Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford & Puka Nacua Postgame Press Conference After Win Over The Texans

Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford & Puka Nacua Postgame Press Conference After Win Over The Texans

you know, some costly turnovers, some big plays that ended up coming back. We had a bunch of injuries throughout. Everybody ended up returning except for Kevin Dodson. Um, you know, but we really found a way, you know, I thought the defense was outstanding. They did a great job just getting stop in, stop out. What a job by Lamb Man. It was an unbelievable recovery by Fist there, too. Um, and then I thought Matthew Stafford was in great command all day. You know, they were obviously in excellent rush. Um they did a good job of being able to apply pressure where we can do, you know, a better job in some different situations, but he came up with clutch play after clutch play. I thought he was seeing the field really well. Um you know, really awesome for him to go over 60,000 yards. That’s unbelievable. Um real testament to the consistency of what he’s done. Uh Puka had some big time plays. I thought Devonte came up clutch in some critical situations. And then obviously Kairen always runs so well. I thought it was an unbelievable job by him. Not a great call by me on the fourth and one. They ended up jumping the defensive end outside and Kairen found a way to make it right. Puka kind of trying to stay connected on Hunter, but um you know, our guys found a way and that’s what it’s about. I think he learned a lot about this group today. Um you know, and there’s a mental toughness, there’s a resilience and there’s an opportunity for us to learn a lot. I mean, there’s a ton of things that, you know, when you talk about what do good teams do and smart teams that we can really learn from, uh but I’m damn grateful to be able to do it. um you know after getting the result that we want um it’s a cool locker room in there and there’s a ton of respect coming from me to Demo and his group and it’s a good football team they came out so physically um how did you feel your group respond and that game was kind yeah I I thought they responded well Jordan I thought they did a great job you know and obviously you know we knew it would be that kind of game that’s the style that they play with um you know we like that kind of style as well I think we’re a tough football team they’re a tough football team. I think there’s so many great things that we can really learn from situationally. I mean, you’re going in to basically try to put the game away. We end up turning it over on an early down when we were in a good efficient situation. We had the hold where Jay Wit gets down inside the 10 yardd line, the kickoff return that comes back. You know, we had a personal foul that extended that drive there. Um, you know, and so there’s just a lot of really cool things for us to be able to learn from. And you feel a lot better, you know, when the guys just found a way. And there was a lot of reasons uh for them to think, “Oh man, things aren’t necessarily going in our favor.” But I never felt our group flinch. I never felt our group uh separate. I thought the defense did an unbelievable job uh really keeping our team in the football game. I thought teams was uh really good. Josh Cardi, what a job he did with the kickoffs. I mean, to be able to have, you know, some of those opportunities where you put them at the 20 yardd line based on if it ends up being a normal touchback, it’s at the 35. So, a lot of things that I’m looking forward to being able to learn from and um and that’s exactly what we’ll do. We’ll get Jim Hill. We’ll get Jim Hill next. Coach, can you talk about Jim Hill? You got the next question. All right. Nice. Okay. And thank you, too. Thank you. All right. Good to see you, man. You talk about the mental toughness of your club, which allows them to get into slumps and then get out of it. Yeah. And that’s big, Jim. I mean, because there’s es and flows throughout the course of a season, throughout the course of games. Um, and especially just today where you could really feel like there would have been a lot of reasons to feel like, oh man, we’re not necessarily uh finishing some drives. We’re not doing things that are in alignment with maybe what we’ve become accustomed to doing. Uh, but what we are accustomed to doing is hanging in there, staying tough, staying in the fight, finding a way to be able to finish games out. I thought it was awesome that, you know, you talk about finishing a game and we get the stop when we had to where Land Man gets the timely punch. Fisk makes a great recovery. We get a penalty on first down that that stops the clock as well. You’re thinking, man, that is not a good situation to be in. Kairen Williams has two really, really tough runs. Um, and then Matthew and Puka end up closing the game out. Is an unbelievable job by all Jackson as well being able to secure that edge to allow him to kind of come out little fake to the right, boot back out to the left, and find Puka as he outflanked off of a similar action before. Um, so I was so proud of the group. Um, and that’s uh, you know, that’s going to be something that’s going to be a separator for us if we can continue to callus ourselves in the right way um, as we navigate through this season. During camp about the spark that Nate brought to this defense, what kind of tone does that type of play at the end of this game set for him and the defense moving forward? I’ll tell you what’s cool about it, Adam, is we always talk about practice performance and preparation equal in game reality. That’s what this guy’s done. Um, he has gotten more punch outs than anybody. Uh he has just a great feel for it. He’s so intentional and I think it’s rubbed off on the rest of the group. Um and he got it at a critical time. You know, you talk about competitive greatness that was on display. Uh he’s such a great communicator. He’s just got a great way about himself where he can know how to authentically connect with a bunch of different guys. He’s got a swag and a toughness that he plays with that resonates with his teammates. And uh you know, he closed the game out in a big way for us today. Coach, Texas shot uh who catches a post in the first half. takes a shot, ends up going to the locker room, getting evaluated for a concussion. He ends the game, 10 catches, 130 yards. Can you talk to me about how he exemplifies and embodies the toughness of this team? I think he just really said it with the question, you I mean, you look at everything that he’s about, you know, he’s catching a third down slant similar to what Jordan S where, you know, Devonte catches a slant. It’s a bang bang play where guys are, you know, getting collisioned and, you know, Puka comes back, he gets stitched up, um, and he immediately makes his presence felt, catches a couple seams, catches a big in cut off of a play action, uh, just makes play after play. When the ball’s in his hands, good things happen, you know, and then the other thing, too, is is he sets up the way to close the game because he’ll stick his face on people in the run game. I mean, he’s as tough as it gets. He checks every box you’re looking for. I love this guy. Love what he represents. His energy, his play style, his mental and physical toughness. He’s he’s a dog and and I’m grateful to have him on our group. And I know his teammates and coaches feel the same way. You think about franchise, you think about offense, you Stafford, Bua, now Devonte. What does it mean that the defense kind of you guys rolled in today? Yeah, I think it’s great, Timmy. I I think that was the kind of game that it it had to be and and there was some opportunities for us to score some more points. Um you know, but we’re interested in being a team that stays connected, can win a bunch of different types of games. And so I know I know what you’re asking and it was awesome to be able to lean on the defense. They kept us in that game. Um in spite of us having some uncharacteristic execution where we got a chance to score in the red zone at the end of the game with about four minutes left and we end up turning it over. Um you look at the penalty where we had the third and two got Jay Whit you know wide open and he takes that thing inside the 10 and then you’re getting yourself bumped back and so uh there’s just a lot of really good learning options but to lean on the defense I thought Chris Schula his staff defensive players they did a great job um really proud of that group and that’s been consistent with what they’ve shown throughout the course of camp about the offensive line the great job they did today guys trying to score they they did a really good job it’s an excellent front you know I thought Rob Havenstein played excellent I hope K do Kevin Dodson is okay But for Bo Li to come in and play left and right guard, what a credit to Stephen Aila as well. You know, you look at he comes out of the game, he was trying to really push through. Felt like putting Bo in there just with the way that he was feeling was going to be better. And then he had to come back in after Kevin Dodson comes out. Coleman Shelton was tough as hell, you know, and then you can’t say enough about all Jackson and what he was able to do. I mean, this guy has a week of practice. He goes against, you know, some of the best players in the NFL and they’re rotating a bunch of different guys, but he’s lining up against Hunter. He’s lining up against Anderson. They’ve got great guys that come in and supplement them as well. And uh and he was outstanding. I thought he played a really complete game. So was really proud of that group. Ryan Wendell does a great job with that group as a whole. And they were gritty. They found a way. And then there’ll be some cool learning ops as well. Did you notice Matthew’s back bothering you at all? No. Did you? Looked pretty good to me. You know, and he took some shots, popped back up. I thought, you know, and and I don’t know that the stats will necessarily reflect it in terms of a bunch of yards. This guy was in total command today. thought he played excellent, kept the ball out of harm’s way. Um, you know, I could I put him in a bad situation where we took that sack where we were in kind of that fringe area on the third down and four. That was dumb by me. Um, but he did a great job. I thought he made the plays that he was supposed to make. Um, you know, was excellent with his timing and rhythm. I thought the operation was really good. He’s a stud. Um, and he was key and critical and and to be able to put the game away. Thought, you know, we really we were at our best when we put the game in his hands while still being smart and having some good balance. Um, but he made, you know, a bunch of big time plays and we had to have all of them other than a bad sneak that he had. That was a bad call, too. All right. Talking about the mental toughness. How much of that starts with Matthew? Uh, I think a lot of it. You know, I think your your leaders, you know, they end up embodying and becoming really the personality that the team takes on. And so really grateful to have somebody that’s as resilient, as steady, um, as you know, calm in the midst of the chaos as as what he is. but he’s also got this fire and this competitiveness that I think is great for this game. And so we got a lot of guys like that, but certainly Matthew is uh it’s a reason why he’s basically voted unanimously as a captain year in and year out since he’s been here. Um and so we’re really grateful to have him leading the way. So you see out of his connection with Devonte today. Yeah, I thought it was great. There was a bunch of big time plays, you know, and then I thought one of the huge plays in the second half that was critical. I mean, what a freaking catch by Devonte on the one where I mean, he just took that right off the grass. Yes, we were in a bad situation. It was a shitty first down call that I had on the screen, you know, and then you guys, you agree. You think it was a shitty call, huh? All right. Well, I agree with you, too. So, but he ended up, you know, that play was big and that ended up leading to points where we end up getting a touchdown to Davis Allen. Um, you know, and then he makes a couple plays where he catches a Sluggo. You could see the respect they had for him. Stingley was traveling with him today, you know, and uh and he’s a great player. Uh there’s going to be some things that we can learn from to be able to continuously get him involved. Uh, but I thought he made some big time third downs. Um, and had that key in cut. You know, he’s he’s a stud. You know, really grateful and excited about continuing to be able to build with him. All right. You got nothing after the shitty play call. Thank you guys. It was great. Um I don’t take uh you know take it for granted. Um I love being out there with those guys. I love getting to work with them and um you know just happy that I was able to kind of get through what you know was going on and and uh a lot of support from a lot of people, teammates, coaches, trainers, everybody. uh family. Um a lot of a lot of appreciation goes to those people for helping me and and um put a bunch of work in, was able to get back to this point and just happy to do it. I love being out there. I love playing. Um NFL football is hard. That’s a really good football team. We played, you know, I think we had, you know, 21 to 28 points probably out there if we don’t have, you know, a couple things where we hurt ourselves. Um and which is great. You got to learn from stuff. Um find ways to win games in September and uh we were able to do that today. Unbelievable effort by our defense. Um, can’t say enough about it. Um, timely. I mean, lay man making that punch out was so cool. Um, so just happy to be uh, you know, where I’m standing right now. How do you describe Matthew what you saw from where he leaves, he’s getting stitches, and then to come back and have that type of game? Yeah, you know, he’s a he’s a special player. He’s a special person on our team. Um, you know, his game his game comes to life on Sundays. you know, he goes out there in practice and, you know, he’s he’s working, he’s doing all the stuff, he’s making plays and all that, but when it becomes tackle football is when Puka Nakua’s game comes to life. And we’re we’re really we’re blessed to have him um as a player, but as a person, too, and as a competitor, um just the person that he is day in and day out and then what we get to, you know, what we get to go out there and battle with on Sundays, man, it’s it’s special. And uh I think everybody in our locker room, I know everybody in our locker room really appreciates him. Um, and today’s just, you know, it’s going to be another one of those stories in a probably a really long successful career of remember the time opening day I had to do this, that, and the other to get back out there and and make some big plays, seal the game, you know, at the end of it. So, uh, just happy for him, proud of him, and um, you know, just uh, love getting to go to work with him. Remember the time I I went over 60,000? There’s there’s only one of 10 in NFL history. Yeah, it’s uh it brings back a lot of memories, you know. Um I uh I’ve been blessed to play this game for a long time with a bunch of great players. Um the cool thing about quarterback and and my thought about it is uh you know, I can’t throw for any of those yards without every other 10 player on the field, you know, 10 other guys that are, you know, doing their job. Um and so, uh it’s it’s really cool. Um, I share it with so many people and so many teammates and and a bunch of coaches, you know, and my family and everybody that’s helped me get there. It’s uh you get in those longevity type uh, you know, places where you’re you’re breaking those kind of things. It’s not, oh, that was a cool year, a cool two years. I mean, it’s it’s been a long time and a lot of people have sacrificed a lot to help me out along the way and and I appreci appreciate each and every single one of them. Um, but it’s uh it’s cool. It’s an amazing thing and and sure as hell glad that we did it. getting a win, too. [Music] Going into the game that you were just going to do what you do and not worry about it. But were there any moments in that game or hits or situations where you felt No. Am I going to be okay? No. Um, no. You can’t go out there and play like that. Um, maybe that’s stupid to think, but that’s how I go play. Uh, you know, I, uh, I just go out there and play. Um, I think there’s, you know, there was some good stuff I did today. I think uh you know there’s some some plays I think I can be better and and try to avoid some more negatives for us. Um you know and do a better job there. Um but uh it felt great to get back out there. I uh you know it’s it’s um it’s been a long time coming and and uh you know not only myself but man I was I was really happy for all um to go through what he’s been through um and work the way he did um you know through the stuff that was going on with him. Um just proud of him and happy for his success uh to be back out there. I know he loves being back out there with us and and we appreciate having him. Can we talk a little bit about the learning experience you and your team go through week after week? Yeah, I mean it never stops, right? And and every single season is different. Um you have a different team, you got different opponents. How’s it going to go? You know, do you lose a player to injury? Do you not? And and it’s just this uh it’s this puzzle you got to put together. Continue to try and get better and better week in and week out. Find ways to win football games like we did today. Um and learn from all the stuff that could have made this game a lot easier for us. So, um, it’s a whole lot, you know, more fun to do that at 1 and0 than it is own one and and got to continue to, you know, correct those mistakes and bring them to life on game day when we, uh, when we do the right stuff. Were you getting antsy the last few weeks? Uh, antsy. Uh, no. I mean, I think, uh, I was just excited to get back out there and play. Um, happy to, uh, you know, I’ve been been on the practice field now for, I think, three weeks, something like that. So, felt pretty good about that. But, uh, no, anytime the season starts again, I’m excited. Um, and knew, uh, knew it was going to be a whole lot of fun to get out there and go to work with these guys. What did you take away from this win that set the tone for the season? Yeah, I mean, it was a great job of finishing, right? It took uh both sides of the ball, special teams, everybody to uh to finish this one out. Um, you know, we could have done a better job, you know, late in the game there keeping the ball um and scoring. um it didn’t happen and our defense rose up to the challenge and and Lame Man made an unbelievable play and then you know we had the opportunity to close the game out too went backwards for 10 yards which is a tough way to start it and our guys battle battled and got us close enough and then Puka made a great play there at the end to kind of ice it and u that’s complimentary football right that’s hey we make a mistake defense comes out makes a play for us hey you know what we’re not going to put you back out on the field defense we’re going to close this thing out taking a knee and um those kind of things you can build on while cleaning up some of the stuff that you killed some momentum, killed some drives. Traveling with Devonte Adams today, just how much does his presence just impact the offense and him being on the field? Yeah, it’s huge. Um, he has a ton of respect and rightfully so. Um, you know, he’s he’s an unbelievable player. Um, he’s made a bunch of big plays. I’ve been on the other sideline when I was in Detroit and and he was doing it to us when he was in Green Bay. So, uh, you know, it’s uh it’s fun to go out there and work with him, get to, you know, throw the ball to a guy that’s a future Hall of Famer, unbelievable player. Uh, I feel I feel lucky. Thanks. Can you just walk us through just what you were going through early in the game having to leave with the injury come back and how did you find a way to settle back in? Yeah. Uh try to come back in here and make sure I could uh count to 10 on my on my hands. But uh it was good come back in here. I was like I felt like my face was on my face mask and I was standing up and it was just all the way down here to the left. But uh just got some quick some quick stitches and then got back out there and then uh it was just yeah trying to find the rhythm and get back in and get warm back up. You come back in. They got the AC blowing on here. I’m laying on the cold training room table. No bodies in here. It got cold real fast. But uh it was exciting to go back out there and uh to hit somebody all over again. Be like, man, this is what I prepared for. How about you guys getting you and Dvonte getting 20 or 19 of the 29 targets in game one? and I know they want to get it in your hands, but just talk about that chemistry early on and how important that’s going to be all season long. Yeah, I think it it speaks to how well Matthew prepares and uh the our coaches and the game plan that we put in uh for this week. Uh it was super exciting when we’re going through the the practice week. You’re all right on Wednesday, this is what we got on Thursday and you’re feeling really confident walking into Saturday night walkthroughs and being like, “All right, we’re we’re going out there to execute and we’re we feel pretty confident with the with the ammo that we have loaded up for the game plan.” So, it was super fun. And then just for the big boys to to trust us and to fight that fight that extra second in the in the down to make sure that we can’t throw the ball down the field. It was your sixyd catch completion from him that got him past 60,000 care for your passing yards. Just when you think about him reaching that accomplishment like how does that resonate with you? Yeah, it was actually pretty funny. He came up to me. He was like, “Man, I went I’m glad the ball went to you and I’m and I was like, “Oh yeah, like thanks for like I was like I’m pretty sure the play was supposed to come to me. And and then and then as he says that I like look up on the big screen and it’s like oh Matthew Stafford just passed 60,000 and I’m like a I’m so sorry brother. I totally missed that. I’m like just on the field and then I was like a I understand why you said that. I’m like I’m grateful because I think it was funny because the next I didn’t say this to him but I was like my the rookie record was Carson Wentz. So we got to break in San Fran. So it’s nice that uh one of those will have Matthew Stafford and Pukakua tagged to it. Obviously never want to get injured, but how much pride do you take in in making some of those tough plays across the middle of the field? 100%. I think the little brother and me like as much as it is to to smile in the defender’s face when you get back up and you catch that ball and is also to to my big brothers as well being like, man, all those times they they paid off. They the the bounce up game uh came from them for sure. What did you think about the way that guys like Steve and Bo also battled on the line either through injury or Bo bouncing around from either side? 100%. And I know when I was getting ready to come in here, Steve had come in not too late and then you’re back in the huddle and you’re we’re doing our we’re getting ready to break and we’re fist bumping, dapping up everybody and then you see him back out there and so um I think there’s a toughness that uh our group had kind of earned from each other during our our training camp days of going against each other and knowing that we were preparing we were preparing preparing ourselves for this moment and uh it’s always fun because you know there are bumps and bruises that come along the way but to be able to get back up and uh get ready to hit uh somebody all over again sorry is uh is something that we need. such a big thing here obviously. How do you describe when the offense was a little rusty at times seeing what the defense was doing today? Yeah, I think it’s motivation to come back out there after watching an offense who you know has great weapons as well. The struggle on third downs and the ability for them to get off the field and so you’re like you’re confident going back out on the field like man our defense is giving them momentum. They’re trying to get it to swing our way. So it’s that extra motivation to go out there and perform and execute because you know there there are some plays where out there they felt like they were out there for 15 plays. So, you’re trying to make sure that we can get them off the field and when we go out there, we can execute to play that the the two-way game to make sure everybody can thrive out there. You ever had stitches in a game and come back in? Um, no. I don’t think I’ve taken too many shots like that one. I was like, I I know Henry from before we played in the the Ponies All-Star game and you know, it’s not a it’s never a good sight when you see a linebacker square to square to you. Um, honestly, I’m not sure. I just remember my my I felt like my whole chin strap and everything was not connected to my helmet and I knew I was bleeding somewhere. Tay was talking to me and I was like, “Uh, there’s blood and I don’t know where it’s coming from. Please tell me.” When you are playing stitches, you like is that in your head at all? Are you able to just play football normally? Uh, try to play football as normally. There there was some padding and covering that was covering the eye a little bit, but then it was like, man, I’m going out here. Hopefully these stitches are doing their job because I’m not hesitating to hit somebody else. that with the toughness and and physicality that you bring not only to the wide receiver room but to the team. Why was it important for you to to get back out on the field? Yeah. Well, I I love playing this game of football. I feel um the excitement and the want to hit somebody. As much as Yeah, you take a couple shots here and there. Uh my excitement to go out there and hit somebody and be able to play with the physicality that I enjoy playing the game of football with is uh something that that drives me to get back out there and especially early on in the game and knowing that it was something quick and I I was able to go back out there. I wanted to be out there as fast as possible for the guys. Were you looking for an opportunity to get your leg back? Um, on a linebacker, you know, those ones are tough. You never want to look out for those guys because then you feel like you’re you’re kind of tiptoeing and then they that’s when they get you again. So, I’m sure it’ll it’ll come in another way. But, uh, I wasn’t trying to run back for them. Are you surprised you weren’t able to get more points on the board today? How much of that is a is a week one thing? Like you’re you’re still figuring this out? Yeah. Um, I think uh definitely a little bit of the week one thing, but then also just trying to to figure out what the defense is doing. They they’re making adjustments to what we’re doing out there at the same time. Um, and for everybody to communicate and be on the same page. Uh, we I trust, uh, Matthew to always go out there and make the right call, whether it’s Canada play, alert him to, uh, to something else for a pass concept, but, uh, when we all go out there, we trust Nine to to get us in the end zone. Davis Allen battled through the back last year really hampered him. what it mean to see him come out, get on the board early this season and just the way he’s worked through game. Yeah, the general as somebody who come we came in as rookies together and I’ve always been a big fan of his game. So to see him go out there and be able to execute and get the first one up there is is super exciting and then I think it just speaks to how well that tight end room has been playing together. I think from Big Higs um leading the way and then Kobe and T Ferg in there as well. So, it’s been a a good competition between those four and they they compete really well and they communicate I think is the biggest thing for somebody who were they were seeing a lot of nickel to our 12 personnel and stuff like that. So, trying to figure out and see make sure we’re going to the right guys and communicating was something that they all do really well. Can you talk about not playing in the preseason but now the play at game one the game shape physicality of the game. Do you feel like maybe a couple games down the road and everybody be kind of like really into the physical part of the game? Um, I feel I feel like uh coach does a really good job of uh making sure we get enough one-on-one reps during the the week so we get some good on good and we get a chance to see what that physicality kind of looks like and obviously trying to take care of our guys. But um I definitely do enjoy uh being on the preseason sideline and watching the guys go out there and seeing the young books try to play and uh it feels good for my knees so I enjoy that. Have a good one. And drinks it.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Puka Nacua address the media following their home opener win against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.

0:00 Sean McVay
17:30 Matthew Stafford
24:47 Puka Nacua

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