Random Ramsdom: Sean McVay says Rams ‘gotta be able to stay on track’

Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 11/21/22

Rams Rocky Ride: Sean McVay Says LA ‘Can’t Jump Off Rollercoaster’ After Loss vs. Saints (ramsdigest/si)

“The past year for the Los Angeles Rams has been a thrilling ride to say the least.

An run to Super Bowl LVI saw a fair share of exciting finishes before the Rams fittingly earned the Lombardi Trophy after a game-winning drive in the big game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

But the ride has lost its fun and had its bumps, bruises, turns and downright forgettable moments since then. The Rams are now 3-7 after Sunday’s 27-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome and all but out of hope of even contending for the postseason, let alone making it back to the Super Bowl.

“We’re all professionals here,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “This is our job. These are some challenging times, but you can’t jump off the rollercoaster. You gotta be able to stay on track.”

Already without star receiver Cooper Kupp, who was placed on IR after suffering an ankle injury in the Week 10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, things got worse for the Rams against New Orleans after quarterback Matthew Stafford left in the third quarter and never returned after being evaluated for a concussion. He missed the game against Arizona due to a concussion as well.

With injuries, losses and embarrassment stacking up, saying it “feels bad” might be an understatement for a competitor like McVay, as the words he’d probably prefer to use could earn him a fine in the mail.”

Rams vs. Saints Notebook: Run Game Solid, But LA’s Offense Can’t Keep Pace After Stafford Injury (msn)

“With Stafford back in the lineup after missing Week 10 due to a concussion, the Rams’ offense got off to a solid start without Kupp in the fold. LA receiver Tutu Atwell had a 62-yard touchdown on a deep ball in the first quarter, giving the Rams offense the big play they’d been searching for.

Allen Robinson II finished off the first half with a six-yard touchdown, as Stafford had gone 8 of 9 passing to cap off the final drive of the half to give LA a 14-10 lead heading into the locker room.

But Stafford exited in the third quarter to be evaluated for a concussion and never returned. The offense struggled mightily because of this.

Perkins provided some solid offense with his legs but completed just three passes to receivers.

The Rams desperately needed Stafford in order to keep up with a Saints offense that got hot in the second half. Instead, Perkins was forced into the action and played from behind.”

Should LA Rams ‘Throw In The Towel’ After Saints Loss? (ramsdigest/si)

“It might be time for the Los Angeles Rams to throw in the towel.

Following yet another embarrassing loss, this time 27-20 to the floundering New Orleans Saints, the Rams’ (3-7) season has continued its seemingly uncontrollable tailspin.

Not only was it another loss – the third of the seven in which they led at halftime – but more injuries have once again taken center stage.

Thanks to those injuries, the Rams were already without Cooper Kupp, Brian Allen, Travin Howard, David Edwards, Chandler Brewer, Alaric Jackson, Joe Noteboom, Jordan Fuller, Tremaine Anchrum, Logan Bruss, and many more.

Frankly, the loss of ill-in Left tackle Ty Nsekhe, who was the third starting left tackle of the season, was bad enough.

Not to mention defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson.

But after guiding his team on a masterful drive to end the first half, quarterback Matthew Stafford was also knocked out of the game on Sunday, where he underwent evaluation for a concussion.“

Sean McVay: Too soon to talk about shutting Matthew Stafford down for year (profootballtalk)

“After the game, Rams head coach Sean McVay said he didn’t know if Stafford is back in the concussion protocol and said he wasn’t ready to consider whether it is in Stafford’s best interest to shut things down for the season.

“I think it’s probably too soon for me to be able to answer that one,” McVay said, via Cameron DaSilva of USAToday.com. “There’s a lot of things that we’re working through that are, I would say, unprecedented. What I do appreciate is the way guys continue to battle, continue to try to compete, and we’re gonna coach these guys up that we’ve got. As far as it relates to Matthew, we’re gonna be smart for him. He’s such a warrior, he’s such a stud competitor. I know how badly he wants to be out there and thought he played really well with the opportunities that he did have.”

With Cooper Kupp out and backups playing in several spots on the offensive line, it’s not out of left field to wonder if it would be in Stafford’s best interests to turn his attention toward next season. For now, though, the Rams say it’s not on the table.”

Lions continue to move up draft order despite winning streak, thanks to Rams’ woes (mlive)

“They’ve won three straight games to catapult themselves from the worst record in the league to within 1.5 games of the NFC playoff field. And while that has dropped the Lions (4-6) to 13th in the NFL draft order, they continue to move up anyway because of the Los Angeles Rams’ four-game losing streak. That pick now checks in at No. 6.

The Lions own that pick from the Matthew Stafford trade, a blockbuster deal that already helped them acquire Jameson Williams (after some subsequent draft-day maneuvering) and Ifeatu Melifonwu. The Rams went on to win the Super Bowl last year, so that trade is already a win for them no matter what happens. But now what’s happened is they’ve lost four straight, most recently falling 27-20 on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

Stafford also left that game to be evaluated for a brain injury, just one week after he missed a game because of a brain injury. Los Angeles says Stafford will be evaluated on Monday before a determination is made about whether he will enter concussion protocol.”

Veronika Khomyn, wife of Rams’ Sean McVay, opens up on toughest part of marriage: ‘It’s impossible’ (foxnews)

“Khomyn was asked the question about her relationship on Thursday when she put out an “Ask Me Anything” request to her Instagram followers. The question was: “What’s the hardest part about being married to someone who has to be so tied up to their job?”

“Time together. For sure. Time for friends & family. When so much responsibility comes with a job it’s hard to be able to be present in all areas of life all at the same time. It’s impossible,” she wrote, via the New York Post.

“He chose this career path, he has so much passion for football and it provides for our life & future. I also know what I signed up for. So it’s just one of those things you can look at as a temporary challenge but it’s also a blessing in so many ways and as long as he’s happy so am I.”

2022 NFL season, Week 11: What We Learned from Sunday’s games (nfl.com)

“1. Saints rediscover offensive mojo. Dennis Allen’s decision to continue rolling with Andy Dalton seemed to be nearing a breaking point with those who follow the Saints, so it was only right Dalton chose Sunday to put on a show. The veteran completed 21 of 25 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns, using the full capabilities of his receiving corps by tossing touchdowns to Juwan Johnson (who has scored a touchdown in five straight games), rookie Chris Olave (who toasted Jalen Ramsey) and Jarvis Landry. Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill combined to rush for 94 yards on 21 carries, which was just enough to help the offense stay relatively balanced. In a game against another struggling team, it wasn’t going to take an offensive explosion to win — just competence. For the first time in a month, the Saints were more than competent offensively.

2. Rams hit rock bottom. Los Angeles hasn’t been here since the Rams were playing at the L.A. Coliseum, HBO and NFL Films cameras were following them around and Jeff Fisher was their coach. The Rams have dug themselves a deep hole in the standings at 3-7 and don’t appear to have a visible way out. Cooper Kupp is on injured reserve, and Matthew Stafford’s return from concussion protocol didn’t last a full game due to another exit to be examined for a potential concussion. That left the Rams with their usual running backs operating behind a piecemeal offensive line, and third-stringer Bryce Perkins at the controls in a game that was close prior to Stafford’s departure. Instead of delivering a counter to the Saints’ latest blow as they’d done in the first half, the Rams wilted, falling behind 17-14 early in the third quarter and mustering just six more points off two field goals in the second half. Sunday marked the first time in the Sean McVay era that the Rams lost four straight games, and with Kansas City coming to town next weekend and Stafford’s availability uncertain, it’s not looking good.”

The First Read, Week 11: NFC contenders, pretenders; plus, Josh Allen’s turnover troubles (nfl.com)

“It feels like this team won the Super Bowl five years ago rather than last February, given how their season has played out. All those good vibes have been replaced by an offense that is averaging just 16.4 points per game (29th in the NFL) and a defense that isn’t strong enough to carry the team. This is what can happen when you build your team around stars and average players and adversity strikes. The highs are really high, and the lows look like this year. Verdict: PRETENDER”

NFL Week 11 late game live tracker: Cowboys visit Vikings in marquee NFC battle (yahoo!sports)