There are two very clear ways for the Rams to get into the playoffs in Week 17. They can either beat (or tie) the Cardinals, or the Packers can beat the Bears. They’re in complete control of their own fate, needing no help to get into the postseason.
And because of that, Sean McVay won’t be scoreboard watching Bears-Packers, which will also be played at 4:25 p.m. ET. He said Friday that he doesn’t want updates on the score of that game because it has no impact on how he’s going to coach against the Cardinals.
“I will not worry about it because what I’d be doing during that time has zero to do – I have no control over that, even though it potentially affects us, but it only affects us if we don’t handle our business and we have to worry about it,” he told reporters.
That doesn’t mean he’s unaware of the circumstances. He knows how much the Packers can help the Rams out, especially considering how decimated this L.A. team is. The Rams are capable of beating Arizona, but it will be much more difficult without Jared Goff, Cooper Kupp, Darrell Henderson and Michael Brockers.
For obvious reasons, McVay hopes his friend Matt LaFleur takes care of business in Chicago, potentially helping the Rams clinch a playoff berth.
“I won’t,” McVay said of whether he’ll pay attention to the Bears-Packers game. “I mean, we’re not naive to what the circumstances are surrounding that, but the reality is you don’t have to watch them if you handle your own business and that’s where our focus is. We know what a great challenge it’s going to be. Our sole focus and concentration is going to be playing to the best of our ability in all three phases against a really good Arizona Cardinals football team. If we do that and come out with the result that we want, that other game has nothing to do with it. Then we’ll see what happens on that afterwards. I’ll be rooting for my buddy Matt LaFleur, but we have to handle our own business.”
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