Sean McVay: Clay Matthews to return to practice this week

[Riverumbbq]

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on November 5, 2019, 1:35 AM EST

Getty Images


After having his jaw broken in a Week 5 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Los Angeles Rams targeted their Week 10 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as the possible point of return for linebacker Clay Matthews.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said Monday that Matthews is expected to return to the practice field this week and they’ll see how he’s feeling before making a call on his availability for this week.

“I think, really, it’s just kind of getting him back into normal routine, seeing how he’s feeling,” McVay said, via the team’s website. “Everything’s checked out in a positive manner up to this point, so I think it’s just kind of progressing back to, ‘How comfortable do you feel putting a helmet on?’ Some of the collisions that naturally would occur and just kind of trusting that you’re nice and secure in that absence of some of that stuff that kind of kept it in place and helped it heal over the last couple weeks.”
Matthews caught Chris Carson‘s heel in the face on a late carry in the Rams’ 30-29 loss to the Seahawks.
Matthews has recorded a sack in every game he’s played this season and has six in total in just five games played.

Sean McVay: Clay Matthews to return to practice this week

After having his jaw broken in a Week 5 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Los Angeles Rams targeted their Week 10 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as the possible point of return for linebacker Clay Matthews.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[Riverumbbq]

Sean McVay shares update on Clay Matthews' status for Week 10

Cameron DaSilva

4 hours ago


Clay Matthews has been out since he broke his jaw against the Seahawks in Week 5. He was leading the team with six sacks in his first five games, nearly doubling his total from last season with the Packers.

His loss was a significant one for the Rams, but the defense will be getting him back very soon. The plan all along has been for Matthews to return after the Week 9 bye, and he remains on track to do just that.

During his press conference on Monday, Sean McVay was asked whether Matthews will suit up against the Steelers on Sunday afternoon.
“That’s the anticipation, yes,” McVay said.
His participation level will be worth watching throughout the week, as it’s possible the Rams will ease him back into action when the team practices for the first time on Wednesday.
“I think, really, it’s just kind of getting him back into normal routine, seeing how he’s feeling,” McVay said. “Everything’s checked out in a positive manner up to this point, so I think it’s just kind of progressing back to, ‘How comfortable do you feel putting a helmet on?’ Some of the collisions that naturally would occur and just kind of trusting that you’re nice and secure in that absence of some of that stuff that kind of kept it in place and helped it heal over the last couple weeks.”
Samson Ebukam replaced Matthews in the starting lineup while the veteran was out, but second-year pass rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo also helped fill in as a rotational player at outside linebacker. Okoronkwo has played well in limited snaps, but he hasn’t done enough to unseat Matthews as a starter, nor has Ebukam.
Expect Matthews to take back his usual role opposite Dante Fowler Jr. on Sunday against the Steelers, giving the Rams a deep rotation of pass rushers on the edge.

Sean McVay shares update on Clay Matthews' status for Week 10

Clay Matthews is expected to play against the Steelers on Sunday afternoon.

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Merlin]

Betting he'll be about 10 lbs lighter. And I also think it'll help him on the rush.

 

[ReekofRams]

He’s probably going to be nervous having his head knocked around for his first game back.

 

[Ram65]

Might be a good idea to get him in the rotation during the first game back. Having Ebu and Obo will allow him to get his feet wet so to speak. Let's see how it plays out.

 

[Loyal]

Might be a good idea to get him in the rotation during the first game back. Having Ebu and Obo will allow him to get his feet wet so to speak. Let's see how it plays out.

So...lessening his playing time from 60 minutes to 58 minutes? BRILLIANT!

 

[hotanez]

it can only help having him back. We can't afford to lose in Pittsburg

 

[MadGoat]

Betting he'll be about 10 lbs lighter. And I also think it'll help him on the rush.

Man, in college my buddy broke his jaw running pass routes in a bar parking lot at 2:00 am. He was already skinny, but he lost a lot of weight over the next month. He got so sick of not having "real" food that he tried eating pureed hamburgers (FYI, not a good choice when you have a wired jaw and a stomach used to only eating pudding, protein shakes, and fruit smoothies)

I'm guessing the Rams nutritionists dedicated a lot of effort into keeping Clay's weight on. Since he could also run and lift weights, he probably held his weight better than us mere mortals would.

 

[Merlin]

Yeah @MadGoat I'm sure the staff nutritionists were all over that. But it's hard to imagine him not losing some weight. And I think being lighter can help him a bit in his pass rush, as long as it wasn't too much muscle.

Got my fingers crossed either way that he gives our defense a boost. They're stuffing the run well and are pretty close to being a very good defense.

 

[Soul Surfer]

He’s probably going to be nervous having his head knocked around for his first game back.

I am betting he's going to be the one knocking heads.