Tag: Sean McVay

What’s at stake for the Seahawks? Week 9 preview and prediction

What’s at stake for the Seahawks? Week 9 preview and prediction

The Seattle Seahawks are set to face the Los Angeles Rams for the first time in the 2024 season. Seattle has struggled as of late. Since starting the season with a blistering 3-0 record, the Hawks have gone 1-4 since then, including three ugly blowout losses.

Things aren’t going to get any easier for them in Week 9. The Rams may have started the year 1-4, but since their bye they’ve won their last two games. Now they have wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back in the fold. The extent of which Nacua can play is to be determined, but the Rams expect him in the game.

During this recent stretch, the Seahawks don’t seem to do anything well. Their offensive line cannot offer protection, or open up any kind of running lanes for Kenneth Walker III. Conversely, their defensive front cannot stop any opposing rushing attack. Their pass rush routinely struggles to get any consistent pressure, especially against quarterbacks who can move. Oh, and the defense as a whole isn’t generating enough turnovers.

What else is there to say at the moment? Defense can’t stop anyone, and the offense cannot get going early or stay on the field long enough to sustain any meaningful drives. Once they get to the red zone, they stall out.

Making matters worse for them is the fact today’s opponent is… the Rams. Under Sean McVay, Los Angeles has had Seattle’s number. These teams have faced each other 15 times since McVay has been in charge. The Seahawks are only 5-10 against the Rams, including being swept by them last year… and in 2021.

This team is Seattle’s kryptonite, and they are facing each other at a time when they are trending in opposite directions. This is a major gut check moment for the Seahawks. Right now, the Cardinals, 49ers and Seahawks are all tied with identical 4-4 records. However, due to tiebreakers, Seattle is technically in third place in the NFC West.

Around the division, the 49ers are on a bye. The Cardinals host the Chicago Bears this afternoon, which means Rams/Seahawks is the only other action the division has this weekend. If Arizona and Los Angeles both win, then Seattle falls to last place in the west headed into their bye week.

Unfortunately, I wish I could be more optimistic. This Seahawks team is struggling too much on both sides of the ball and at this point, the Rams are obviously better coached. Lumen Field may not be the “road game” for the Seahawks the way it was last week when Bills Mafia invaded, but McVay seems to be inoculated against the 12th Man. His squads are 5-3 in the Emerald City, but in two of those losses it could have easily gone the other way. In 2022, the Seahawks needed overtime to beat a Rams team without Matt Stafford, Cooper Kupp or Aaron Donald. In 2019, Los Angeles missed a game-winning field goal in a 30-29 defeat.

I have picked Seattle over the Rams in many moments where it appeared they were down and out, and each time I was proven wrong. I am no longer going to be Charlie Brown attempting to kick the football Lucy is holding for me. Until I see the Seahawks beat Los Angeles in a moment like this, I may change my tune. But until then, I have a hard time going against history.

Prediction: Rams over Seahawks 23-13

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Rams will have to wait at least another week to get these key starters back from IR

Sean McVay doesn’t expect Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson or John Johnson III to play this week

Puka Nacua made a surprising return from injured reserve last week after only turning in one practice but no one should expect a similar situation to play out with Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson or John Johnson III this week.

All three of those key starters are currently on injured reserve and eligible to come back at any time, but none of them have even been designated to return from practice. As a result, Sean McVay doesn’t see a scenario where they play this weekend against the Seahawks.

“Not this week. I don’t expect any changes in their status,” McVay said Wednesday.

Avila has been sidelined with a knee injury since Week 1, while Jackson and Johnson both suffered shoulder injuries in Week 2 against the Cardinals. There could be a chance they return next week when the Rams host the Dolphins on Monday Night Football, but for now, they’ll remain on injured reserve.

It sure sounds like Sean McVay has some regret over the terrible Ernest Jones trade

The Rams shockingly traded Ernest Jones for almost nothing in return and Sean McVay seems to regret that move now

As good a tandem as Sean McVay and Les Snead are in Los Angeles, they haven’t exactly gotten the greatest returns when it comes to trading players like Jalen Ramsey, Marcus Peters and now Ernest Jones.

At the time, the decision to trade away Jones just before Week 1 was a curious one. What they got in return was even more shocking. Along with Jones, the Rams traded a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Titans for a 2026 fifth-rounder – essentially moving up just one round in exchange for one of the team’s best defenders.

We haven’t gotten the full story on the reasoning behind that puzzling deal, but it sure sounds like McVay has some regrets about it. With Jones now in Seattle after the Titans traded him to the Seahawks last week – for more than the Rams got in their trade, mind you – McVay was asked about the trade and how it’s worked out.

“I think I’ve been pleased with some of the things that guys have done. It’d be hard to deny the production that he’s had when you look at what he’s done at Tennessee and even just in his first week (in Seattle) last week,” McVay said. “He’s a great player and he did a lot of good things for us. I think all the decisions that we make in the moment we feel like are in the best interest. I’m not going to pretend and act like every decision is accurate. You try to be able to learn from it and apply it moving forward, but you know that you’re playing against a really well-respected player, mentally and physically tough. Seems like he’s always around the football. I wish him well and it’s going to be a great challenge going against him.”

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IGl3tvST6DE?si=HICXTyVWLUQT8Wnv

Jones seemed to be playing well for the Titans before they surprisingly traded him to the Seahawks for Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick, but he’s already had a positive impact on the Seahawks.

In his first game with Seattle just four days after being traded to the Seahawks, he had 15 tackles and played every single snap. He’s always been a dynamic playmaker in the middle of the defense, particularly against the run and as a blitzer, and there’s no question the Rams could use him right about now.

Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom have not played well, and now Reeder is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Omar Speights has a promising future but he’s not close to where Jones currently is as a player.

Don’t be surprised if Jones has a big game against his former team on Sunday, reminding them what they traded away for a bag of peanuts.

Sean McVay loves the recent changes made by Chris Shula on defense

The Rams have undergone several changes on defense, but Sean McVay loves the adjustments made by Chris Shula

Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula came out of the bye week with a new approach to attacking offenses. Shula has been aggressive, on the money with defensive calls and has shown a hunter-like mentality in the second half, helping the Rams win two football games in five days.

His improvements have not gone unnoticed, especially by Sean McVay.

The Rams head coach spoke highly of Shula in a recent press conference, applauding Shula for adapting to a tough situation with the injuries and changes Los Angeles has dealt with.

“I think they’ve done a good job. Number one, we’ve earned the right to be able to (rush the passer). You get into some of the pass situations, I thought that was reflected really after we got through the first two drives of the game against the Vikings and that was on display really throughout the course of the game against the Raiders. What he and the coaches have done a great job of is saying, ‘OK, here are these guys that we have. Here are the skill sets that they have. Let’s figure out ways to mesh, mold, and to continue to figure out really what the identity of this defense is.’ I think we’re starting to find that but it is a week-to-week thing. I think he’s done a great job of being able to identify – I think it’s really been for the last three weeks – there were some things that we can learn from against the Packers but really, there have been some opportunities for things to be on display and shoot, we’ve scored each of the last three games defensively with two touchdowns, one against the Packers, one against the Raiders, and then getting the safety the other night.”

Shula has had to face an uphill battle since getting promoted to defensive coordinator. Not only has he dealt with the departure of Aaron Donald but the Rams are starting a number of players with fewer than two years of experience.

Despite that, the young defenders have shown up and shown out. Jared Verse continues to impress, Braden Fiske is slowly coming along and undrafted rookie Jaylen McCollough has been a welcomed addition with his three interceptions on the season.

Shula however will face a big test this week with the pass-happy Seattle Seahawks, as their offense is averaging close to 24 points per game.

What is Rams’ record vs. Seahawks under Sean McVay?

Sean McVay has led the Rams to a great record against the Seahawks since 2017, including three season sweeps

The NFC West hasn’t been an easy division to play in over the last seven-plus years. The Rams, Seahawks and 49ers have all won the division at least once since 2017, with Los Angeles and San Francisco each taking the crown three times in that span.

Sean McVay is a big reason for the Rams’ success in such a tough division and like the Cardinals, he’s had the Seahawks’ number since arriving in Los Angeles. In addition to the 14 regular-season meetings the Rams and Seahawks have had, they’ve also met once in the postseason.

Impressively, McVay and the Rams are 10-5 in those 15 games, sweeping the Seahawks in three of the last seven seasons. Of the Rams’ five losses to Seattle since 2017, only one has been by more than six points – a 20-9 loss on the road in 2020.

On the flip side, the Rams have won seven games by at least seven points, including five wins by double digits. Their biggest victory was a 42-7 win over the Seahawks in McVay’s second-ever game against Seattle, and that was on the road in 2017.

Here’s a look at all 15 meetings between these two rivals in the last seven years.

Query Results Table
Rk Team Date Day Week Opp Result
▼
1 LAR 2017-12-17 Sun 15 @ SEA W 42-7
2 LAR 2023-09-10 Sun 1 @ SEA W 30-13
3 LAR 2019-12-08 Sun 14 SEA W 28-12
4 LAR 2021-01-09 Sat 18 @ SEA W 30-20
5 LAR 2021-12-21 Tue 15 SEA W 20-10
6 LAR 2021-10-07 Thu 5 @ SEA W 26-17
7 LAR 2020-11-15 Sun 10 SEA W 23-16
8 LAR 2018-11-11 Sun 10 SEA W 36-31
9 LAR 2018-10-07 Sun 5 @ SEA W 33-31
10 LAR 2023-11-19 Sun 11 SEA W 17-16
11 LAR 2019-10-03 Thu 5 @ SEA L 29-30
12 LAR 2023-01-08 Sun 18 @ SEA L 16-19 (OT)
13 LAR 2022-12-04 Sun 13 SEA L 23-27
14 LAR 2017-10-08 Sun 5 SEA L 10-16
15 LAR 2020-12-27 Sun 16 @ SEA L 9-20
Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 10/30/2024.

Seattle is a notoriously difficult place to play for the visiting team, and unsurprisingly, the Rams have a worse record on the road than they do at home against the Seahawks. But even still, they’ve gone 5-3 at Lumen Field since 2017, which is better than most teams can say.

This weekend’s game will be on the road against the division-leading Seahawks, but the Rams can overtake first place in the NFC West with a win and Cardinals loss on Sunday.

Will the Rams be active at the trade deadline? Sean McVay weighs in

The NFL trade deadline is less than a week away and there’s a possibility the Rams could be buyers

The NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching with less than a week to go and the Los Angeles Rams have gone from looking like a team that could be sellers to potentially becoming buyers. That’s what happens when you win two games in five days, completely changing the outlook of the season.

Teams have until No. 5 at 4 p.m. ET to make trades and it remains to be seen how active the Rams will be. They could use some help at inside linebacker, cornerback and possibly along the defensive line, but with Chris Shula’s unit hitting its stride, perhaps Los Angeles will stand pat.

Sean McVay was asked this week about the Rams’ plans for the deadline and he says it’s still too early to know how active the team will be, but they haven’t had talks about being sellers.

“I think it’s probably a little bit too early in terms of being actual buyers,” he said. “I know there have been a lot of conversations about the possibility of us selling. We haven’t really gotten into too many of those discussions. I think that’s always predicated on some of the dialogue that goes on behind the scenes between these teams. Obviously, things heat up as you get closer and closer to that deadline.”

McVay was asked specifically about adding an inside linebacker with that being a weak spot on defense, and now with the depth getting thin following Troy Reeder’s hamstring injury. He has confidence in Christian Rozeboom, Omar Speights and Jake Hummel in the interim so he doesn’t foresee the Rams bringing in linebacker help.

That could change, of course, especially if Los Angeles wins on Sunday and wants to make a push for the postseason.

“We’re a little bit thinner at that position, but I thought it was good to see Omar play the way that he did play. Jake Hummel played a handful of snaps as well, and then Rozeboom had his role,” McVay said. “We have some other guys that have some versatility to be able to play in those locations depending on the down and distance in specific situations. I would never say that anything would be ruled out in terms of the onboarding, but that’s not something that we’ve really dove into conversation-wise. But as you know, just even in years past those things can drastically or quickly change the closer that you get to that deadline being a real thing.”

The Rams have made some big in-season trades in recent years, acquiring Jalen Ramsey and Von Miller in blockbuster deals. A move of that magnitude probably isn’t in the cards this season, but with Les Snead, you never say never.

Omar Speights impressed Sean McVay in his defensive debut vs. Vikings

Rams rookie Omar Speights played his first defensive snaps last week and Sean McVay came away pleased with how he performed

Rams linebacker Omar Speights was a fan favorite during the preseason, making a name for himself as an undrafted rookie with standout performances against the Cowboys and Chargers. He played so well in those two games that the Rams held him out of the third preseason matchup because he had already locked up a roster spot.

In the first six games of the regular season, Speights only played special teams. Fans were calling for him to get opportunities at linebacker, but it wasn’t until Troy Reeder got hurt that he earned a chance to play defense.

In his debut against the Vikings last Thursday, Speights made four tackles in only 22 snaps played on defense, getting the start next to Christian Rozeboom. He was the Rams’ fourth-highest graded player on defense, per PFF, earning a mark of 67.7 in Los Angeles’ win.

Sean McVay came away impressed with Speights’ performance, complimenting the rookie on Monday.

“I thought he did a nice job,” McVay said. “He played in our base package, and you could see he was in the right spots. He had a couple of those plays where he is arriving violently at the point of attack. Good recognition of some of the concepts that they were doing, whether that be run or play action. I was pleased with Omar.”

Speights may not have made highlight-reel plays, but he also didn’t allow any catches in coverage (he wasn’t targeted) and he also didn’t miss any tackles. Against a talented team like the Vikings, that’s a good sign.

He’ll likely be asked to keep playing meaningful snaps for at least the next three weeks while Troy Reeder is on injured reserve and if he performs well enough, he may never give up his starting job.

Joe Noteboom is returning this week but where does he fit on the O-line?

Joe Noteboom is coming back this week but it’s unclear if there will be a starting spot for him on the offensive line

Joe Noteboom hasn’t played since the season opener against the Detroit Lions and since then, there have been a number of changes to the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line. Beaux Limmer has taken over as the starting center, Justin Dedich replaced Logan Bruss at left guard and Alaric Jackson has been the left tackle since returning from his suspension in Week 3.

Sean McVay said Monday that Noteboom is expected to return from injured reserve this week but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be given a starting role with Dedich and Jackson both playing well on the left side of the line.

” He was able to start practicing and do all those types of things. With time, I’m hoping that he’ll feel better and better,” McVay said. “Exactly what that means in terms of where he’ll fit in the lineup if that is something that’s a possibility, we’ll see, but I do expect him to be able to go and be a lot further along than he was when we started him a couple weeks ago.”

The biggest question with the offensive line and Noteboom’s return is how much McVay and the coaching staff value continuity. In the last two games, Dedich has played well at left guard. He allowed zero pressures against the Raiders in Week 7 and though he gave up three against the Vikings, he never allowed a hit or sack on Matthew Stafford.

Jackson has also been playing at a high level as the Rams’ left tackle, allowing only eight pressures in five games. It’s hard to imagine McVay pulling Jackson for Noteboom, and it’s unclear if he’ll even pull the undrafted rookie Dedich for his $40 million lineman.

“I think it’s important to identify what’s best for the given week,” McVay said when asked if continuity is most important up front. “I’ve been really pleased. I think he’s (Dedich’s) done an excellent job each of the last two weeks starting against the Raiders and the Vikings, two really formidable defenses. You know what a big deal it is to me, especially as it relates to those guys up front to establish a rapport with one another: How is he playing next to Alaric? How is he playing next to Beaux? What does it look like given the availability of our other guys, the lack thereof practice for those players, or if there is experience? There are so many layers, but it is important. I do think that that was a performance that our group can build on. The more that guys play together, the more that you have a chance to be able to establish the things that I think are key and critical for offensive lines, in particular. We’ll see where that goes from there.”

Noteboom has had trouble staying healthy throughout his career, which has unquestionably hurt his chances of being a starter over the last several seasons. It’s possible the Rams may not feel comfortable leaning on him in a starting role moving forward, knowing it could hurt the continuity up front.

He also struggled badly in the 27 snaps he did play at left tackle this season, allowing three pressures and one sack against the Lions, earning a 7.2 pass-blocking grade from PFF.

Regardless of whether Noteboom start this week or not, he’ll be a backup once Avila and Jonah Jackson return.

Pittsburgh could still acquire All-Pro WR if Rams lose Week 9 matchup

The Rams could still trade WR Cooper Kupp away if they lose their Week 9 matchup to the Seattle Seahawks just two days before the deadline.

Speculation has run rampant the past few days, as the Los Angeles Rams were reportedly making multiple calls to teams regarding interest in trading for their 31-year old All-Pro WR Cooper Kupp.  The Pittsburgh Steelers, needy of additional talent at the wide receiver position, were one of the teams interested in acquiring his talents.  

While Rams’ HC Sean McVay seemingly put the trade rumors to bed, and confirmed Kupp would most likely remain in Los Angeles after their Week 8 win on Thursday Night Football, the team may be forced to sell if they lose their Week 9 matchup. 

The Los Angeles Rams, currently 3-4 on the season, could make the decision to sell their season just two days before the trade deadline.  On November 3rd, the Rams face their tough 4-3 NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, and a loss here in Week 9 could force the team to deal their aging and injury prone All-Pro wide receiver. 

If the Los Angeles Rams drop to 3-5 on the season, and Pittsburgh wins their Week 8 matchup to improve to 6-2, could Steelers’ GM Omar Khan make the Rams an offer they can’t refuse for Kupp? 

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‘This maniac is really back’: Sean McVay reveals pre-game moment he knew Puka Nacua was ready

Sean McVay knew Puka Nacua was truly back before Thursday night’s game even kicked off

Puka Nacua unexpectedly made his return to the field this week when he suited up against the Minnesota Vikings, helping lead the Los Angeles Rams to a much-needed win over a legitimate playoff contender. His seven-catch, 106-yard performance came after a walkthrough and one limited practice, catching one or two passes from Matthew Stafford in the days leading up to the game.

Sean McVay didn’t expect Nacua to play until the Rams’ head trainer told him he had a shot on Monday. But before the game even kicked off, he knew Nacua was truly back based on his routine on the field.

“There were a lot of moments,” McVay said Friday when asked when he knew Nacua was back. “I think the moment I realized ‘All right, this maniac is really back’ is when he just stands under the goalpost during our team warmups and just kind of goes back and forth. Nate Scheelhaase was kind of looking for him, I said, ‘Oh, hey, that let you know he’s ready to go, just leave him be.’ Really right away. I thought it was good to get that first little drop out of the way and then you get him a second touch on the second play of the game where he ends up catching the screen, breaking a tackle to get a first down. His energy, his passion, and his love for the game – this guy is an igniter in every sense of the word. It was awesome having him back out there. I love him.”

Nacua provided a major spark from the start, racking up 50 yards in the first quarter alone. Of his seven catches, six of them picked up a first down and went for at least 13 yards.

Though he didn’t score, he was the team’s leading receiver and helped the Rams put up a season-high 30 points. And he did all that without even playing a full share of snaps as he works his way back from a knee injury suffered in Week 1.