Stafford, McVay Weigh In On Rams' Defensive Effort

The Los Angeles Rams' defense continued to play well on Monday night. Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay sounded off on how their defense performed against the Miami Dolphins.

Nov 11, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) forces a fumble by Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams’ three-game winning streak ended Monday night against the Miami Dolphins. A lackluster performance on offense overshadowed a stellar defensive performance by the Rams defense.

Los Angeles’ defense forced two turnovers and one interception and held the Dolphins to under 70 rushing yards. The unit also registered three sacks on the day. Rams head coach Sean McVay credited the unit for a solid performance.

“I thought defensively I was really pleased with the way that we played,” McVay said. “That’s a really explosive offense. I thought we were able to limit them, create a bunch of negative plays, get some turnovers, give really good short fields to the offense. 

“And then, ultimately, we weren't able to capitalize. There wasn't any sort of semblance of complimentary football. And that's where we have to be able to improve. And fortunately, it is a short week. 

“Sometimes, these bad tastes that you have in your mouth after a game like this, you say, ‘Let's go back to work. Let's really look at it, and let's come back with the right mindset and mentality on Wednesday.’”

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford also praised the Rams’ defense for keeping them in the game while the Rams’ offense repeatedly fizzled out once it crossed midfield.

The Rams' defense essentially kept the Rams within striking distance, as the offense failed to score any touchdowns in the team’s eight-point loss. 

“I thought they played great, especially in the first half,” Stafford said. “We struggled to get anything going really there for a little bit. 

“We got a two-minute drive to get a field goal there at the end, but didn't do much on offense. Obviously, [they] forced some turnovers. It seemed like a little bit similar of a game for what Miami was going with.”

Stafford credited the Dolphins’ defense with mixing up their playcalling and making things challenging on him and the Rams' offense on Monday night. He noted the Dolphins did all they could to contain the Rams and eliminate the big play.

This forced the Rams to play differently than they were accustomed to. 

“We were trying to keep a shell on it and try to keep them in front of us,” Stafford said. “That's a really talented offense. They did a really nice job of it. 

“The drives we were able to get off the field on defense, there was a negative play, a sack, a fumble, or whatever. It was a negative play. I thought they did a hell of a job. 

“A little bit of a similar game plan going into it, it feels like when you go back and play it in your head, but they did a better job at executing and coming away with some touchdowns.”

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