From the moment Sammy Watkins was baited into expressing his feelings about his number of touches, a cascade of attention has been placed on his answer every press conference. every message board, and every media opportunity to talk about the Rams. As soon as Sammy’s response became public, Sean took him behind closed doors, turned on the film, and clarified in detail exactly what was happening. Sean was open about that conversation to the media back then but weeks later, those questions still persist.
Fortunately, the plethora of repetitive questions on the same subject has yet to change the team’s approach. This is a fine example of McVay’s consistency in the face of pressure. If he changes the offense even a modicum amount for us fans and his critics, he becomes less authentic. By now, we know that won’t happen. The same message is parroted now by Sammy, Jared, Matt, and anyone else in the building probed for information.
The general answer is now obvious, Sammy will get his touches, Robert will get his touchdowns, Tavon will get his opportunities, Lance will see the field....when the staff implements it’s gameplan and the defense cooperates. All decisions will be made with the team’s success foremost while trying to let every player know they are important and have the chance to contribute based on their specific and special skills.
Now let’s look behind the Wizard’s Curtain at what Sean said to Sammy that he won’t say to us. The following is my imagination, but I believe elements of it are relevant.
Sean: “Sammy, you know you’re an important part of our team and we value you significantly or we wouldn’t have sacrificed what we did to obtain you. That hasn’t changed, do you know that?”
Sammy: “Yes, sir. You know I wasn’t criticizing you or Jared when I said what I did, right?”
Sean: “Of course I do. But you know that if we don’t phrase things well...high profile players like you will attract undue scrutiny and bad assumptions. In the future, we need to only talk about team goals, criticize ourselves, compliment others, and then these problems won’t become an issue. Do you understand?”
Sammy: “Yes, sir”
Sean: I knew you would and I trust you so I won’t talk of this further. Now, let’s turn our attention to the plays we have run that should’ve been big plays for you but I didn’t do a good enough job of making sure we were successful. (Sean reviews a handful of plays). Now, let’s look at the plays where the defense took you out of consideration for Jared. Now let’s see the times Jared made a bad read and I addressed it. Here are a few clips where linemen got beat and we couldn’t get the ball to you. Do you think we should call out our fellow teammates and coaches?”
Sammy: “Of course not, yet I’m the one getting called out for not completing that deep route. We both know I’ve run dozens of those as decoys, I really thought that was the same. Can you blame me?”
Sean: “Here’s where we get the chance to learn together. I should’ve communicated more clearly that every route run matters and depending on what Jared sees in a split second, everyone needs to be prepared to get the ball. Our plan is to make every route concept relevant and sometimes, depending on how the defense reacts, anyone can get the ball. We have to work together as 11 pieces of one whole. Again, let’s put this behind us even if the press won’t. So, what’s our focus?”
Sammy: “Run every play perfectly and trust the process, not the results.”
Sean: “And if we do that?”
Sammy: “We give ourselves a chance to win our next game”
Sean: “And if we win enough games?”
Sammy: “We give ourselves a chance to compete in the playoffs”
Sean: “And if we trust the process there?”
Sammy: “We give ourselves a chance to be World Champions and the accolades and money will flow from that.”
Sean: “Shhhhhh... let’s keep that our little secret. We can let leoram on ROD make that known ... it can’t come from us, got it?”
Sammy: “got it”.
Fortunately, the plethora of repetitive questions on the same subject has yet to change the team’s approach. This is a fine example of McVay’s consistency in the face of pressure. If he changes the offense even a modicum amount for us fans and his critics, he becomes less authentic. By now, we know that won’t happen. The same message is parroted now by Sammy, Jared, Matt, and anyone else in the building probed for information.
The general answer is now obvious, Sammy will get his touches, Robert will get his touchdowns, Tavon will get his opportunities, Lance will see the field....when the staff implements it’s gameplan and the defense cooperates. All decisions will be made with the team’s success foremost while trying to let every player know they are important and have the chance to contribute based on their specific and special skills.
Now let’s look behind the Wizard’s Curtain at what Sean said to Sammy that he won’t say to us. The following is my imagination, but I believe elements of it are relevant.
Sean: “Sammy, you know you’re an important part of our team and we value you significantly or we wouldn’t have sacrificed what we did to obtain you. That hasn’t changed, do you know that?”
Sammy: “Yes, sir. You know I wasn’t criticizing you or Jared when I said what I did, right?”
Sean: “Of course I do. But you know that if we don’t phrase things well...high profile players like you will attract undue scrutiny and bad assumptions. In the future, we need to only talk about team goals, criticize ourselves, compliment others, and then these problems won’t become an issue. Do you understand?”
Sammy: “Yes, sir”
Sean: I knew you would and I trust you so I won’t talk of this further. Now, let’s turn our attention to the plays we have run that should’ve been big plays for you but I didn’t do a good enough job of making sure we were successful. (Sean reviews a handful of plays). Now, let’s look at the plays where the defense took you out of consideration for Jared. Now let’s see the times Jared made a bad read and I addressed it. Here are a few clips where linemen got beat and we couldn’t get the ball to you. Do you think we should call out our fellow teammates and coaches?”
Sammy: “Of course not, yet I’m the one getting called out for not completing that deep route. We both know I’ve run dozens of those as decoys, I really thought that was the same. Can you blame me?”
Sean: “Here’s where we get the chance to learn together. I should’ve communicated more clearly that every route run matters and depending on what Jared sees in a split second, everyone needs to be prepared to get the ball. Our plan is to make every route concept relevant and sometimes, depending on how the defense reacts, anyone can get the ball. We have to work together as 11 pieces of one whole. Again, let’s put this behind us even if the press won’t. So, what’s our focus?”
Sammy: “Run every play perfectly and trust the process, not the results.”
Sean: “And if we do that?”
Sammy: “We give ourselves a chance to win our next game”
Sean: “And if we win enough games?”
Sammy: “We give ourselves a chance to compete in the playoffs”
Sean: “And if we trust the process there?”
Sammy: “We give ourselves a chance to be World Champions and the accolades and money will flow from that.”
Sean: “Shhhhhh... let’s keep that our little secret. We can let leoram on ROD make that known ... it can’t come from us, got it?”
Sammy: “got it”.
