eight for eight and he was perfect in the game. So we weren't sure until Friday. I remember talking to him even on Friday, what do you think He's like, You know, I won't know until I kick, But he had a good look in his eye and then as soon as he did, you know, Chase felt good about it. He felt good about it. Had a really good warm up and and he delivered in a big way. But Tanner Brown would have been ready to.
Roll if needed another flatline guy. After the game, I said, great job, and he said for what Yeah? Yeah, kicking the game when you field goal.
You know what I like about him too, DeMarco is if you look at where he's hitting his kicks, I think this is a big factor. You know, the consistency at where it goes through the uprights. Obviously, as long as it goes in between those, it counts all the same, right, But I think when you talk about it's like a golfer, how much can you repeat that stroke? How much can you consistently place the ball where you want? Most of his kicks are going to be good from uprights? You know about this wide yeah, And that to me is he's got a nice repeated stroke. I think our operation has been better. I think you look at Alex Ward, you look at Ethan Evans, both of those guys in their second year as pros. You know, everybody just wants to look at the kicker. It's snaphold kick. And I thought our protection was good as well. Versus a tough rush out fit as a field goal blocking it from the niners, not these golfers.
I'll say that much.
And you told the me, you that Xavier Smith's gonna be your guy hunt return.
Yeah, he'll be the punt returner. You know, semantically, you know, how does that work out in terms of the roster mechanics. You know, we'll figure that out as we go. But he he did a great job. I was happy for us return back in the day high school. Yeah, I mean if I needed to, But yeah.
Earned some extra reuption. You never know, big one, get another one.
While we're on your athletic days.
How long would you be on injured reserve if you tried what Kyen did some yesterday.
I was stuck the landing. I would have stuck the landing. Come on, man, great scored. That was awesome. No, hey, Kyron, I'll tell you what. That was a cool play. Because Warner has played as good as you know, he's always been as good as it gets at the position. I think he's playing as well as he's ever played. For Matthew to be able to kind of hold him based on what coverage they were in when he's kind of visual, uh, for Kiren to be able to win inside on Campbell and then to be able to have the presence, you know, front pad throw before Warner could get over there in a quarter's con tour, and then to be able to finish it was swaggy. I think Karen was pissed he didn't stick the landing, but he did a great job. He certainly came to life in the red area like he seemingly always does. He do him back down, man, No, he's tough as hell.
I love that he flipped over that one safety that they were going at it. But he won't back down from that sort of game.
Noh, he's so tough, you know. And I think he he had a bunch of big time plays. He's a stud. Love his energy. I thought he was great yesterday.
Tied your guy Marshall fuck for a franchise record six straight games with a rushing touchdown. Sixteen rushing scores in the last fifteen games.
Yeah, right, that's right, Williams good.
Yeah, and he thought to go for two after his third.
If we had been if it had been less time on the clock, then you would have thought about it, but didn't want them to be in four downs. If we had ended up converting that but if it was, like you know, with like fifteen seconds left in the answers, probably yes, But based on the time that we scored with, that wasn't something that we were thinking.
We've talked a lot about Joe and winning ten stepping into some vacant cleats and they're big ones. But how about what he did competing on your run surface yesterday, including on at least one of those Kiren touchdowns.
Yeah, I was big. You know, he's got a great way about himself. He's physical. I mean, he had some key blocks at the point of attack, caught it, you know, big inbreaking route obviously caught the screen, caught it, you know, another flat pass where he just does a good job. You know, he's he's got a great game day demeanor and you could feel that from the very first preseason game. But he is physical at the point of attack. He likes that. You could see he got so excited for Kyron after he ends up springing that block that he makes on Brown when they were in a man coverage and we were in a one by three an he kind of motions across right before the snap. He's a stud. I really like him. He's he's all about the right kind of stuff. He's one of our kind of guys.
I'm a two two fan. I have to tell you that. Yeah, I don't know why. Maybe it's because he's on, maybe it's because he's undersized, But I just love to watch this dude play, and it seems like when he sets those routes up, he can run by just about anybody.
Yeah, he's got an effortless gait too. I mean, I think when you watch him when he makes the deep catch on one of the premier players in this league, he's kind of got an effortless gait where it doesn't look like he's working as hard as he is, but he's covering ground because he's got that stride length. His upper body stays quiet. Thought that was a great track that he had, and then he had a couple, you know, big time third down conversions for us as well.
Let's take a closer look at one of them. Second quarter, third and eight from your own twenty five. The way you got him a free release here was awesome.
Yeah, this is cool. He's coming in a little short motion from outside in they were in a man coverage right here. I thought he did a great job of straightening, hit him up just a little bit, and then as he broke you know, if you go back even just a tick, you know you can really see right before you know. Unbelievable job by Matthew to be able to speed it up, but to be able to get vertical, to put his foot in the ground, and then to make this catch away from your frame really impressive. You know, this might have been his second best catch on the third down conversions that he had, because the one on the shallow was unbelievable where he basically caught it a couple times. But you know Matthew's ability to speed this up. This is a really cool angle. You see as soon as Matthew's backfoot hits he ends up throwing this without a hitch, changes his arms, slot, perfect location. It's great that two two has his mouth piece into so that you know he's really you know, it's really doing a lot for him. But great catch, big conversion right there. This was on the same drive that we ended up having the fake punt, but at least got us some space, got an explosive Two two had a big day and this was this was an awesome play, Really cool connection by Ian Matthew. Great job by Ronnie River stepping up on Fred Warner in the B gap two on the left side right there.
I've heard you mentioned this previously, but it's it's born out in the statistics. In fact, there's a site NFL penalties dot com that keeps track of like the hidden PI yardage. Two two was tops in the league in a per game average last year in PI, tied for second in total penalty yards generated last year. And he picks up right where he left right, He's like Calvin Ridley company, no kidding, Yeah, him into your meeting, like PI yards either like on a per game or a per target basis. Like even though TOO two's usage rate hasn't been that high, his impact and those hidden areas has been really concentrating.
Big yeah. And that's the thing, Like, that's why I don't get too caught up in stats, right because you look at whether it's the forty eight yard PI, Well, what does that happen for us in terms of if our job is to move the ball and score points. I don't care what yardage all that stuff says, but that's a forty eight yard gains offense that might not go down in the stats and the total yards. But uh, and I know he probably would like that to be you know, on his stats, But like we recognize that stuff in a team meeting, sure, because that's super important. Like, hey, hey, that's a forty eight yard gain for our offense. It might not go down officially, but last time I checked, where that ball is placed is forty eight yards further than where it was on the previous snap. Same thing with Kolby Parkinson's PI that he draws on Deondre Campbell. We had a lot of hidden yardage you know that might be hidden on the stats, they weren't in terms of where it allowed us to matriculate the ball down the field on some of those scoring drives to Marco.
Close with Parkinson, he is a matchup problem with size.
Yeah, he does a good job. I think he's a complete tight end too. Nick Kayley, Man, if you guys go back and watch, you see somebody having fun. That was excited when he ended up drawing that PI right there. That guy loves football. He gets so juiced for his guys and really for our team in general. But Colby had a good day, had some major contributions, big third down conversion, that he had and was really productive in the run game as well.
It's not just as simple as putting a second tight end on the field, right, You made it look easy, but it's more than that.
Well, Hunter Long did a great job. You know, he played a handful of snaps, you know, Kaylee. Our coaches, you know, Mike Laflor, Ryan Windell, all those guys really you know, they did a great job, you know, having some different variety based on our circumstances, and our job is to maximize the players that we have. I thought it was really cool to be able to see some guys step up and deliver. And now let's see if we can really build on it like we've talked about.
See I'm still thinking of that that whip. See I get stuck on offense defense. I thought Byron Young took another step forward too.
Yeah, he he really made his impact, felt. I thought he was productive in the run obviously, even as a zone dropper, you know where he makes that play when we rushed three early on in the game on jennings On kind of that delayed slant that perty checked it down to him. Was a great job, you know, breaking visual on the ball, getting his head out of the tackle and then at the end of the half to prevent them from getting any points on the sack fumble. That was huge. He was a game ball recipient on the defensive side. Joe Coniglio does a really good job with that group by so conscientious and he's so tough, so coachable, and I thought a lot of the things that had been emphasized in terms of our right here's where we take a step forward. That practice preparation, that practice performance led to game reality for him yesterday. I was happy for him.
That sack was nasty replay that see, he.
Did a great job and he won with his hands, and then to be able to close and then attack the football and then fist to get the recovery. Pretty good illustration for you there.
There you go.
See you understand like position value and restricted resources in this league. What if you have not one, but two great edge rushers on rookie deals. What can that mean for the Rams right now? But also in this window of time, it's big.
I mean especially when you look at and you mentioned it, JB. You know, where are these high value positions that usually you have to use high draft capital or if you acquire him through trades or free agency. These guys are making a bunch of money, and so how do you continuously build your team up? And that's a big deal. I thought Jared Vers, you know, did some really good things yesterday. I thought Michael Hoyt was really steady too. I thought he had a great energy, great demeanor. All three of those guys played, you know, around the same sort of snaps, and I think they all have nice complimentary skill sets, but b Y was a guy in particular that stood out in terms of taking a step in the right direction. Thought Michael Hoyt was really productive. And then Jared Vers, you know, he's he's violent, you feel his presence, He's only going to get better, very disruptive, and then continuing to learn from the opportunities where it's like, okay, where are your playoffs based on this call? And he's he's real coachable, He's a stud.
He pursues like a banshee. Love that. I love the stuff off the edge like a bench. No, man, I took two steps and stopped you.
No coach for me.
I had no choice.
He played hard. I know you did a couple.
Of explosives got away, but you sewed it up and you got better as you will.
Yeah, you know, I think there's definitely like you know, especially you know, being able to shore up the way that we were hitting blocks playing the run. You know, pretty had forty two yards that were you know, a great job by him, But we've got a corral. He's running quarterbacks a little bit better, not a little a lot better. But I did think for a great running team like the Niners are in terms of their design runs, we did a fairly good job. They create a lot of conflict, they do as good a job as anybody schematic. They had been really productive running the football, and we were able to limit it. I mean, we didn't certainly stop it, but I thought we had some critical stops. I thought the red zone sequenceer was a second and two, and then we ended up, you know, going to third and one, and then we end up doing a good job of taking a negative that forces them to kick a field goal to go up twenty four to fourteen instead of possibly twenty eight fourteen. That was key.
I'm sure there's a statue sq quarterback on your schedule waiting somewhere.
It's just not going to be this week.
No, it will not be this guy's he's a problem. He was a top pick for a reason.
More on him in just a second, But can I ask, like, what is a fair evaluation of where your secondary is, and particularly Trey White, who I've heard you say like he's not someone that you are willing to bet against.
Yeah, I thought he did a good job. You know, he had a big time third and four stop for us. He competes, really already did a good job coming up in some run support situations. You know, a guy that knows how to play this game has a lot of experience. I thought. I thought he took a step in the right direction. I yeah, I'm not gonna say what I thought of the one that was called on the second drive. You know, but he's competitive, he's doing he's doing a really good job right there.
You want me to say it for you.
Yeah, the penalty disparity was seven too. At one point I noted there was I thought a real issue with Hufunga's late hit on Kyron.
That was a miss.
There was another face mask in the mix, But I'll tell you what. They picked up the one that mattered at the end.
They did. At the end, I was glad they picked that one up that definitely was not a personal foul there, and so you know, I thought Trey White took a positive step, I really did. I think to Kobe Durans done an excellent job working through some things. Obviously, Cam Curl and Quinton Lake have been productive. And then I think it was a good opportunity. Cam Kitchens, you know, played the most. You know, he played a handful of snaps and some of our sub situations, some good stuff and some things that we can learn on, you know, with him. But he's the kind of guy that's wired to be able to do right and use it as growth opportunities moving forward.
On the Chicago yeah, yay.
That's yeah, you're right about that. We've been there late in the years, but this is it's always Chicago's a great football city, be a great opportunity. I want to see us have a great week of preparation and uh, I'll look forward to getting and started on that once we finish up here.
But you know, their personnel in terms of Shane's there, Thomas Brown is there, right, so some familiar faces on their sideline.
Yeah, you know, and and really good coaches that were outstanding contributors. You know, to our group here, and so we've got our work cutout for us, as you do every week in this uh, in this league, and that's what you love about it, and that's what can also drive you crazy.
You got one. But I'm sure you've seen Caleb Williams tape. Impressive in college and pretty good in the pro so far.
Yeah, he he is is. He's a dynamic athlete. He can beat you in a variety of ways. And so, like I said, we've got our work cutout for us, and they've got excellent skill around him, and so it's gonna be a great challenge.
Congratulations on a winning the home opener. Next time you're home. The clock operators is gonna run all those seconds. If they have to put some back on at the end, so be it. But the referees are going to be in charge.
Of that bacond. Now that's a long two seconds.
Aick anything less than a minute, that's all coming up.
When that play was extending, what were you guys thinking, Oh my god, No, I was.
Please no face mask, please, no defensive penalties. What I was thinking, why would you say that?
Yes, sir, Victory Monday.
For Sean McVay for demrco Far. I'm JB Long looking ahead two week four in a trip to the Windy City, looking forward to seeing you or talking to you. Then this the Coach mc face ship presented by Microsoft Surface
