Schrager on the Rams-Niners Rivalry

[den-the-coach]

• Schrager on the burgeoning rivalry between the Rams and Niners, and between young coaches Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan:

[www.si.com]

“I spent a lot of time with both organizations down here; they are competitive as hell with each other, the head coaches are as close of friends and as competitive rivals as you'll find in the NFL. McVay was the tight ends coach under Kyle Shanahan and now is the coach of the year, belle of the ball. Meanwhile Kyle just got his dream quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo and there's a healthy friendship there. They're still friends for sure—I've been with them where they interact and stuff—but boy, they want to beat each other. And the NFL, it's been a couple years since those two franchises have been at the peak of their game. I cannot wait over the next five years to see how it all plays out because the GMs are young, the coaches are young, the quarterbacks are young, and the fan bases are both so hungry for it. I think Rams-Niners could end up being Steelers-Ravens over the next 10 years.

“There was a Week 17 game between the Niners and the Rams and neither one of these guys would say it on the record and neither one of them has said it to me personally. I just know. The Niners gave it to the Rams. [San Francisco 34, Los Angeles 13.] The Rams were putting their second string guys in, they were already looking forward to Atlanta—the Niners rolled up that score and they ended their season five straight wins and they went into the Coliseum and blew out the Rams, and it might have been their backups, but McVay won't forget that. And I love that stuff.”

 

[den-the-coach]

And away we go, all of us knew this was coming. The 49ers did go on a nice streak and Jimmy Garoppolo is the best Quarterback they have had there, in a very long time. As to Sean McVay & Kyle Shanahan as Head Coaches, well, most felt that McVay was a better organizer and far better at putting a coaching staff together and IMO, I do believe the Rams have an edge there, however, IMHO, I feel that Kyle Shanahan is the premier play caller in the NFL although Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson is right up there.

Going to be a tough division and again JMHO, but now it's the Rams & 49ers as the Seahawks and Cardinals reload and at this point the 49ers scare me, but my hope is Wade Phillips will continue to be the trump card over Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh, although Saleh's defense was coming around too at the end of last year.

 

[LesBaker]

I think Rams-Niners could end up being Steelers-Ravens over the next 10 years.

I see that too.

His point about the GM/HC/QB being young is the big thing. Both of these teams have a chance to be good for years.

Unless JG shits the bed..........and I hope that happens.

 

[den-the-coach]

Unless JG shits the bed..........and I hope that happens.

I'm under the impression Les that "JG" is Jimmy Garoppolo and not Jared Goff?

 

[NJRamsFan]

Man, fuck the 9ers. Even if they beat us they still suck.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I doubt that McVay gives a shit that the Niners beat the Rams backups 34-13. If he gave a shit, then he would have played the first string.

 

[den-the-coach]

I doubt that McVay gives a crap that the Niners beat the Rams backups 34-13. If he gave a crap, then he would have played the first string.

Going to disagree here, I believe McVay feels he made the right decision, but regardless, nobody wants to lose to a rival even in preseason and this game counted. Just communicating based on experience and I understand I was never near that level, but as a coach, you want to win every game and when you lose, even if you sat players for what ever reason, it still bothers you.

 

[Legatron4]

I doubt that McVay gives a crap that the Niners beat the Rams backups 34-13. If he gave a crap, then he would have played the first string.

Yeah you obviously haven’t seen McVay wired up against them. He was really upset about the loss. You could tell it was getting to him that they couldn’t compete.


View: https://youtu.be/DcnHN_mHI3g

Whether we want to admit it or not, I think resting our starters hurt us going into the playoffs.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yeah you obviously haven’t seen McVay wired up against them. He was really upset about the loss. You could tell it was getting to him that they couldn’t compete.


View: https://youtu.be/DcnHN_mHI3g

Whether we want to admit it or not, I think resting our starters hurt us going into the playoffs.

I never like resting starters before the playoffs. Gotta keep them sharp

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yeah you obviously haven’t seen McVay wired up against them. He was really upset about the loss. You could tell it was getting to him that they couldn’t compete.


View: https://youtu.be/DcnHN_mHI3g

Whether we want to admit it or not, I think resting our starters hurt us going into the playoffs.

I watched the video and don’t think McVay looked or sounded angry at all.

 

[RamsFanCK]

Honestly, as much as these whiner fans annoy me, if we get two games like that Thursday night game last year I'll enjoy it. Not that I wouldn't enjoy blowing them out too

 

[Mackeyser]

I never like resting starters before the playoffs. Gotta keep them sharp

There's no good answer.

There have been teams that are of the philosophy that "we don't change a thing".

Some have gone on and done well and some haven't. A few that didn't do well had issues specifically with key personnel being injured in that last game. Other times, it was a measure of fatigue, especially if that last game was a slobberknocker and the playoff game was a Saturday game.

Some decided to rest players and had the same mixed results.

Any success seems to bolster one side of the argument, but the reality is that it's always going to be a discretionary decision and neither is "right" in an absolute sense.

Moreover, a lot of it is random, so... it's just how it plays out.

 

[Mackeyser]

I watched the video and don’t think McVay looked or sounded angry at all.

Yeah, he seemed very focused on keeping his second string up beat, not wanting to sabotage the playoff game next week.

That said, if ANYONE thinks McVay doesn't remember Shanny putting it to him that last game... well, I'll wager that he mentions that "they beat us last time" when he's interviewed prior to the next 9ers game.

He's a dude who hates losing, so while I think he focused on his job, you can bet he wasn't happy when he left the building.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Whether we want to admit it or not, I think resting our starters hurt us going into the playoffs.

totally agree

 

[Dieter the Brock]

I can't believe resting the players had any negative affect on their performance in the playoffs. If that's the case teams would never want a bye.

I think Atlanta just kicked our butts

 

[Ramon Ram]

I can't believe resting the players had any negative affect on their performance in the playoffs. If that's the case teams would never want a bye.

I think Atlanta just kicked our butts

We beat ourselves. Muffed punts and a big missed tackle by Ogletree cost us that game along with not running enough early in the game

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yeah, he seemed very focused on keeping his second string up beat, not wanting to sabotage the playoff game next week.

That said, if ANYONE thinks McVay doesn't remember Shanny putting it to him that last game... well, I'll wager that he mentions that "they beat us last time" when he's interviewed prior to the next 9ers game.

He's a dude who hates losing, so while I think he focused on his job, you can bet he wasn't happy when he left the building.

McVay knew what he was doing, going into that game. He knew the chances of winning were slim.

If he was worried about a win, then he plays his starters.


I saw John Lynch interviewed at the combine. The reporter was praising his efforts and throws in, “your team beat a 11-5 Rams team”. Lynch said, “. Well it was their backups.”

These guys are realists. They know it’s no big deal to beat backups. The media are the only ones making more of that game than it was. They are trying to make a story where there isn’t one.

 

[yrba1]

I'm expecting this rivalry to be the offensive counterpart of the Ravens-Steelers rivalry for years to come.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Whether we want to admit it or not, I think resting our starters hurt us going into the playoffs.

Its possible. No one can know for sure. I happen to think it was several factors.

-The Rams don't play as well at home. This is a REAL problem. It has to get turned around.
-The defense wasn't playoff caliber vs playoff caliber offense.
-The game vs SF may have interrupted the rhythm of the offensive(starters).