Rams head coach Sean McVay, offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell and cornerback Jalen Ramsey each held video conferences with local media Friday afternoon to discuss canceling today's practice and final preparations for Sunday's game against the 49ers, among other important topics.
Here are some of the highlights and key takeaways from those virtual conversations:
"Because of the short week, because of some of those precautionary measures like I had mentioned, that's why I felt like (canceling practice) was going to be the best decision for our football team, and (I) have confidence that our guys will be ready to go." – McVay
- According to McVay, the decision to cancel today's practice was due to a combination of a precautionary approach following a player and staff member testing positive for COVID-19 Thursday night as well as wanting to give the players rest as a result of a short week due to Monday night football.
- Both the player and staff member re-tested twice – once Thursday night and once Friday morning – with each of those results coming back negative. Meanwhile, the team conducted all of its meetings virtually today and will have a longer, all-encompassing walkthrough tomorrow to make up for not practicing today.
"At the end of the day, (Jared Goff) went into that football game prepared, he went in confident, and he executed the plan in a variety of different ways at a really high level." – O'Connell
- Reviewing Goff's performance against the Buccaneers Monday night, O'Connell said he was "really happy" with the way Goff played.
- O'Connell was especially pleased with the way Goff handled Tampa Bay's pressure, specifically the checks and audibles he used to counter it.
"I definitely watched and respected (49ers cornerback Richard Sherman's) game. Made a lot of plays. Talked his talk on the field, too, so you know I loved that." – Ramsey
- Placed on injured reserve after Week 1 with a calf strain, Sherman will be activated to the 49ers' 53-man roster and might return to action Sunday. Sherman is officially considered questionable, and if he does play, Ramsey, who grew up watching Sherman while in high school and college, said he will be "excited to see him on the field again."
- The two are connected by 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, whose final season with the Jaguars (2016) overlapped with Ramsey's rookie season. While in Jacksonville, Saleh helped deploy a defense similar to the one he worked with as a defensive quality control coach with the Seahawks from 2011-13, Sherman's first three seasons in the NFL, according to Ramsey.
