INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Sean McVay is aware of that one of many costs of longevity within the NFL is that ultimately he will expertise loads of good and unhealthy issues as a coach.
He hasn’t had too many unhealthy experiences, however Thursday evening was undoubtedly considered one of them.
The Rams’ 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Payments was the primary time in six openers that McVay has been on the shedding finish. Reporters may hear McVay yelling at his workforce, together with a pair expletives, after the sport as a result of solely a retractable door separates the locker room from the post-game interview room.
There was a cause why McVay was incensed. It is solely the fifth time the Rams have misplaced by no less than 21 factors since he turned coach in 2017. It was additionally the second-worst loss by a defending Tremendous Bowl champion, with Baltimore’s 49-27 loss at Denver in 2013 the usual.
The defeat additionally made McVay utter a phrase he has not often used — humbling.
“It was very humbling evening however one the place you look your self within the mirror and say it’s a must to be higher,” McVay stated. “I really feel a way of letting lots of people down that I care about. We will repair this.”
The Rams had issues on either side of the ball. Matthew Stafford was sacked seven instances, marking solely the third time in his 14-year profession he has gone down that many instances.
With the retirement of Andrew Whitworth and departure of Austin Corbett, Los Angeles has two new starters in left sort out Joe Noteboom and proper guard Coleman Shelton. Buffalo did not blitz as soon as and considered one of their seven sacks got here with solely three move rushers.
“Actually, you simply be a person about it. You watch it, perceive what went unsuitable and do no matter you should do to deal with the problems,” proper sort out Rob Havenstein stated.
Stafford, who accomplished 29 of 42 passes for 240 yards with a landing and three interceptions, stated he has to do a greater job throwing it sooner but additionally identified that he noticed the Payments play a scheme he would not see too typically.
“Not lots of people play nickel security identical aspect cowl three. It wasn’t earth shattering stuff however we have not gotten that in a very long time,” Stafford stated. “I do not really feel like that was a cause that we’re holding on to it or something.”
Defensively, the Rams have been awful on third-down conversions and allowed Payments receivers to realize 114 yards after the catch. Josh Allen had accomplished just one move thrown over 15 yards within the first three quarters earlier than connecting with Gabriel Davis for 47 yards on the primary play of the fourth quarter and Stefon Diggs for a 53-yard landing play that made it a three-touchdown lead halfway by means of the fourth.
“I feel this was humbling. Clearly, everyone’s pissed off as a result of it isn’t the way you need to come out,” linebacker Bobby Wagner stated. “We simply should be locked in. Stuff like this occurs the primary couple video games. It isn’t only one individual or something like that. All of us should play higher protection.”
Defending Tremendous Bowl champions dropped to 45-11-1 in openers. McVay wasn’t able to declare his workforce was experiencing a championship hangover. Los Angeles hosts Atlanta on Sept. 18 earlier than highway video games in opposition to Arizona and San Francisco.
“It is too early to say that. We’re not going to make use of that as an excuse,” he stated. “I do not need to take credit score away from what they did.”
