McVay, Phillips, Gurley … 10/1 … transcripts

Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips, RB Todd Gurley II — October 1, 2019

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Rams Head Coach Sean McVay

(On injury updates regarding LB Bryce Hager and S Taylor Rapp)
“Yeah, it’s really kind of the same. (LB) Bryce (Hager) and (S) Taylor (Rapp) didn’t participate today. They’re making progress and it’s going to really go up to game time, until hopefully we’ll be able to have them. But we’re not sure right now.”

(On if S Marqui Christian would fill in if Rapp could not play)
“Yeah, you would see some similar things. We could look at doing some different packages, but I think you’ll see an increased role for (S) Marqui (Christian) if that’s the case. He did a nice job stepping in the other day.”

(On if he feels like the team is still establishing its identity offensively)
“I think establishing our identity, figuring out and kind of continuing to get to know what’s going to be the best way for this offense and this season for us to really be the most efficient week in and week out. That’s definitely been something that we’re working through. What you realize is, this league is so challenging, so humbling and, really, it’s a great opportunity for us to continue to figure out, ‘All right, let’s – No. 1 – identify what do our players do best. What are those things and then how do we stay consistent with having an identity and then being able to do some things that we feel like are conducive for success.’ You’re exactly right, that’s absolutely where we’re at and that’s one of those things that we’re grinding through. I think it’s going to be something that, hopefully, we’ll continue to see improvement. It’s been a good challenge up to this point, there’s no doubt about it.”

(On his thoughts towards the disparity between the number of pass plays compared to the number of run plays)
“I would say this – a lot of instances, what I’m most interested in for our offense is efficiency, scoring points and moving the football. You’d like to be able to have a balance, but our job is to move the ball and score points. There’s a lot of instances where, with certain looks you feel like, ‘Man, this is a great opportunity where we’re really efficient running it and we’ll continue to do that.’ Ultimately, I think you have to be able to do both to be successful over time in this league. I don’t want to say you’re just going to throw it or you’re just going to run it. Really, it’s a lot of times predicated on what we feel like is the best way to be an efficient offense snap in and snap out and score as many points as possible.”

(Of if he and RB Todd Gurley II have conversations about what is happening offensively)
“We talk to our players throughout the week. That’s the natural flow of the week in terms of when we implement our gameplan. If everything went exactly like we had planned during the week, I’d be a lot happier and a lot less stressed. I think things are always adaptable, I think our players know that. I think they all know that everybody is working in unison to try to figure out, ‘What’s the best way for the Rams’ offense, and ultimately, the Rams’ team to be successful?’ I expect guys to want the football – don’t get me wrong – and want to continue to be as involved as possible. Those are things that we continue to work through.”

(On if he’s stressed about Gurley II)
“No. I’m stressed because I’m always stressed out. This is a football season, you’ve got to love it, but I love my stress during the year.”

(On if speculation on Gurley II has increased his stress)
“No. (RB) Todd (Gurley II), I think No. 1, he’s done an incredible job of handling the situation. I can’t imagine how he feels having to answer all those questions. To his credit, it’s been amazing the way that he’s been able to handle it. It’s not a stressful situation, because it doesn’t really affect the way that we operate day in and day out in our building. What you do feel an obligation is for us to be better, be more productive. When Todd’s doing well, that means our offense is doing well. Those are the things that – in a positive way – you’re continuing to try to look for those solutions as a coaching staff with your players to be more efficient. We’re working through that right now and it’s something that we’re excited about just continuing to grind on. We get another opportunity to see if we’ve made some hay on Thursday.”

(On TE Gerald Everett getting involved in the second half of the Tamp Bay game and if it was something that was in the flow of the offense)
“I think in a lot of instances when you are throwing it so many times, he ended up getting some opportunities. Really, you see a lot of the skill guys get more opportunities than what usually a normal game dictates, but he’s done a nice job. I think he’s really continued to ascend. I thought the Cleveland game really represented a great chance for us to see that he is capable of competing in-line, at the line of scrimmage, in the run game, doing some of those things that we always felt he could. But, In (TE) Tyler (Higbee)’s absence he’s stepped up in a big way and he’s continued to make progress. (Tight Ends Coach) Wes Phillips has done a great job with him.”

(On what’s he sees when he looks at the NFC West)
“You see a great football team in the Seattle Seahawks. This is a team that that we have a huge amount of respect for. The way that (Seahawks Head) Coach (Pete) Carroll leads, operates the system that he’s been running for the last handful of years, you see why they’ve had the amount of success. There is a very clear commitment to a philosophy and how they want to operate, how they want to compete, really in all three phases. They’ve got great players at the key spots. I think when you look at their leaders on offense and defense in (QB) Russell Wilson (LB) Bobby Wagner, those are two of the premiere players at those positions. They’ve got a sound scheme. (Seahawks Offensive Coordinator) Brian Schottenheimer does a great job. I think (Seahawks Defensive Coordinator) Ken Norton and Pete have been outstanding. Their special teams are always tough. This is going to be a great challenge for us. We’ve got a lot of respect for the Seahawks and we are looking forward to going there on Thursday night.”

(On being in the only division with three, three-win teams and if it is strong as it looks)
“I think that it’s the initial parts of the season, it’s still so early. I think you certainly can’t help but be impressed from what San Francisco has done. I haven’t really gotten a chance to really see everything, but just watching from afar they’re playing really good football, finding a way to get it done. Obviously, as you get into the Seattle film, you see a lot of good things in all three phases. The Cardinals are competing, and they are a couple of plays away from having a few wins and you see the excitement behind their quarterback.”

(On how he embraces stress and how does he translate it to the players with it being a short week coming off a loss)
“I think you’ve got to believe that it’s a great opportunity for us to really just go compete again. I don’t necessarily know if it’s stress, but as much as just a great opportunity to go compete and have some urgency about trying to face some of the things that we didn’t do, fix them and lets move forward accordingly with a mentally tough mindset and mentality. I think it’s just got to be real. One of the things about these players is we’ve got a bunch of great guys in this locker room that do an excellent job of really responding on their own. I think they feel if it’s real, if its authentic and genuine, I think that our players would feel that it’s like that from our coaches. I think we are all in the same position of, we’re just excited about another opportunity. We respect the Seahawks a lot, but I know for me personally, I think a lot of the players would agree, the Thursday week is stressful in terms of the amount of work that is condensed in a short week, but it provides a great chance for us to respond from a disappointing Sunday.”

(On how todays walk-thrus and meetings went)
“Really the best way to describe it is, it’s a combination of Wednesday and Thursday split up into two sections. Wednesday was this morning with your meetings and your walk-thru, Thursday was this afternoon with your meetings and your walk-thru, tomorrow will represent what would be a Friday and somewhat of a Thursday as well.”

(On if he thinks everything went smoothly with the players)
“Absolutely. These guys have always done a great job of coming in here and locking in and getting what we need to do done. That’s something that has been consistent and that’s kind of just the standards that they’ve set.”

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Rams Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips

(Opening Remarks)
“Short week. We really just had Wednesday’s practice and now we’re going into Thursday’s meetings right now. You have to get ready quickly. We put the last game behind us, but we still obviously have some things that we can clean up and we’re going to do that for this ball game. Big, big challenge, again. They’ve got an elite quarterback that I think he’s leading the league in pass percentage, like 77 percent or something. (Seahawks QB) Russell Wilson makes plays, we know that and we’ve played against him a lot. He’s an elite quarterback. Then their running game, since they’ve gone to the running game, it’s made (Seahawks Head Coach) Pete Carroll emphasize that they went to the running game and they’ve been successful ever since they started to run the ball a lot. They’ve got a good offensive line, really good running back, (Seahawks RB Chris) Carson played really well last week and really dominated the game in the running game.”

(On what he saw from his defense when watching the film from playing the Buccaneers)
“We didn’t play well enough overall certainly, anytime you give up that many points. You always have some good and bad. We didn’t play pass defense as well as we had and we didn’t tackle as well as we had, basically what it comes down to. I need to put us in better position in some certain instances as far as gameplan and the calls.”

(On Seahawks QB Russell Wilson not running the ball as much until usually the latter part of the second half)
“He’s going to run when he has to win a game. He’s going to do what he has to do to win a game. He has a great feel for that, certainly in the fourth quarter. If he needs to make a first down, he can do it. Obviously, throwing it, but he also can get away and run for the first down and really hurt you that way. He has a feel during the game, where the game is, when he has to run it, when he doesn’t have to. They don’t have that many called runs, they have a few where they feel like everybody is trying to stop the run inside and you get outside. You worry about him scrambling around and throwing the ball, especially deep. I think outside the pocket, his high percentage of passing outside the pocket is phenomenal.”

(On CB Marcus Peters’ plays in the fourth quarter where it looked like he gave up a big play, but then turned it around and had an interception and touchdown)
“He made a great play that gave us a chance to come back. Again, I put him a situation where he didn’t have any help and we didn’t get the rush we wanted. That one’s on me.”

(On Peters’ ability to put the negative play behind him and come back a few minutes later and respond with a touchdown of his own)
“That’s why he’s a good corner. That’s why he can play well. He’s a competitor and he’s going to compete every play. Came back and again, made a big play that gave us a chance.”

(On if he was trying to create some heat in the situation as the defense looked like it had no coverage on Buccaneers WR Mike Evan’s touchdown)
“Zero is right, that describes that coverage, that front end coverage (laughs). It was a bad call is what it turned out to be.”

(On what he’s seen DT Aaron Donald do against the Seahawks)
“Well, (DT) Aaron’s (Donald) so fast and nimble. Not many guys can catch a quarterback that can move like that. Aaron’s one of those few guys that can or has a possibility of. A lot of the defensive linemen those scrambling quarterbacks can get away from, he’s one that you’ve got to watch out. He can catch you. He’s fast, he’s very nimble, very athletic. He makes a lot of plays in the open field.”

(On what Donald is able to do against double teams)
“He’s a great player obviously. I think he’s playing better and better every week. I thought he had a good game last week again. I think he’s pointing towards another great season.”

(On the possibility of LB Troy Reeder stepping in for LB Bryce Hager)
“Troy Reeder actually played during the game. I’ll say really one good thing, he went in the game. It wasn’t too big for him. He didn’t really make any mental mistakes. He was a true professional for a young player, so I thought that part was good. The end result from our whole team wasn’t great, but I thought he went in and played well in his area.”

(On what he sees in his division this year)
“It’s been a good division for a long time. We know San Francisco’s better and better every year. Seattle has been the dominant team in this division. Arizona, with a new coach, you’ve got new hopes.”

(On Head Coach Sean McVay saying that the short week is a blessing)
“Yeah let’s forget the last one and let’s go to this one because it’s already here.”

(On if he is also happy about having a short week as a defensive coordinator)
“You have to in this business. You can get humble quickly, but you can also get back quickly. You have to execute and play well. I have confidence that our guys will. The two teams know each other and playing up there it’s a really great battle.”

(On if he is aware of S John Johnson’s pregame routine)
“No, it doesn’t involve me I don’t think.”

(On if he is superstitious)
“No, I’m not superstitious, but just in case sometimes on some things I might do the same things or wear the same shorts or something. No I’m not at all really, but I’ve seen too many games.”

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Rams RB Todd Gurley II

(On him not being a fan of Thursday night games and if there’s anything to be said about being able to move on quickly from Sunday’s game)
“Nothing really.”

(On how he would characterize the offense from Sunday’s game)
“I don’t even know the score – we put up like 40 points, so I think we did well enough.”

(On if he has any idea on how they can get off to faster starts)
“(Shakes head no).”

(On if he is usually recovered by the middle of the week or if it takes longer)
“It varies. Different weeks you feel different. Just depends on the week.”

(On the Seahawks adding DE Jadeveon Clowney to their defense and how they look to him on film)
“Great defense. They’ve got one of the best linebackers in (Seahawks LB) Bobby Wagner, great linebacker (Seahawks LB) K.J. Wright, and they’ve got (Seahawks DE Jadeveon) Clowney. Still a great defense.”

(On if the loud atmosphere of the Seahawks home field is difficult to play in terms of the cadences)
“Doesn’t really matter, home or away. Same stuff.”

(On if the noise factors into the way the game goes)
“(Shakes head no).”

(On how it feels to show resilience against the Buccaneers after being down 21-0 and CB Marcus Peters scoring a pick-six)
“We still lost. It (doesn’t) matter.”

(On how the team feels after having two walk-thrus today)
“Just like every walk-thru. Same old, just another day.”

(On if he remembers how he played well against the Seahawks last year)
“I don’t really remember, it was last year. New year, new game.”