WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – After a heartbreaking loss, it doesn't help to dwell on it. Head coach Sean McVay was clear about that when he spoke to reporters just moments after a blocked field goal sent L.A. home from Philadelphia with a loss.
Ahead of Week 4's matchup with the Colts, McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, defensive coordinator Chris Shula, wide receiver Puka Nacua and outside linebacker Jared Verse spoke about how they can learn from their mistakes and use it to prepare for their next challenge. Here are the most significant quotes and talking points from those press conferences:
"There's 161 total plays in that game when you combine offense, defense, and special teams, and it comes down to that 161st play, whether or not you win or lose the game. Well, if you pause the game before that last play and you say, 'What are you saying about it?' Even though the narrative is you're either 2-1 or 3-0, you have to be honest and acknowledge those things. And there's a lot of good stuff." - McVay
"When you care much, you feel much," McVay said, and they certainly do, but not at the expense of the game's nuances. The Rams played a lot of good football in Philadelphia on Sunday, especially in the first half, and the things that weren't so good, they'll learn from and correct as they always have. The Rams "turned the page" on the Eagles loss on Monday and are on to the Colts.
The Colts, who are 3-0 despite relatively low external expectations in the preseason, present a "great challenge," McVay said. They are a "complete" team that's well-coached and have executed well in all three phases so far this season. "There's no weaknesses. That's why they're the best offense in the league through three weeks."
Colts quarterback Daniel Jones has only taken two sacks through three games and Indianapolis has only punted once. McVay praised that efficiency in both the run and the pass game, saying "they play 11 as one," which is something he preaches to his own team. Running back Jonathan Taylor, who has more rushing yards on his own than 17 NFL teams, is "a slash runner" and "a home run hitter." Similar to last week, L.A. will have to make sure they aren't giving him any vertical seams, McVay said.
"I got a lot of respect for (Colts defensive coordinator) Lou (Anarumo). I think he does a hell of a job, been up against him a few times and he gives you a lot to look at at the quarterback position. I think they've got talented players at all three levels." - Stafford
After last week's loss, Stafford said he was disappointed in some of his throws. But there was "no reset," for him, just a continuation of his weekly preparation process because a veteran like him knows "those days are gonna happen." That doesn't mean it's not frustrating, but he feels good about his passes on the final two-minute drive and his weekly process. "(It) happens, I'm not too worried about it," Stafford said with a smile.
Stafford knows "the kind of character" that they have in the Rams' locker room, so he's not worried about how the team as a whole will respond. Echoing McVay, he said "the work that we're putting in is paying off when you look at the tape."
In terms of the more even running back rotation the Rams have employed the last two weeks, Stafford said he trusts both Kyren Williams and Blake Corum to run whatever play is called. It's not something he's conscious of. Williams "was an unbelievable tone-setter," for L.A. on Sunday, and Stafford said his play without the ball was even more impressive than what he did with it, "which is tough to say because the guy ran the ball great." His physicality and effort on each and every play was "top notch," Stafford said.
"They're playing in rhythm, they're playing good, they're playing together. Good players across the board, there's really no weak link or no weakness, really, of the offense." - Shula
Shula praised the Colts' "really good" offensive line, said Jones looks "comfortable" operating the offense with an elite running back in Taylor who can "make big plays at any time." It's "extremely tough" to tackle Taylor one-on-one in space, so similar to what they did against Saquon Barkley last week, they need to limit the vertical seams to make sure he stays contained.
The run defense through three weeks has been "stout," Shula said, and the stats support that, as L.A. is allowing just 3.9 yards per rush, ranking 11th in the NFL. They are playing, tough, physical football and limiting explosive runs ahead of a Week 4 matchup where they will have to slow down the league leader in rushing yards.
"It'll always be kind of a challenge (to make a running back substitution when they are running well), but the good thing is, we trust both of them. And when someone goes to the bench, he's gonna be back out there at some point... Good problem to have, I'm glad we have this problem, if you want to call it a problem. It's not a problem for us." - LaFleur
Rams running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 28 carries and 147 rushing yards on Sunday. Their more even split has led to increased efficiency from Williams, despite his willingness and ability to be on the field nearly every play.
Someone who hasn't been as involved is wide receiver Tutu Atwell, but LaFleur said he's "doing everything that's being asked (of him) within the framework of each and every single play." He acknowledged that the stat sheet won't necessarily show the impact he's had, but he's been "extremely valuable in other ways."
LaFleur is familiar with Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from their time together in San Francisco. The 31-year-old is "still playing at a high level," and his size always makes an impact on opposing offenses either with his powerful rush or his vast wingspan that can block passing lanes. Cornerback Camryn Bynum, meanwhile, is always around the ball, and has instincts that make his understanding of how to make plays obvious.
"I definitely think I did a lot better (varying my pass rush). I definitely think there's still a lot more room for growth. I feel like this week is a better challenge for that, especially with their offensive line. They don't really chip as much as other teams, they kind of have their trust in their five up front... So I'm liking my opportunities this week." - Verse
After logging his first sack of the season last week against the Eagles (and forcing a fumble in the process), Verse said on Thursday "It's kind of like a waterfall. Once one little stone breaks, everything's coming through." Now that he's varying his rushes more effectively and got his first sack out of the way, he expects the production to start pouring down.
In terms of stopping Taylor, who Verse also described as "a home run hitter," every defender on the field needs to play their one of 11, Verse said. "We're treating him the same way we treated Saquon," Verse said, as someone who can take it to the house on any given run and plays behind a good offensive line.
Meanwhile, Jones is playing "his best brand of football right now," and this Rams defense isn't underestimating him. This is "who he should have been coming out (of Duke)," Verse said, and has a great group of skill position players to throw to. Verse knows the Colts have only allowed two sacks this season, and the Rams are hoping to change that on Sunday.
"Everybody remembers their first (touchdown). Third down, coming on an in-cut in overtime, me and Matthew, I feel like we're having a good game, I remember playing Julian Blackmon, (he) was one of the safeties and he played with my brother at Utah, so (had to) make sure I had a good showing against someone my brother knows. Just being like 'holy cow' and I put my foot in the ground and there's nobody in there and this ball's coming right to me, I got to find a way in the end zone." - Nacua
Nacua won the game for L.A. with a 22-yard catch-and-run from Stafford in Week 4 of the 2023 season, almost exactly two years ago. He launched the ball as far as he could afterward, but luckily he was able to get that memento back. Now, he's a bona fide star, heading into a Week 4 matchup with an undefeated Colts team that looks very different than it did on that occasion, but still has some of their foundational pieces.
Despite being at or near the top of every wide receiver statistic in the NFL, Nacua has yet to find the end zone through the air. They value running the football in the red zone, and Nacua takes pride in doing his job when that happens, adding that he could have blocked better in the red area over the first few weeks. He's not concerned with getting in there himself. That'll happen when it happens, but helping the team get in is his main focus, whatever that entails.
