Los Angeles Rams Coach Sean McVay Analyzes 'Gritty' Win vs. Washington, Short Turnaround For 'Thursday Night Football'

The Los Angeles Rams squeezed out a win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, but they have a short week of preparation ahead of them.

The Los Angeles Rams bolstered their playoff odds on Sunday with a 28-20 home win over the Washington Commanders, but, as is often the case in the National Football League, it was far from easy.

The Rams were forced to make some key plays towards the end of the game to secure the win, but this result moved Los Angeles back to .500 on the year and reinserted the team in the NFC playoff picture if the season ended today. Head coach Sean McVay was pleased following the game, not because of the playoff implications, but because it was another tough win in a tough league.

“Great job finding a way to be able to get it done," McVay said. "You don't take wins for granted in this league. A lot of credit goes to Washington the way that they battled, the way they made it interesting. But man, there are so many things that we can learn from, and it's a lot easier to be able to learn when you find a way to win. 

"But the turnovers, some of the red zone sequencing, starting with myself could have been much better. Got to be able to tack on field goals, but I did like the grit that I saw from our group towards the latter part of the game."

Dec 17, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay watches game action against the Washington Commanders during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / © Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams lost the turnover battle on Sunday, giving the ball up to Washington twice in the game, so that's surely one focus this week in preparation for the New Orleans Saints. McVay is right; it is easier to improve after a win, but he doesn't have a lot of time on his hands before the next kickoff.

Los Angeles will host the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium on "Thursday Night Football" this week, so it will have to hit the ground running to prepare for another key NFC showdown.

"I thought there was some really good individual performances today," McVay said, "and I think there's some really great learning opportunities for us players and coaches alike. It's exactly what we'll do, and we got a short amount of time to be able to see if we can go get our eighth win against New Orleans.”

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Thursday's game can go a long way in shaping the NFC Wild Card race. The Rams are the current holder of the No. 7 seed and would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. 

The Saints, on the other hand, are directly behind them at No. 8 and also hold a 7-7 record, meaning that Thursday's winner will possess an important tiebreaker in the last two weeks of the regular season.

Kickoff on Thursday between Los Angeles and New Orleans is set for 5:15 p.m. PT, and the game will be televised on Prime Video.