Los Angeles Rams Coach Sean McVay Exudes Confidence Before Facing Elite Baltimore Ravens Defense
The new-look, post-bye Los Angeles Rams have saved their season and played themselves into a playoff spot, holding the seventh seed in the NFC. They’ve got a three-game winnings streak to their name and two more quality wins under their belt, taking down the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns in that span.
In Week 13, Cleveland came to town battered with injuries but boasting perhaps the league’s best defense. Against running back Kyren Williams and a passing offense that has performed with and without star receiver Cooper Kupp, that unit came back down to Earth. The Rams won 36-19.
The road will get tougher in Week 14. The Browns being quarterbacked by Joe Flacco didn’t exactly encourage complementary football, and on Sunday the Rams have the privilege of playing one of the NFL’s most complete teams, on the road.
The Baltimore Ravens look the part as a premier Super Bowl contender in the AFC, headlined by superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson and a defense that has elite talent and coaching. When Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald takes a ride on the coaching carousel and interviews this offseason, no one in league circles will be surprised. The Ravens are disciplined, versatile, and lethal.
Rams head coach Sean McVay (right) and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris (left).
USA Today Sports
Rams head coach Sean McVay is well aware of the challenge that lies ahead.
“I think it's just outstanding mixture of variety schematically, outstanding personnel really on all three levels of the defense,” McVay said. “When you combine personnel, great scheme, ability to be able to have depth when they do rotate, those are always the challenges.
“You look at every single metric. I'm not a big stat person but I think there are certain stats that are in alignment with helping project how good you are and they are at the upper echelon of the league … they are exactly what they’re broadcasted to be and that's one of the best.”
With that said, this Los Angeles team has shown it can take down otherwise imposing units – they did so last week. Keeping pace with Jackson and the Ravens certainly makes life more difficult, but it’s clear the Rams aren’t intimidated. With their season deemed over before the bye week, they’ve been playing with house money; and they just keep winning.
“I think that confidence can compound but I also think it's earned every single week,” McVay said. “Every single week is a new week, but I do think it's important to be able to continue to improve, continue to take steps in the right direction. I think that we've done that as a football team.”
Los Angeles (6-6) has seen considerable improvement in both areas of the trenches, as the emergence of guard Kevin Dotson and defensive lineman Kobie Turner have provided a boost in protecting and pressuring the quarterback. Both are critical to the Rams’ success moving forward.
Taking down Baltimore (9-3) would be unsurprisingly massive for their playoff aspirations. With only the Ravens and San Francisco 49ers in playoff position and on Los Angeles’ schedule, it’s much easier to see this team in the playoffs if they start the five-game closing stretch with a win.
On paper, Los Angeles is at a clear disadvantage, but the Rams have proven paper worthless before and it seems they have the confidence to do so again.
