Sean McVay: Matthew Stafford not throwing in offseason affected 2022

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ROD-BOT

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Sean McVay: Matthew Stafford not throwing in offseason affected 2022​

The Rams, at 3-9, are unofficially the worst defending Super Bowl champions in NFL history. It’s a title that includes something very good, but part of it is not good at all — especially with the next three games in non-flexed standalone windows.

There was no reason to believe the Rams would be this bad, based on the unbridled optimism of folks like coach Sean McVay. Now that the season has crashed and burned, McVay has become more willing to acknowledge the factors that contributed to the Rams winning 25 percent of their games, so far.

In a Monday press conference, McVay was asked whether quarterback Matthew Stafford not throwing in the 2022 offseason affected the team.

“I definitely think it had an impact because you talk about rapport, establishing a rapport, a rhythm, a comfort not only with, everybody wants to talk about he and Cooper [Kupp], but even just some of the newer pieces,” McVay said. “Yeah, otherwise I’d say, ‘Why the hell do we practice?’ I think it definitely had an impact without a doubt.”

That’s a far cry from the endless “everything is fine” vibe that McVay created during an offseason that saw no throwing by Stafford due to an elbow problem.

The decision to put Stafford on injured reserve, with the apparent expectation that he won’t play again this year, was motivated by a desire to ensure that Stafford won’t have a repeat of 2022.

“It’s more about having a healthy offseason,” McVay said within a longer answer as to Stafford’s current status.

It will also help that the Rams didn’t have the kind of year that resulted in the pilfering of the coaching staff by other teams. Asked whether the turnover in the coaching staff impacted the season, McVay gave a meandering answer that included multiple references to the limited downtime following a Super Bowl run, before he landed the plane.

“Ultimately to answer your original question, that is a factor,” McVay said. “I think the turnaround, the timing of it, but ultimately it falls on my leadership and for that I’ve learned and I will continue to learn from the mistakes and make sure we don’t repeat them.”

There are other factors, too. But the Rams likely won’t embrace those, at least not publicly. The invoice came due quickly on the all-in, “eff them picks” approach of the past couple of seasons. Yes, it delivered a championship. But there’s too much money invested in too few great players and not enough cheap, young, talented players to complement the stars and provide depth when they are injured.

With major, market-level contracts given to the likes of Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey, and Aaron Donald (three of whom got new deals after the Super Bowl win), cap dollars had to be sacrificed elsewhere. The backup quarterback is John Wolford, for crying out loud. The offensive line became a mess this year once the injuries began to happen. Not surprisingly, the offense fell apart.

Yes, they have a Lombardi Trophy. They have swanky new rings to help take their minds off of the current mess. (McVay’s new mega-deal likely helps, too.) But they’ll have plenty of work to do to get back to high-end contender status. Especially since one of the rewards of having such a bad season — a high first-round draft pick — will be going to Detroit as the last installment of the “eff them picks” trade that not only brought Stafford to town but also offloaded Jared Goff‘s horrendous second contract.
 

BrooklynRam

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Says the guy who NEVER plays Starters in Preseason. Yeah, okay Sean, whatever you say......
 

Tano

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He doesn't want to blame the OL in public as much as he probably wants to
 

Zodi

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Says the guy who NEVER plays Starters in Preseason. Yeah, okay Sean, whatever you say......

Because he's always said OTAs, training camp and practices are more important than preseason.

“I definitely think it had an impact because you talk about rapport, establishing a rapport, a rhythm, a comfort not only with, everybody wants to talk about he and Cooper [Kupp], but even just some of the newer pieces,” McVay said. “Yeah, otherwise I’d say, ‘Why the hell do we practice?’ I think it definitely had an impact without a doubt.”
 

Allen2McVay

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He doesn't want to blame the OL in public as much as he probably wants to
It would be a bad look ... and received very badly by the National Media ... if McVay pointed-out the tremendous number of O-Line injuries and its impact on the Rams' season.

It would be truthful and accurate but it would be received badly because the National Media is simply NOT on top of the details of every NFL team. They should be but they are not.
 

Tano

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It would be a bad look ... and received very badly by the National Media ... if McVay pointed-out the tremendous number of O-Line injuries and its impact on the Rams' season.

It would be truthful and accurate but it would be received badly because the National Media is simply NOT on top of the details of every NFL team. They should be but they are not.
Oh I 100% agree so he decided to emphasized the offseason injury woes of Stafford instead of putting down his OL
 

AvengerRam

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McVay is a "genius" or, perhaps, a savant when it comes to coaching.

No amount of intellect or aptitude, however, is a substitute for experience.

The fact that he's willing to re-evaluate, critically self-analyze and, hopefully, evolve, is what makes him the guy I want coaching this team for the next 5-10 years (maybe wishful thinking to believe he'll reject the TV money truck that long, but that's another discussion).
 

Kupped

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Um... sure, it affected their offseason.
But the injuries killed the actual season.
 

Angry Ram

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Fuckin Foolio.

Yes, they have a Lombardi Trophy. They have swanky new rings to help take their minds off of the current mess. (McVay’s new mega-deal likely helps, too.) But they’ll have plenty of work to do to get back to high-end contender status. Especially since one of the rewards of having such a bad season — a high first-round draft pick — will be going to Detroit as the last installment of the “eff them picks” trade that not only brought Stafford to town but also offloaded Jared Goff‘s horrendous second contract.

The point of the goddamn NFL is to win goddamn football games, division titles, and CHAMPIONSHIPS. Not who has the most draft picks and the best fuckin cap situation.

Also FUCK the draft pick. "Reward" for a bad season??? Go suck eggs Foolio. FUCK being relevant in March and April (and April is my birthday month!). This shit alone beats any top 5 draft pick:


View: https://media0.giphy.com/media/ma63SWWZkEbfpGYTSb/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e477vuptyez2vs5vyiqb0juvu2zir0t0jd6c9tdaggf&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g
 

AvengerRam

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So Mike "Bradshaw is dead" Florio likes draft picks better than Super Bowl titles?

Collie molester.
 

Kupped

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Fuckin Foolio.



The point of the goddamn NFL is to win goddamn football games, division titles, and CHAMPIONSHIPS. Not who has the most draft picks and the best fuckin cap situation.

Also FUCK the draft pick. "Reward" for a bad season??? Go suck eggs Foolio. FUCK being relevant in March and April (and April is my birthday month!). This shit alone beats any top 5 draft pick:


View: https://media0.giphy.com/media/ma63SWWZkEbfpGYTSb/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e477vuptyez2vs5vyiqb0juvu2zir0t0jd6c9tdaggf&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g

Fuck ALL THOSE GUYS who are trying to pretend that this season is too high a price to pay for winning a Super Bowl.

Miss me with that shit every day.

Aim for the moon.. sometimes you crash and burn.
 

SoCalRam78

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Fuckin Foolio.



The point of the goddamn NFL is to win goddamn football games, division titles, and CHAMPIONSHIPS. Not who has the most draft picks and the best fuckin cap situation.

Also FUCK the draft pick. "Reward" for a bad season??? Go suck eggs Foolio. FUCK being relevant in March and April (and April is my birthday month!). This shit alone beats any top 5 draft pick:


View: https://media0.giphy.com/media/ma63SWWZkEbfpGYTSb/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e477vuptyez2vs5vyiqb0juvu2zir0t0jd6c9tdaggf&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g

Go ask Bill fans or Viking fans if rings matter. Or Niner fans that haven't had one since 1995, or Cowboy fans that haven't had one since 1996.

I'll take a ring and garbage 3 seasons over 4 contending and fall short seasons. Any day of the week. Thanks for playing. Idiots.