Sean McVay On Injury Updates Heading Into Week 6, Developing The Run Defense & More

Sean McVay On Injury Updates Heading Into Week 6, Developing The Run Defense & More

Uh, hey Sean. Um, I think when we spoke with you after the game, you didn’t have too much of an update on guys that injuries and whatnot. Curious now that you’re back, uh, if there’s any update on on anyone in terms of Yeah, still no updates there, Gary. No, I’m just kidding, man. I’m just kidding with you. Um, okay. So, updates I have for you, Gary. Kobe Parkinson will be in concussion protocol when he hit his head on the corner out in the red zone. Making good progress. do expect him to uh to be available. Um he’s he’s doing good, but he is in the protocol. Omar Spates got a high ankle. Um you know, his status for this week will more likely be doubtful. Um and then, you know, Tyler and uh Tyler Hab and Rob Havenstein, Tyler with his hip and Rob with his ankle are making good progress and we’ll have uh updates to see how they’re doing on Wednesday. Okay. Um, in terms of the Ravens, it it looks like, well, I guess we don’t know what’s going to happen with Lamar Jackson. Um, do you guys prepare as if you’re going to see him or how do you kind of structure? Yeah, you have to plan for both. Um, you know, I I think um, you know, we’re in the early phases of that. I still think it was helpful on that Thursday game to be able to let guys get away. You know, you put that game to bed. Um, you know, and then I think it’s really important for coaches and players to both be fresh. And so, um, you know, we’ll get a jump today. Um, but I did think it was important for guys to be able to, you know, enjoy their families. I think that’s when we get the best out of him. But that’s something that you have to closely monitor. Um, and and be able to have contingency plans for either or um, you know, with us obviously preparing for him. But whether you see, you know, some other guys, um, you do need to have contingency plans. And then two-part question. How did you spend the weekend and and how would you kind of assess where you guys are at? I mean, two losses to two 4 in one teams um you know with some and you and some crazy circumstances in both games. Yeah. No, I I’ll tell you what, Gary, it’s uh it’s unique because um you know, I think both of those games, you know, were very winnable. I think we would all agree on that. U we didn’t we we we could be 5-0. We’re a three-2 football team. I I really like this group though. I love what they’re about. I love the resilience. I love the toughness. I love the ability to stay in the fight. Um I think we’re just looking for more sustained execution throughout. I think we’re looking for, you know, hey, can we provide clarity for from a coaching perspective to allow these guys to go cut it loose. Um I think we’ve learned a lot in the first five weeks and I think there’s still a lot to be had. I think we’ll use these disappointing things that have occurred as an opportunity to strengthen and callous us in ways that just wouldn’t exist otherwise. Um, so I like that because that’s the truth. That’s where we’re at. Um, I spent the weekend, you know, trying to enjoy, you know, some time with my family. My folks were in town. Um, you know, my little boy, my wife. Um, was it as enjoyable as it could have been? No, it wasn’t, Gary. But, uh, but it is, um, I’m excited to get back to work. you know, I was ready to be able to get back with these guys, get moving towards um you know, our goal of playing really good football against a really um good organization, great coaching staff, a bunch of great players. You know, I don’t care what’s happened. This is a prideful team. We better be ready to freaking go this week. Um and I’m excited to attack this preparation. Um you know, with our group to be able to respond accordingly. And um you know, I think you look at the reasons why things haven’t gone down. We need to be able to address those things, but we also can’t lose sight of um how many positives there are. Um I believe we’ve got the right kinds of people. I love this team. I love this coaching staff, and I’m really excited. Um and I’ve never had any sort of growth that’s ever occurred in easy times. You know, you don’t want it to go down like that, but man, we’re going to learn a lot more about ourselves and the people that we’re around, and I think we’re going to like what we see um that wouldn’t exist otherwise if maybe we found a way to pull those games out. So, there’s a heightened sense of urgency that wouldn’t exist. Um, but I like this football team. Um, I think we got a long way to go and I think there’s a lot of improvement to be had, but we’re gonna be all right. Thanks very much. You’re welcome. Sarah, hey Sean, now that you’ve had the weekend, uh, do you evaluate the kicking game any differently than when we talked to you on Friday? Yeah, you I think you lean in. You know, I don’t want to get too granular with you guys for the different reasons that it hasn’t gone down, but there’s going to be an intentional approach. all hands on deck. Um, which that’s always been the case. And, uh, you know, we’ll lean in more than we have. And, um, I just refuse to believe that this isn’t something that we can’t fix. And, and we’re going to continue to fight, scratch, claw, um, you know, to be able to give the the techniques, the fundamentals, get the right people in the right spots, and then ultimately understand um, what is going to be required for us to execute at a high clip in a in a phase that is supremely important. And, um, you know, and it’s cost us through the first five weeks. Do you expect Steve to be available to play? I do. Yep. To start. If he if he plays and practices the way that I believe he’s capable of. Yes. Thank you. St. Hey, Sean. When you um you know, talk about response and just seeing better than you here. What have you liked so far that you’ve um you know, seen with the team’s response even just coming into the building today? And then what does that look like over the course of the week in terms of the things that you look for and try to uphold and whatnot? Yeah, I I think the vibe, the energy, the intentionality, the I think ultimately it starts with us with the clarity. Um the communication, the feedback that’s back and forth between the coaches and the players. Um you know, and then the energy, the vibe, and then the ability to be able to go execute while understanding that football is an imperfect game. Um you know, I think you can feel those things more than anything else. I have zero doubt we have the right kinds of people, Stu. Um I do think that they’re mentally resilient. I think they’re mentally tough. I think that, you know, when you feel m when you care much, you feel much. And I think guys are disappointed and I think that’s okay. But hey, the reality is is that’s in our past. How do we learn from it? And how do we use it to fuel us the right way with that urgency, that sense of enjoyment for the blessing that we have to be able to do this? Um, that’s what I’m looking forward to seeing and I have zero doubt that that’s what we’re going to get. And then if if Omar truly ends up not being able to go on on Sunday, um you know, who who would step up for him or is that something that you guys are still working through right now? We’ll work through that. You know, I got a lot of confidence in Troy. Um you know, you got a lot of confidence in, you know, some of the different guys. Obviously, Dolac, you know, we’re we only have four guys on the roster, but but Troy is a guy that’s shown that he’s more than capable of as is Shawn Dolac, and we got guys on the practice squad, but haven’t gone down, you know, haven’t gotten too far deep into that quite yet. Steel. Appreciate it. Thank you. You’re welcome. Adam Sean, last time we asked about Tyler Higgby, uh, the impression was that he had checked out, like the hip had checked out. C. Can you kind of take us through that timeline and whether or not it was reagravated? Yeah. You know what I think it was? So, he the hip thing was was he did that the week of the Indianapolis game. He pushed through. I don’t I He’s such a tough competitor, Adam, that I think, you know, our job is to sometimes protect these guys from themselves. Really, both he and Rob. Um, and you’re really saying, are we setting them up for successful outcomes? Those guys would play and do everything that they can. We had to kind of make a decision that what was best for them. Um, and then are they able to functionally operate and execute the way that we believe that they’re capable of. Um, and just because that could be a lingering thing, a short week felt like Aaron on the side of caution with him. We’ll see where he’s at on Wednesday. But that was kind of the thought process of why we were a little bit more careful and cautious um against the NerS. And going back to the start of the off season, you know, it was clear run defense was going to be a priority for you guys in terms of room for growth going into 2025. Uh what were the conversations like at the beginning of the offseason in terms of like how to approach that whether it was replacing current players or like kind of what you guys did in terms of like enhancing the group that you had. Yeah. Well, I think it was identifying the guys that maybe we’d want to resign or where is their market. Um, you know, Puna Ford was a guy that we had targeted and um, and then, you know, there was an intentionality about potentially being able to draft and develop like what we’ve done with with Tai Hamilton and continue to lean into the guys that we do have knowing that, you know, their intentionality and the way that they’re being coached by GIF and Drew and, you know, even if you bring the edge guys into that group with with Joe, um, you know, the growth that that would occur there. So, invested in both of those, you know, the interior and the edge, you know, in the draft. Obviously, invested in Puna Ford. He was a guy that um you know we really had a lot of love for based on going against him in Seattle and then watching his body of work and and with the Chargers last year. So those were that’s kind of a little bit of insight into the dialogue for you when you draft a member to the defensive front who like in 203 and 24 who had made their names as pass rushers. Um what is that process of getting buy in in the run game as they develop as pros? Oh, they’re just their competitive character. the these are the right kinds of guys. I mean, you get recognized for that kind of stuff, but these guys understand you earn the right to be able to do that by being stout at the point of attack on the early downs. Um, you know, the competitive character of this group is is so special and I think they’re led by special coaches. And so, you don’t necessarily have to create the buyin. I think it’s more of the big picture understanding of earning those opportunities to be able to rush the quarterback. Um, be in some of those situations where you feel like you more have the pen a little bit defensively. And when you were in camp, week one, week two, what were you looking for to see if the team had made the progress that you wanted to see? I I think the consistency of execution, it’s always hard until you get into those tackle football moments. Um, you know, but are we playing with the fundamentals? Are we killing blocks? Are we, you know, the block destruction? Um, the pursuit to the football, the way that we end up, you know, using the appropriate tackling techniques while not truly tackling, the way that we’re attacking at the football. I think all the things that are key and critical to the fundamentals without actually being able to bring somebody to the ground, but um you know, I’ve been really pleased with that and that’s been a strength of our unit for sure. Thanks, Sean. You’re welcome. And we’ll wrap up with you, Brock. Hi, coach. Hey, when for Kyle Williams, his passing, his craft as a pass catcher has been much improved. What have you seen from his uh the way he approaches the craft and the execution of it? Yeah, you you said Kiran. Yeah, Kairen will. Yeah, he’s he’s I think he’s been a complete back for a while. Um you know, the other night was a great example of, you know, his effectiveness and his efficiency and, you know, I think we’re at our best, Brock, when we’re able to use all five eligibles. And um you know, in a lot of instances sometimes we’re asking those guys to protect. um he was able to be a factor the other night based on just some of the coverage contours and the looks that they were playing and I was really pleased with him, you know, and I think the cool thing about Kairen is is the one that he’ll bring up to you will be the third and six that he expected to be able to catch that could have extended a drive um you know earlier in the game, but did a really nice job. I was uh I was really pleased and and proud of Kairen in the past game. Last time you guys the team went out to Baltimore, Davis Allen had a great day. What have you seen from him throughout this early season? And do you think that you could possibly emulate that performance against this Baltimore defense? Yeah, he did a really good job. You know, Iggy was injured. He had to step up. Um, you know, had a big third down and one conversion that ended up getting called back, then he converts on a third down and long. Um, you know, he he did a really good job. Had a touchdown off of a screen. And so, Davis has always just answered the bell, Brock. I think he’s a physically a mentally tough guy. I think he competes really well at the line of scrimmage. He’s good as a move blocker. got great soft hands. Um, you know, so I think he’s just continuing to ascend into a, you know, a complete tight end and and he showed early signs of that his rookie year that you’re alluding to and and he had a great performance that gave us a chance to win that game against a team that was as hot as anybody at that time. And my last question, coach, is what are your initial takeaways from the entire rookie class in this early part of the season? Yeah, I’ve been pleased. You know, I I think, you know, if you go through each individual, I think it’s still really early um to write the narrative, but I love the way these guys have approached everything. I love the way they’re fitting in. Some guys are getting a chance to play more snaps than others, but I think that’ll be uh, you know, appropriate and I know I I understand what you’re asking. So, I’ve been pleased with those guys and then I’m looking forward to as the season continues to build um watching those guys continue to grow and develop and and become more uh central pieces to what we’re trying to get done. Thank you, sir. You’re welcome. Oh, thank you. All right.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay talks about injury updates on players such as tight end Tyler Higbee, inside linebacker Omar Speights, and more heading into Week 6 as well as insights behind developing the run defense.

0:00 Sean McVay on injury updates
0:54 Preparing for Ravens game
1:44 Learning a lot from the past 5 weeks
4:16 Evaluating the kicking team
4:58 Steve Avila starting Week 5
5:11 Team’s response starting this week
6:16 Confidence in ILB room
6:49 Tyler Higbee hip update
7:46 Approaching the run defense
8:54 Competitive character of the defense
9:39 Team progress from training camp
10:23 Kyren Williams’ performance
11:16 Davis Allen’s early season performance
12:07 Initial takeaways from this draft class

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