LOS ANGELES (AP) — Whether his Los Angeles Rams are surging or slumping, Sean McVay has always tried to provide the same steady leadership voice.
With his team on its longest winning streak in seven years
after a 34-7 thrashing of Tampa Bay, McVay admits he doesn't want to change very much about the NFC-leading Rams (9-2). And because his coaching staff approaches every week with the same attitude, McVay isn't worried about complacency or undue comfort while Los Angeles prepares for the six-week sprint to the postseason.
“We’ve always consistently talked about it,” McVay said Monday after clinching his eighth winning season in nine years in charge. “Whether we were 5-6 after 11 games last year or whether we’re in this position, the most important thing is you either get better or you get worse. The consistency of messaging is important. Then I think it’s important to get a feel for what the group needs. What this group needs is to continue to do what they’re doing. It’s our job to be able to land the appropriate punch to make sure that it resonates and it inspires them to want to continue on the path that we’re headed.”
The path has taken the Rams to the top of the conference standings for the first time since 2018, when they won their first eight games and eventually made their first Super Bowl run under McVay.
His current team is excelling on both sides of the ball after blowing past the Bucs. For the fifth consecutive game, the Rams never trailed.
The Rams have scored 166 points in their past five games — more than the Raiders or Saints have scored all season, for comparison — and LA leads the NFL in point differential at plus-127. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has emerged as the favorite to win his first MVP award during a phenomenal eight-game stretch in which he has passed for 2,091 yards with 25 touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Rams also lead the NFL in scoring defense, allowing just 16.3 points per game. Going back to last December, when coordinator Chris Shula's first defense really started to click, Los Angeles has held nine of its past 17 opponents to 10 points or fewer — an extremely difficult achievement in the modern NFL.
So while there's always reason for critique of individual plays and players, the Rams are generally on a roll that McVay does not want to disrupt. His team will get the same messages and tools for improvement while they draw ever closer to the postseason.
“They’ve done a great job through 11 games of putting themselves in this position,” McVay said. “(But) when you look around this league every single week, something inevitably occurs where you’re saying, ‘I can’t believe that happened.’ Let’s stay humble. Let’s stay in the moment. Let’s continue to lean into our preparation and have the appropriate urgency, but also the enjoyment.”
The Rams' young pass rush is thriving again after getting four sacks, six quarterback hits and steady pressure against the Buccaneers' statistically solid offensive line. Jared Verse got his first sacks in four games, Kobie Turner added two more, and Bryant Young got another that was wiped out by a penalty.
It's not exactly a problem, but the Rams didn't run the ball well against Tampa Bay, with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combining for a season-low 70 yards on 19 attempts. McVay largely didn't try to run while the game was close, calling 24 pass plays and just five rushes in the first half.
The Rams' two young cornerbacks had a night to remember, justifying the team's season-long faith in them. Cobie Durant saved a touchdown with a pass breakup on the Bucs' opening drive, and he made a 50-yard interception return for a TD on the second series. Emmanuel Forbes had five pass breakups and made an interception on Baker Mayfield's desperation pass — and he didn’t allow a reception on seven targets, becoming the first defensive back since 2022 to be targeted that many times without allowing a catch, according to the NFL's Next Gen Stats.
CB Roger McCreary has yet to make any impact one month after he was acquired from Tennessee by trade. He finally got his first defensive snap Sunday, but McCreary injured his hip and didn't return on defense, although he might have been able to play through it, McVay said.
Tutu Atwell is expected to return this week, McVay said. The speedy receiver has suited up just once since Oct. 2 because of a hamstring injury.
15 — Consecutive kicks without a miss by Harrison Mevis in his first three NFL games. "The Thiccer Kicker” is perfect on his 13 extra-point attempts, and he hit his first two field-goal attempts Sunday, banging in a 52-yarder with length to spare.
Four of the Rams' final six games are on the road, starting Sunday when they visit Pasadena product Bryce Young, LA-area native Dave Canales and the Panthers. If the Rams hope to finish first in the NFC, they probably need to bank wins over Carolina and Arizona in the next two weeks before facing Detroit and Seattle in a tough five-day stretch.
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