WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Four defensive interceptions fueled the Rams to victory over Seattle in Week 11, helping them secure first place in the NFC West. Now, they turn their attention to a fellow division leader in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a Sunday Night Football Showdown at SoFI Stadium.
However, they will be without safety Quentin Lake (elbow), tight end Tyler Higbee (ankle) and offensive lineman Rob Havenstein (ankle, knee), who were all placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday.
Ahead of the contest, head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receivers Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, outside linebacker Jared Verse, defensive coordinator Chis Shula and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur spoke with local media about their preparation for Tampa Bay and how they're dealing with those injuries. Here are the most significant quotes and talking points from those press conferences.
"Those (injured) guys are gonna be here. They're gonna continue to uplift and elevate those (other) guys. There is a lot of guys that we have confidence in, (but) you don't replace players like that... You expect the guys that are getting opportunities to step up to be the best versions of themselves." - McVay
McVay said there is "optimism" that Lake, Higbee and Havenstein could return this season, but if Lake were to get back on the field after elbow surgery, it likely wouldn't be until the playoffs. McVay confirmed that Warren McClendon Jr. will step up in Havenstein's absence, as he did earlier this season. He added that it's "a luxury" to have a player like McClendon, who's succeeded already in this offense, and he will still have Havenstein's mentorship to help move him forward.
Last week, it was cornerback Josh Wallace who stepped into Lake's nickel role, playing 27 defensive snaps and "did a great job," McVay said. However, cornerback Roger McCreary, who the Rams acquired ahead of the trade deadline, also has experience playing the slot, but hasn't seen the field on defense yet this season. "It's something that we'll continue to evaluate throughout the course of the week," McVay said, adding that this week of preparation will be "really important for those two guys in particular."
On their upcoming matchup with the Baker Mayfield-led Buccaneers, McVay remembered how impactful he was during his short time with the Rams in 2022. Mayfield's ability to play and win on a very short week of preparation just a few days after arriving with the team was "a real testament to his competitiveness but also his mental capacity to be able to handle and absorb so much information in a short amount of time," McVay said.
"It's a Todd Bowles defense. I think they're really well-coached, they do a really nice job, he's been doing it for a really long time. He understands what he wants to do, how he wants to attack offenses. Their front is big and physical, a couple guys on the edges that are rushing the passer at a high clip, their (line)backer's been doing it a long time, Lavonte (David) has. Just really smart back end when you look at it, they do a lot of different stuff." - Stafford
Stafford said the Bucs' defense is "aggressive in nature" and do a good job of mixing coverages. Along with Bowles, they still have a few of the same players on that defense from the 2022 playoff game that L.A. won to advance to the Super Bowl, including David, defensive tackle Vita Vea, cornerback Jamel Dean and safety Antoine Winfield Jr.
In that game, Stafford connected with wide receiver Cooper Kupp on a 44-yard bomb to set the Rams up for a 30-yard, game-winning field goal. It's a play that Stafford remembers well and fondly: "I can kind of put myself right back in there in the moment to be honest with you and see what I saw in the moment," he said.
Stafford also remembers spending time with Mayfield during the following year, as he rehabbed from an injury and Mayfield was brought in to play quarterback. "He gave us a spark that season," Stafford said, adding that he's always rooting for him to have success and enjoyed getting to know Mayfield. They've stayed in touch and played golf during the offseason as well, but when asked who won, he said, "It wasn't mano-y-mano, we were just enjoying our time, but he's a pretty good player, not gonna lie."
"Honestly, we were on the way back, I was sitting next to (my son) in the sprinter and that's just my place where I come back to saying, 'They don't care if I score.' Half the time they just want to go down on the field before the game and they get excited seeing people embrace me... I did have my oldest at the time when I got to 500 (career receptions) so I took a picture with her at that time holding that ball, so I just wanted to do it with my boy." - Adams
Adams wasn't happy with his performance against Seattle, during which his lone reception was the 1,000th of his career, but the milestone ball gave him a great memory. His subpar performance had nothing to do with the oblique injury that hampered him during practice prior to Week 11. "I just played bad," Adams said. He added that it's "always difficult" for him to just move on after performances like that because of the high standard he sets for himself, especially in terms of catching the football. Still, it's much easier to do so when they get a win.
Adams is enjoying his time with McVay and Stafford, though, regardless of his success on the field. "What you see is what you get" with them, Adams said, and they facilitate communication that's "easy to maintain." Adams described those dynamics as "something to be grateful for" after he's had a lot of instability in recent years.
"It's about figuring out what's best for the defense, but also what's best for the person that's going into that (Lake) role and what he does best. We're always going to do what the players do best." - Shula
The coaches have made it clear that there is no replacing Lake, but they do need someone to take up the star role. Shula said that Wallace and Cobie Durant "did an excellent job" in the slot in Week 11, but added that McCreary was brought in "not to just sit on the bench," and he's continuing to learn the defense.
Similarly, there is no replacing wide receiver Mike Evans for the Bucs, who is still on Injured Reserve. Running back Bucky Irving has missed several weeks as well, but his status for Sunday is unknown. Shula described him as "dynamic" and said they would have their hands full if he's healthy enough to return.
"(Bowles presents) tough stuff on first and second down, and then you get some relief on third down and here come the pressure packages and different looks and multiple stuff that they can do. (I have) a lot of respect for what he does as a coach." - LaFleur
LaFleur is no stranger to Bowles-led defenses, as he played against them when he coached in San Francisco and New York, respectively. He said that Bowles is "schematically challenging in every facet" of the game, especially against the run, and L.A. will be without the veteran tackle, Havenstein.
LaFleur expressed a lot of confidence in McClendon, however, saying his "physical maturity" has stood out in his third NFL season. "I have zero alarm in terms of him being out there because he's played good football," LaFleur said. On the interior, offensive linemen Kevin Dotson and Steve Avila have both "done some great stuff" this season, adding that he believes the 29-year-old Dotson still has his best football ahead of him. They will need both players to shine on Sunday against one of the league's top run defenses.
"I've been wanting to play Baker for a very long time, been admiring him since he was in college." - Verse
When a quarterback likes to talk as much as Verse, it's a matchup made in heaven. Verse said when Mayfield played against Kansas and they refused to shake his hand pregame, so he torched them and then made an obscene gesture from the sideline, that's when he knew he wanted to compete against him one day. He doesn't have any trash talk specifically planned for the Bucs' quarterback, but there will definitely be words exchanged.
He also knows Mayfield's dual-threat ability is very real, but he isn't looking to run when he drops back. To get to him, he'll have to get past Buccaneers First-Team All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs. Verse just saw the pre-draft video of Wirfs jumping out of a pool and onto the concrete this week, over five years after it was shot, because people were tagging him in it on social media. He then praised Wirfs for being "strong," "athletic" and "savvy," saying he can attack people in different ways. Verse will have his hands full with both Wirfs and Mayfield in Week 12.
"I think (Aaron Donald's legacy) is something that Coach McVay said recently: The game honors toughness. And if you've ever seen the guy No. 99 walk on the football field or the practice field, you know his game is toughness, and it's something that's an identity of ours." - Nacua
The Rams will honor Donald's career on Sunday, and Nacua aptly summed up the legacy he left in the Rams' facility. His toughness and work ethic are still lauded by coaches and players, giving the team an standard to strive toward. Nacua remembered how passionately he played the game and said that rubbed off on him during their single season playing together, as he always had to keep his "head on a swivel" in practice, because Donald could be just around the corner. When he was, Nacua said "in my best dreams I don't think I ever win those matchups."
In terms of the matchup with the Buccaneers, Nacua said Bowles' defense tries to "cause as much chaos" as possible and "forces communication" by the offense. While it is a primetime game against an NFC division leader, Nacua said, "It's a big game because the Los Angeles Rams are playing in it," not because of the opponent or stage they will play on.
