ClutchPoints
The Los Angeles Rams are headed to the NFC Championship Game, but head coach Sean McVay made it clear that the path there was far from smooth, and that he believes much of the struggle fell on his shoulders.
Following the Rams’ gritty 20-17 overtime win over the Chicago Bears in the NFC Divisional Round, McVay delivered an unusually blunt self-assessment during the post-game press conference, acknowledging that his offensive approach nearly cost Los Angeles a season that is still alive.
“I could have done a much better job. And I did think once we were able to get some success, we settled into a little bit of a different approach — being able to lean on the run and then, when we were throwing it, picking up the tempo a little bit. I thought Matthew [Stafford] had a bunch of success keeping the ball in play and guys made their plays,” McVay said while reflecting on the adjustments that came later than he would have liked.
McVay pointed specifically to his inability to establish a consistent feel for the game after the opening drive, when the Rams marched 85 yards for an early touchdown. From there, the offense sputtered, managing just 174 total yards through three quarters. The regret ran deeper, however, particularly regarding situational decisions including a third-and-1 call early in overtime that stalled momentum and nearly opened the door for Chicago to steal the game.
“So I think overall, what I would say is I did not like the feel for the flow of the game that I had outside of the first series, where our guys did a great job defensively and kept us in it, in spite of how poorly of a job I did for our group. But like I said, I’m really grateful for this group being able to find a way, stick with it, and be able to overcome some bad coaching by me tonight,” McVay added.
While the offense struggled Stafford finished 20-of-42 for 258 yards, the Rams’ defense repeatedly bailed the team out. Three interceptions of Caleb Williams, multiple fourth-down stops, and a clutch overtime takeaway ultimately set up the game-winning field goal.
The win sends Los Angeles to its first NFC Championship Game since the Super Bowl LVI season, setting up a third meeting with the Seattle Seahawks. After splitting the regular-season series including a blown fourth-quarter lead in Seattle McVay knows there’s little margin for error left. Survive and advance worked this time, but the Rams will need far more than survival against Seattle.
The post Rams’ Sean McVay’s regretful admission after nearly losing Divisional Round game appeared first on ClutchPoints.
