Rams Head Coach Sean McVay – Rams-Cardinals Postgame Quotes – Dec. 29 2019

(Opening Remarks)

“From an injury standpoint, (LB) Cory Littleton left the game with a chest contusion. Don’t have any more updates on that. Then (DT) Michael Brockers with his ankle and we will have some further information on that tomorrow for you guys. But, I thought it was a good job by this team. I think it really says a lot. This season, obviously, was up and down, our players were consistent throughout and that says a lot about these guys. To be able to cap it off this way, I think was a real positive note. It’s really about these players. Very appreciative of their consistent effort, offense, defense, special teams, everybody contributed today. To be able to finish up and have our last game in the coliseum with a win in front of our fans who are great, is a real positive and I think there was a lot of bright spots from some of our core leaders and then some younger guys really stepping up and making an impact. Ultimately, it was about finding a way to finish out with a win and the guys did that today.”

(On how tough it is playing in a game when the season is coming to an end)

“I think that’s what a lot of people will say, but our guys have a lot of pride. I think they care about one another and they know what a blessing it is to be able to just play this game. They’re always going to compete, and I think they did that today. To be able to find a way to wrap it up with a win in a winning season, is certainly a positive and I think just the way that they came out ready to go is a real credit to the character we have on this football team.”

(On if there is any disappointment missing the playoffs and not playing up to the standard that he expected)

“Right now, I’m appreciative of our players. There were a lot of things that we wish could have gone differently, but I think today was about our guys wrapping the season up the right way and I just want to be positive and appreciative of them for that.”

(On T Andrew Whitworth)

“He’s incredible. To be able to see him play with that consistent energy. You mentioned it, all the things that he does behind the scenes to really just use his platform for the right reasons – in terms of helping and kind of giving back to the community – it’s a special family. Getting to know them over the last few years, he’s a special player. To be able to play at such a high level for so long, it’s almost unparalleled. What he’s done has been so instrumental in a lot of the things that have gone right for the Rams over the last three years. Brining him here was a huge start, and huge steppingstone in the right direction, in terms of having some poor leaders that can really influence and effect your locker room in the right way. He’s been outstanding, love him and very, very appreciative of everything that (T) Andrew (Whitworth) does for us.”

(On what can he take away from this season and what can he take into next season from this year)

“I think it’s really just getting a chance to step away, be able to really digest everything and look at yourself, number 1. And figure out, all right, how can we develop consistent processes, standards, so hopefully we can play more consistent week in, and week out. Our guys certainly appreciate it and we know how coaches how valuable that three-and-a-half-hour window or what have you, every week is to be able to be at your best. I think that’s why you see so many different things occur week in and week out in the NFL, but we’ve got to find a way to commit to doing things consistently and obviously it always starts with me. There’s a lot of things, I mean I can probably go on for hours about it. I’m excited to really just dive into it. Once you catch your breath, and then implement some of those things that will hopefully lead to us playing up to our potential week in and week out and that’s your job as a coach.”

(On the defense causing turnovers and having key plays)

“That was huge. To be able to get four turnovers was unbelievable. I thought a lot of guys that really stepped up that hadn’t played a whole lot of snaps, were instrumental in some of the success that we did have. You look at a lot of the guys in the back – and (S) Eric Weddle did a great job with the communication – but, you see a guy like (CB) Darious Williams really maximizing his opportunities over the last few weeks. You see (CB) David Long (Jr.) step up in a big way, (Don’t’e Deayon) ‘Double D’ made a lot of plays toda­­y, (S) Taylor Rapp continues to show up week in and week out. Really pleased with those guys.”

(On what he meant by his comment on doing things consistently)

“Implementing processes so that we can consistently play like we have in some instances against Seattle, when we played Arizona a few weeks ago. I think not knowing, all right, what kind of team are we going to be, that’s something we need to do a better job of because we’ve seen when we play at our best level. That’s exactly what we want week in and week out and it’s my job to try to figure out how to implement processes, standards throughout the course of the week so that we can compete during that window of time that we do play the games.”

 (On if the lack of consistency this season is a result of changes in personnel)
“You know what? I’m not going to make any excuses. There’s a lot of different reasons that things don’t work out, and really until I go back, you look at the entirety of it – I wish I had the answers, otherwise we would have played more consistent probably sooner. You’re kind of working through those things, but today I think it’s about our players and I’m appreciative of their consistency with the way they approach things. That says a lot about guys. It’s easy to be able to see when things are going well, alright everybody’s going to play hard, they’re going to continue to do things the right way, but I think you really find out about people when you go do through some of that adversity that really we haven’t faced in terms of some of the results over the last few years. It’s challenged me, it has stretched me as a leader, which for that I’m thankful. I trust that we’ll all grow together and I was really impressed with just our players’ ability to handle that, kind of ignore the outside noise, and while it doesn’t end the way that we want to, I think it says a lot about these guys for them to continue to compete, to come out and finish it the way that they did today. I’m very, very happy and appreciative of those guys.”

(On how he held up psychologically over the course of the season)
“I held up good. I love what we do. I love this job. I’m committed to trying to be a better job every single day, and what I would say the biggest thing is, is that now that you have three years, I’m never going to pretend to have all this experience but what I do continue to learn is that there is a real value in it. As you accumulate these ‘reps’ if you will, you’re learning, you have different examples to draw on as far as how to handle things the right way, there’s a lot of mistakes that I’ll be able to learn from as you continue to move forward, and I’m excited about attacking this thing and continuing to get better from myself, just like we expect of our players and our other coaches.”

(On where he feels the team stands right now compared to when he first took over)
“I think in a lot of instances those things are exclusively measured by the results that you have when you play the 16 games in that three-and-a-half hour window of time and there’s a lot of things that go into it. We didn’t get the results that we want compared to the last couple years but I think if anything, the character of this locker room, the guys that we’ve identified, their ability to navigate through an up-and-down season says as much about them as anything, but it’s like anything else. We always have to strive to get better. It certainly starts with me and those are things that I’m excited about doing this offseason.”

(On lucky breaks in games going his team’s way last season but not this season and if those plays are things that he can view on film and have go his team’s way in the future)
“Sure, that’s a great question. We talk about that all the time and I think in a lot of instances you make and create your own breaks, where then you end up making those things early on in the season and they can snowball. That momentum is a powerful thing, both positively and negatively. I think for us, what I did love the most is we didn’t let some of the negative momentum which we did face at times continue to snowball. We found a way to kind of gather ourselves and try to respond. Didn’t do it consistently enough to give ourselves a chance to play afterwards, but those are things that you just continue to identity, I think overall it’s the old cliché of the process over the results, but hoprfully, if you consistently commit to a process, the amount of plays that take place throughout the course of a game, you limit the amount of times that it comes down to that one or two plays. Certainly, sometimes we’ve had a couple instances where that does determine the outcome of a game, but there’s a lot of things that led to that play determining the outcome of the game, and that’s what we’ll focus on and that’s what we’re excited about attacking this offseason.”