'No Flinch, No Fear': Sean McVay on Why He 'Loves' Rams DB Nick Scott
Los Angeles Rams safety Nick Scott is accustomed to playing the back end and snagging timely interceptions.
He proved that last season, as the 2019 seventh-round pick finished second on the team with three interceptions (including playoffs).
But when the Rams played the Buffalo Bills in Thursday’s season-opener, he tried his hand at something new: taking Bills quarterback Josh Allen head-on.
It didn’t end well.
Scott was stiff-armed by Allen as the two fought toward the sidelines. In the end, Allen had won the battle for extra yardage. The play became viral that night, as Scott was on the wrong end of a highlight reel and seemingly embodied in one play what was an abysmal 31-10 loss for LA at home.
But that’s not how Rams coach Sean McVay looks at it, and it’s easy to understand why.
“Oh, he’s fearless," McVay said of Scott."He has no flinch, no fear. Similar to what we were saying about Cooper Kupp, this is a guy that embodies a lot of the things that good football teams have – that character, that toughness, that competitiveness."
Scott finished the night with seven total tackles (three solo), and one pass defended.
Head-to-head plays between two players will always see one come out victorious. On the surface of things, Scott got stiff-armed and was "embarrassed" per the internet and social media, but McVay saw an outstanding and physical football play.
“I thought that was a great play by two great competitors,” he said. “You can see, he’s coming inside-out on an outstanding athlete, he ends up getting the stiff-arm but he was able to get a great wrap tackle right there. I thought there was a lot made of that but I thought it was two great players making a competitive play against one another.”
The Rams will need every bit of Scott's toughness if they're going to move on from the loss and focus on the grind of the season.
The next test? A home matchup with the Atlanta Falcons at SoFi Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. P.T.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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