Two games stand out in Sean McVay’s mind as the most memorable at the Coliseum.
The last three years have been quite memorable for the Rams after more than a decade of missing the playoffs and struggling to finish above .500. Sean McVay has played a big role in the resurgence of the Rams, leading them to two playoff appearances (including one Super Bowl) in three years.
Sunday’s game against the Cardinals will mark the final time McVay runs out of the tunnel at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the Rams, with the team moving into SoFi Stadium next season.
Reflecting on his time with the Rams and the games played at the Coliseum, McVay picked two of his most memorable games at the historic stadium.
“I would have to say the one that stands out was probably the Cowboys game because it represented a chance to advance in the playoffs and get to a conference championship,” McVay said. “That was our first win in the playoffs since we’ve all been here. That atmosphere, that environment, but there’s a bunch of special times. That was a special night when we played Kansas City for all the other things outside of football that represented things that are a lot bigger than the game and what that kind of offered in terms of a reprieve for the community. Those are some games that definitely stand out.”
The two games McVay is referring to, of course, are the Rams’ 30-22 win over the Cowboys in the divisional round last season, and their epic Monday night shootout with the Chiefs, which was moved from Mexico City to Los Angeles because of field conditions.
The Rams won that game 54-51, but it carried more meaning than just the final score represented. It came not long after the tragic shooting in Thousand Oaks shook the local community, and after wildfires spread throughout Southern California and displaced residents in the area – including some members of the Rams.
It’s easy to see why those games would stand out in McVay’s mind, as they’re surely two of the most memorable moments in the minds of Rams fans, too.
After creating several positive memories at the Coliseum and learning about the history there, McVay hopes to close the book on a high note with a win on Sunday.
“I knew just the history of the venue and all the different great things that had taken place there. But, probably couldn’t appreciate it fully until you get there and get an opportunity to compete there,” he said. “Then you even start to even get educated on all the things that have occurred. It’s been a special place, there’s been a lot of good memories there. We’ll see if we can have our last one as a positive one.”
Wade Phillips and Sean McVay were both asked about the report that Phillips may not be back in 2020.
Wade Phillips and Sean McVay may seem like an unlikely match, being separated by 39 years in age. Phillips is one of the oldest coaches in the league, while McVay remains the youngest head coach around.
Phillips, 72, is in the final year of his contract and his time with the Rams may be coming to an end. With only one game left in 2019, Phillips could be coaching his final game as a member of the Rams coaching staff.
One report from Alex Marvez earlier this week suggested the Rams will consider moving on from Phillips in the offseason. Phillips has heard the rumors of his demise in L.A. but he’s not buying into them much.
“I’ve had a lot of rumors out there,” he said laughing. “I don’t pay any attention to rumors. Wherever I’ve been, I’m going to do the best I can do and if that’s not good enough for somebody, then it isn’t. But we want to finish with a winning season.”
Phillips was asked if he wants to continue coaching into next season, and he didn’t leave much doubt.
“I love coaching. That’s what I do and that’s what I enjoy doing,” Phillips said. “We did a lot of good things this year. Obviously not enough to be in the playoffs, but I thought we did a lot of good things as a team and defensively. I enjoy working with players, I think we’ve got a really good group and like I said last week, they were fighters. Didn’t end up winning that ball game, but I thought we showed a lot of fight as a defense and a team. I enjoy coaching and I want to continue.”
Since Phillips took over in 2017, the Rams have ranked 19th in total defense twice and they are currently 13th this season. They’ve never finished inside the top 10 of points or yards allowed as a defense under Phillips, which is somewhat disappointing when you look at the talent they have on that side of the ball.
When asked if he thinks he’s done a good enough job, he left it up to those in charge.
“That’s up to somebody else,” he said. “We lost two years in a row to Pittsburgh when I first started in the AFC championship game and they won the Super Bowl. Then we lost to Oakland and they won the Super Bowl and we got fired, so those things happen. Like I said, it’s up to somebody else to judge those things. You never know what’s going to happen in football, but I know one thing: I’m going to do the best I can do and I’m going to be the best assistant coach I can be.”
McVay is one of the people who will decide Phillips’ fate in 2020 and beyond, being the head coach. He was also asked about the report that Phillips could be gone next season, and while he didn’t shoot down the rumor, he did acknowledge that everyone on the staff will be evaluated.
“When those things come out, Wade and I discuss those things so that we make sure there’s clear understanding of what goes on and we keep those things behind closed doors,” McVay said. “But like anything else, after the season, it’ll be good for us to all take a step back. Our focus right now is on, let’s see if we can play a really good football game against a tough opponent. Finish off the season, cap it off the right way. But like anything else, we’ll take some time to really be able to reflect back on the year, look at what some of the things we need to do moving forward and part of that is talking to each one of the staff members, talking to your players and then being able to have a direction as we progress into the season.”
The Rams not only missed the playoffs, but they also don’t have a first-round pick in 2020.
For the first time since 2016, the Los Angeles Rams won’t be one of the 12 teams in the postseason dance. Sean McVay had led them to two straight playoff appearances, but the team came up short this year and was eliminated from postseason contention last week.
With as much parity as there is in the NFL, and as difficult as it is to repeat as division champions, the Rams were never a lock to make the playoffs. They were, however, among the favorites to win it all.
Missing the playoffs is a tough pill to swallow, but it’s even worse when you don’t have a first-round pick in either of the next two years. The Rams traded their first-rounders in 2020 and 2021 to the Jaguars for Jalen Ramsey, who played well in his nine games with Los Angeles before injuring his knee in Week 16.
Had the Rams secured a postseason berth, they would’ve guaranteed that the pick heading to Jacksonville would’ve been no better than 21st overall. When trading first-round picks in-season, the hope is to go on a deep postseason run to make that selection worse for the team receiving it.
Now that the Rams have missed the playoffs, their first-round pick heading to Jacksonville will be no worse the 20th overall. At 8-7, they have the best record of any team not currently holding a playoff berth. The Steelers are also 8-7, and their pick is owned by Miami from the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, so the Dolphins have the 19th overall pick.
After that, it’s a cluster of 7-8 teams. As of now, the Raiders would pick 14th, followed by the Cowboys, Raiders again (via Bears), Colts and Bucs. So if the Rams lose on Sunday and all of those teams win, the Jaguars’ pick from Los Angeles could move as high as 14th – depending on tie-breakers.
That’s not a bad deal for Jacksonville, which will also get the Rams’ first-rounder in 2021.
It hurts for the Rams to miss the playoffs, but it’s even worse when you consider the fact that they could have potentially held the 14th overall pick at the end of the season had they not made the trade with Jacksonville. Instead, they’ll have to wait about 50 picks before making their first selection in 2020, pending any trades made and how the final order finishes.
Sean McVay praised Andrew Whitworth for being a “special individual” and a great player.
Andrew Whitworth helped usher in a new era of Rams football in 2017 when he signed as a free agent, coming over from the Bengals where he spent the first decade of his career. Still playing at a high level, he joined Los Angeles and solved one of the team’s biggest problems at left tackle.
He did so with a new coach in Sean McVay, who was at the forefront of the Rams’ rebuild. Whitworth and McVay spent the last three years together in L.A., giving the Rams a unique relationship between a player who was older than his coach.
Whitworth, 38, is in the final year of his contract with the Rams and with the season coming to a close, McVay opened up about how much Whitworth means to him not just as a player, but as a person on and off the field.
“He’s meant a lot. He’s a special individual. Like I’ve said before, one of the most empathetic individuals I’ve ever met in my life. I think that’s a rare quality, I think it’s a great quality for any leader to possess,” McVay said, before getting a jab in at the veteran. “He’s got a great wisdom – he has been playing for 40 years, so he’s got a lot of experiences to draw on. It’s a relationship that I certainly cherish. He’s helped me a lot as your still getting familiar with how to best handle this role and navigate through the things that occur on a daily basis. Somebody like him has been instrumental and I think when you look at when we first got here as a staff, working with Les and his group, for him to represent – he and Robert Woods, really – your first two free agent signings, it’s hard to find two better representatives of what it looks like to go find the right kinds of guys that are wired in all the right ways and are also great competitors.”
Whitworth said he intends to play another season in 2020, but it remains to be seen if that will be with the Rams or another team. Los Angeles doesn’t have much money to spend this offseason and it has a lot of players to pay, so Whitworth might be out of the front office’s price range.
One thing’s for sure, though: Whitworth will be missed if he doesn’t return to the Rams next season, in the locker room, in the community and on the field.
Jalen Ramsey won’t be taking the field Sunday for the Rams season finale against the Cardinals.
Jalen Ramsey won’t be taking the field Sunday for the Rams (8-7) season finale against the Cardinals (5-9-1).
Head coach Sean McVay said Tuesday that the cornerback has a grade II LCL strain.
Ramsey suffered the knee injury versus the 49ers (12-3) Saturday but played the entire game despite Los Angeles listing him as “Doubtful to return,” during the contest. Ramsey made 4 tackles in the game and intercepted Jimmy Garapolo, in addition to having two passes defended.
McVay said that despite holding Ramsey out of week 17, he doesn’t expect the 25-year-old to need surgery.
According to RamsWire, McVay explains the decision to keep the cornerback sidelined this way: “I think it’s, more than anything, just being smart. He came back in and it shows you how tough he is, what a great competitor. But when you are looking at something like this, you just want to be smart. Typically, it’s something that can take anywhere between a month, a month and a half. But it should heal on its own.”
The Rams traded for Ramsey in a blockbuster deal in October. He played in nine games once joining the team from the Jaguars (5-10) this season. He made 31 tackles with four passes defended in his eight starts after the midseason trade.
On the heels of a wild weekend that transformed the NFL playoff picture, Touchdown Wire unveils its weekly NFL Power Rankings.
Heading into Week 17, we already know the Baltimore Ravens are the best team in the league and the Cincinnati Bengals are the worst.
In Week 16, we found out two positive certainties for the Ravens and Bengals. First, by guaranteeing the league’s worst record, the Bengals clinched the No. 1 spot in the 2020 NFL draft.
At least at the moment, it appears likely they’ll use it on Heisman Trophy winner and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. That’s the silver lining in Cincinnati’s dismal season.
Baltimore earned a gift with its great season. At 13-2, the Ravens clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, meaning they have a bye and hold home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Lots of other scenarios were clinched in Week 16. But many more, including a number of playoff seeds, won’t be known until after Week 17.
We touch on that and more in this week’s Touchdown Wire NFL Power Rankings.
32. Cincinnati Bengals
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
(1-14. Last week: 32)
Finally, there’s something to celebrate in Cincinnati. It took an overtime loss to Miami, but the Bengals officially clinched the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. That almost certainly will be used on a quarterback, and most draft experts currently believe LSU’s Joe Burrow is the top prospect. While that seems like a certainty, the status of first-year head coach Zac Taylor isn’t a given. Bengals owner Mike Brown has been notoriously patient and frugal in the past, but a one- or two-win season may not be enough for Taylor to survive. Besides, there is plenty of room to question Taylor’s decision to go back to veteran quarterback Andy Dalton after briefly benching him in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. Yeah, Dalton threw four touchdown passes Sunday, but it’s clear he’s got no future with the Bengals. Apparently, Finley doesn’t either. This looks like a team that already has settled on Burrow.
31. Washington Redskins
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
(3-12. Last week: 31)
There hasn’t been much for Washington fans to cheer for this season, especially after Sunday’s overtime loss to the New York Giants dropped the Redskins into sole possession of last place in the NFC East. But there is one bright spot: the play of rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Coming off the best game of his career, Haskins continued to show progress by completing 12 of 15 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an ankle injury. That means whoever is coaching the Redskins next year might already have his quarterback. The Redskins are going to have a premium draft pick and might decide on Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, who is more of a sure thing than any of the quarterbacks who will be available.
30. Detroit Lions
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
(3-11-1. Last week: 29)
Things continued to get worse for Detroit with a 27-17 loss to Denver. That was to be expected because the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough, who totaled just 117 passing yards and took four sacks against the Broncos. This season has long been over for the Lions. But the real story here is about next season. Ownership came out last week and firmly said that coach Matt Patricia will be back for a third year and general manager Bob Quinn also will return. That’s somewhat surprising since Patricia’s tenure has been a disaster, and there haven’t been many signs of progress. But I can see the case for giving Patricia another year. He deserves a shot to see what he can do with quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy all season. If Patricia can’t win with Stafford, then it will be time to move on.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(5-10. Last week: 27)
The Jaguars made news last week by firing executive vice president Tom Coughlin. Some assume that means coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell are safe for next season, but that’s not necessarily the case. Marrone has lost 21 of 31 games since taking the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game after the 2017 season. Coughlin’s firing was about more than the team’s record. It was a reaction by owner Shad Kahn after the NFL Players Association issued a warning to players about signing with the Jaguars due to a high number of grievances against the organization. Those issues were a poor reflection on Coughlin. But the team’s poor record is a reflection on Marrone and Caldwell. Kahn might be better off cleaning house and starting over again.
28. Miami Dolphins
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
(4-11. Last week: 30)
Remember back early in the season when everyone thought the Dolphins were purposely losing to acquire better draft picks? At first, it seemed to be true, but they were just good enough to win their way out of the top pick — and it was fitting that their overtime win against Cincinnati helped the Bengals clinch the No. 1 pick. Miami stuck with veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick over second-year pro Josh Rosen most of the season. That was pointless, because Fitzpatrick is no long-term answer for a team that needs a major rebuild. By missing out on the No. 1 pick, the Dolphins apparently will miss out on consensus No. 1 quarterback prospect Joe Burrow. They probably still will draft a quarterback. Instead of Burrow, it likely will be Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon’s Justin Herbert.
27. New York Giants
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
(4-11. Last week: 28)
Sure, the Giants are 4-11, and Sunday’s victory against a bad Washington team came in overtime. But I’m going to go way out on a limb and declare the Giants the favorite to win the NFC East in 2020. Seriously. Why? The Giants have the brightest future of the bunch. You could see Sunday that the Giants are set at quarterback and running back for the long term. Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones returned from injury and threw for 352 yards and five touchdowns. Second-year running back Saquon Barkley ran for 189 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 90 yards and another touchdown. Jones and Barkley could be superstars. Sure, there’s plenty of work to be done on the defense, at receiver and on the offensive line. But Jones and Barkley give the Giants hope and something to build around. Their presence and promise probably is enough to keep coach Pat Shurmur employed.
26. Carolina Panthers
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
(5-10. Last week: 25)
Perhaps the most insightful NFL quote of the week came from veteran Carolina tight end Greg Olsen, who has a bright future in broadcasting. After an embarrassing loss to Indianapolis, Olsen put Carolina’s situation into perfect context.
“It’s a really tough way to operate,” Olsen said. “Players are underperforming. It’s right now a very collective failure, organizationally a failure.”
The Panthers might be in the most disarray they’ve been in since coach George Seifert’s final year, a 1-15 season in 2001. Interim coach Perry Fewell hasn’t come close to winning a game since taking over when Ron Rivera was fired. It’s become obvious that Fewell will not get the permanent job. Owner David Tepper has to go out and find the right guy. If general manager Marty Hurney sticks around and has any input, his track record suggest he’ll favor a rising coordinator and not a former head coach or a college coach.
25. Los Angeles Chargers
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(5-10. Last week: 23)
The Chargers lost to the Raiders on Sunday, but the big story here came in the postgame. Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers told reporters he wants to continue playing. Rivers is 38 and in the final year of his contract.
“I’m capable enough physically and mentally, there’s no question,” Rivers said. “Yes, I do want to play football. I do, and that’s how I feel deep down as I stand here.”
But the bigger question is do the Chargers want Rivers back? Despite all he’s done for the franchise through the years, Rivers has endured a bad season. His 18 interceptions rank second in the NFL to Jameis Winston’s 28. The Chargers have been one of the league’s most disappointing teams and haven’t developed much of a fan base in Los Angeles. They’ll be moving into a new stadium next year, and it might be time for an infusion of excitement at quarterback, whether through the draft or via free agency.
Sean McVay had one word for where the Rams came up short: consistency.
There are several reasons the Los Angeles Rams came up short and missed the playoffs this season. You can point to injuries, issues on the offensive line, Jared Goff’s regression – the list goes on. But Sean McVay didn’t name any of those deficiencies specifically when asked what the Rams’ biggest issue was in 2019.
Instead, he pointed to consistency – or lack thereof.
“I think overall, just the consistency. I think there’s been instances in all three phases where there’s been some really positive things and then there’s been some other instances where I don’t think we’ve played up to our capability. That’s all of us – that’s coaches, players, we’re all in this thing together,” McVay said Sunday. “Ultimately, you‘ve heard us talk about it before, consistency is the truest measurement of performance. Unfortunately, I think our inconsistency as a team ended up hurting us. We saw what we were capable of when the things were going well, and we saw how it can look when they’re not going well. It’s been a real big learning opportunity this year. It is something that you want to really make sure that you go back, you reflect on an you say, ‘All right, how can we try to be more consistent week in and week out? What are the things that I can do, that we can do in terms of how we’re setting up our offseason?’”
Aaron Donald said almost the same thing after the Rams’ loss to the 49ers on Saturday night.
“We just weren’t consistent,” he said. “We had a lot of ups and downs. Each week is different, no matter what the other team’s record is. When you come out flat some games, you’re going to lose. We had to be more consistent. It was just a bad year for us. We have to bounce back next year.”
At times, the Rams looked like one of the best teams in the league. Then at other points in the season, they seemed completely incapable of moving the ball against anyone; they scored 35 points in three games against the Steelers, Bears and Ravens.
The defense was stout in several games against the Seahawks, Cardinals, Bears, Bengals and Falcons. The Rams also allowed just 22 total points to the Saints and Browns in Weeks 2 and 3. On the flipside, they gave up 55 to the Bucs, 45 to the Ravens and 44 to the Cowboys.
See why McVay and Donald brought up the word consistency?
The Rams have one more week left in the season before they begin evaluating the roster – likely from top to bottom, with a few exceptions (see: Donald, Aaron). With no first-round pick and very little spending money, changes are certain to be made.
McVay isn’t shying away from that, nor will any player or coach.
“Everything is going to be evaluated and I’m excited about attacking that challenge after this week,” McVay added. “That’s where our singular focus will be is on focusing on this week and the Cardinals game because that’s what we’re going to finish this season off the right way. I think you owe it to the players, to everybody in this organization. Then, after that, then we’ll have a good chance – unfortunately, a lot longer than we’re accustomed to – to really look inward and reflect on what are the things that we can do to move forward and be better attacking next season?”
