Rams Head Coach Sean McVay – Postgame Press Conference – November 1st, 2020

(Opening statement) – “Okay. First of all, with (Jalen) Ramsey, he woke up this morning. he had an illness. Went through all the protocols. He will be able to return home with us and that’s really all I can say. I can’t say anything more just because of HIPAA violations and all that kind of stuff. But he’s in good enough shape to be able to return with us so that’s a positive, and you guys can take with that with what you want. Defense was outstanding. And then offensively, a hundred percent didn’t do a good enough job on my part. The turnovers were absolutely killer, where they ended up getting a touchdown. They end up basically getting another touchdown after we had gotten a short field. We didn’t handle some of the pressures earlier. And that’s on me. I have to do a much better job for our team. We have to do a better job in our coverage units. We can’t give up a return for a touchdown. But ultimately we didn’t get it done. That falls on my plate. I have to do a much better job for this team, and that’s what I’ll focus on for these coaches, for these players, and making sure that I’m not sitting here with this pit in your stomach, but we can do something about it when we return from the bye. But that was … Credit to the Dolphins and (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores. They did a great job. Hat’s off to them. But for us, not nearly good enough and mainly myself.”

(What happened with RB Darrell Henderson Jr.?) – “He got banged up, had his hip banged up a little bit during the game and was not able to return. I don’t have any other updates on him.”

(Can you kind of just diagnose what was that Dolphins front doing to disrupt QB Jared Goff so effectively?) – “They were bringing zero pressures. We had some answer. We didn’t execute them, and ultimately, the answers were not good enough on my part. That falls on me. And had some things that gave ourselves a chance later on, but it was too late and we didn’t capitalize on enough opportunities that we had and we made too many mistakes in the first half to give ourselves a chance. Even when you’re driving and got a chance to cut it to either a field goal or maybe even score a touchdown if we catch that third down and five and then we miss the field goal. So a lot of things that credit to them. But our execution has to be better. I have to coach better. And I have to put our players in better positions and that’s the bottom line.”

(On a couple of those empty sets, interceptions, sack-fumble, and then another near pick at the end, what were they doing on those specifically to give you guys a problem and what was happening with QB Jared Goff during that time?) – “That’s what I was just answering. It was a zero pressure. We had some answers. We were not in alignment and the communication wasn’t on par with what the expectations were with how we execute those plays. We got a couple of those handled later on in the game and then we still had a handful of them where they just continued to do it and make us pay until we made them pay. Had a couple opportunities to make some plays at the end of the first half, did some things that were positive in the second half, but that’s what it was, is they were bringing more guys than we could protect and you have to be able to have your answers, and in some instances, we did and some instances, not good enough. Bottom line is, like I said, I have to do better. I have to make sure there’s more clarity and understanding of what we need to get done in those situations.”

(Forgive me if this is an oversimplistic question, but were they doing anything to take away some of that boot stuff that he likes to do? And if so, what were some of the issues with him settling in?) – “Really, it’s as simple as kind of what you were just asking me about. Those situations never allowed us to get into rhythm. That’s how they ended up getting a handful of their points, basically, it was almost like two defensive touchdowns that they ended up getting off those turnovers and then they end up having a special teams touchdown. So you look at it, they did a good job and a lot of things that we’ll certainly have to clean up. I thought we did a better job of executing some of those things in the second half and in the later parts of the first, but too little too late.”

(How, if at all, did the heat on your sideline affect you guys? And as you finish now the first half of the season, obviously not the way you wanted to finish, but how would you assess kind of the first half performance?) – “It’s hard to say right now after this game. This is a sick taste in your mouth. Mainly I’m looking inward. I got to do a better job. I can’t wait to look at this, work to get it fixed. And that’s all I know how to do and we have got a lot of football left.”

(In regard to that heat, at least on TV they were showing the temperature on your sideline was, looked kind of ridiculous. Were you guys getting drained at all by that?) – “We were drained because of the type of situations that we put ourselves in as a result of our execution. The heat was a factor because we allowed it to be based on how we played the game. Other than that, our defense seemed pretty good throughout the course of the game. They played excellent. They did a good job. We are a team. We’ll stay connected as a team, but we have to play better in the other two phases.”

(Given that Head Coach Brian Flores and their defensive coordinator were both on that Patriots staff from a couple years ago, were there things that you saw that they were doing defensively that were kind of based on the stuff that they did in the Super Bowl against you guys?) – “No. No, this was not even close to the same game plan. They did activate some 6-1 fronts and had some different things where, you know, they’ve always been a part of their identity has been to zero pressure. But they did a great job today and it didn’t have anything to do with the Super Bowl.”

(How concerned are you about the turnovers in those pressure situations? And QB Jared Goff also had five balls batted down. Your thoughts on that?) – “I’m not majorly concerned. But I would say this, I’m majorly disappointed in myself. I didn’t do a good enough job. I’ve got to be better, and then ultimately, when there’s clarity from the execution of what our expectations are, then I trust that our players will be better. So like I said, I’m looking at myself. I got to be better. I did not like those at all. Those don’t give you a chance to win football games. We put ourselves in an unbelievably big hole as a result of those things. And I can promise you, we’re going to work to try to get it fixed and make sure that I’m not having to have these conversations ever again.”

(Was there any thought of taking QB Jared Goff out in the second half? And then is Jared healthy? I saw that he was wearing a brace on his left knee.) – “I’m not sure. I think he’s okay. Nope, didn’t think about that.”