Los Angeles Rams HC Sean McVay
(On if the team plans to begin player treatments right after the game this week to prepare for their Thursday night game next week)
”Yup, those guys did a great job with that last year. The sooner that you can start the recovery process, the better. Like we’ve said, our focus is solely on doing a great job this Sunday. Then, after the game, then they’ll get started on that preparation.”
(On the challenge of being the head coach and play caller)
”I think the biggest thing that you feel so good about is that you have great people around you that you can lean on and you can work through stuff. I think while you are the head coach, we do things as a coaching staff, as an organization and there’s a lot of people that are involved in our decision making. That’s what I feel so fortunate about is being able to lean on people. You have such confidence in the defensive staff and the special teams coaches to do an excellent job. If you are a little bit more involved with the offensive staff, those guys do a great job if I’m not around. But, if you are a little more heavily involved with the offense, you feel totally confident that you can kind of step away and know that things are going to be handled in the right manner. But, it’s constantly just trying to balance it out. I think it’s really all about the efficiency every single day, but you never want to do anything – if you are going to be involved in the offense like that – that takes away from being a good play caller. How you balance that as a head coach is something that I’m continuing to learn on the fly, but having great people around you helps ease that transition.”
(On how the chemistry between his offense staff has developed)
”Yeah, it’s gone great. I really can’t say enough about the leadership that (Run Game Coordinator) Coach (Aaron) Kromer and (Pass Game Coordinator) Coach (Shane) Waldron have provided. Watching the way that (Quarterbacks Coach) Zac Taylor has smoothly transitioned into that quarterback room where he’s running all the meetings and doing an excellent job getting those guys up to speed. You feel so fortunate with the way that things have gone. Then, we’ve added a guy in (Senior Offensive Assistant) Jedd Fisch who’s had a lot of coordinator experience. He’s doing a bunch of different work that really helps us out in a variety of ways. He’s been very beneficial to me in terms of the preparation. But really, that’s our whole offensive staff. But, those guys who have really stepped into new roles have done an excellent job filling the voids left by (former Rams offensive coordinator) Matt (LaFleur) and by (former Rams quarterbacks coach) Greg (Olson) who are great coaches and doing great things. Couldn’t feel better about those guys around you and they’ve been excellent.”
(On how G Jamon Brown’s week of practice went and if he’d be able to play on Sunday if he was needed)
”Yeah, (G) Jamon (Brown) did a nice job and I think he’s kept himself in good shape. He’ll be one of the guys that’ll be up and ready to go on game day. We feel good about Jamon. He’ll be ready to go.”
(On if Brown can play left guard as well)
”Yeah, he could. I think there’s a lot of movement. If somebody did get injured, it depends on who and then how we would adjust the lineup. The nice thing is, really, about both Jamon and (OL) Austin (Blythe), they have the ability to play either guard. Obviously, Austin can play that center spot. Then, (T Joseph) Noteboom as well. He can play, really, the guard spot. So, I think Coach Kromer’s ability to cross-train players, enables you with seven linemen up on gameday to have some flexibility. I think it would really be predicated on what was a result of those guys having to go in. Hopefully, we avoid that. That’s not a situation, but if so, then it would depend on who would be that we’re replacing and what moves we make after that.”
(On how WR KhaDarel Hodge has transitioned into a roster spot)
”Yeah, he has done a good job. I think, really, the way that we practice throughout the course of the week, it really hasn’t been much different than when he was on the practice squad. He still took a lot of reps this week giving guys a great look. Then, spotted our receivers here and there to be able to fill in. If he has to do that, we have confidence he’ll be ready to go. We expect him to compete well for (Special Teams Coordinator John Fassel) ‘Bones’ in a couple phases of our special teams. He’s a guy that’s taking steps in the right direction and that’s all you can ask for from some of those players.”
(On if WR Cooper Kupp is a player who can also stretch the field like WR Brandin Cooks and WR Robert Woods)
”Yeah, you see him make plays down the field. Whether it’s some of those deep crossing routes or sometimes at that three spot. He’s had some opportunities and he’s made plays when you go back to last year and just seeing that. But, we really have all of our receivers that can be the top shelf of some of our three-level throws and different things like that. We feel good about all those guys being able to do that.”
(On how he keeps WR Josh Reynolds spirits up when he’s not getting as much playing time)
”Well, I think (WR) Josh (Reynolds) has an appreciation and understanding for the situation. Also, Josh missed a lot of time with that ankle injury that he suffered against Baltimore (Ravens) in the preseason. But, Josh knows that we feel very confident in him. We think he’s a starting-caliber receiver. He does a great job being ready to go, really, at all three spots if something were to happen or if those guys need a blow. But, he ‘s continuing to develop. (Wide Receivers) Coach (Eric) Yarber does a great job. (Assistant Wide Receivers) Coach (Liam) Coen, just continuing to get those guys taking steps in the right direction. Like you look at Josh last year, when (WR) Robert (Woods) went down and he stepped in and started for a few games. You know it’s not too big for him. We feel like he’s continuing to get better and better. Josh is a starting-caliber receiver in our mind, for sure.”
(On if he wants to continue with a lot of two-point conversions)
”It was something that was more a result of (K) Greg (Zuerlein) going down and that was what we felt like was necessary. I think, dependent upon the menu of plays and kind of the flow of the game, could potentially dictate us doing that. But, you do feel good about (K) Sam (Ficken) and hopefully we don’t get in a situation where he gets injured right before the game.”
(On how Ficken is doing)
”He’s done good. He just had a great day and he has had a good week overall. We’ve got a lot of confidence Sam. It’s good to have him back around. I think he’s ready and excited to go.”