“I think it’s also an awesome opportunity for Matthew be able to get rested, rejuvenated and ready to roll for the playoffs. He’s accumulated so much experience, and I think that’s the important thing, while also saying ‘this is an important game for us, we want to go compete to the best of our ability.’ You don’t minimize that, but ultimately, you’re just kind of weighing the pros and cons and tilted in those scales and those are things that we’ve kind of done when we’ve been in similar situations.” – McVay
There are a variety of people who McVay went to for input when making the decision of how to handle the Week 18 game, and he said “you try to have a thought process in regards to why you make these decisions.” Resting Stafford was one of the main motivations, and McVay said that things may be different if they were playing for a bye, but sitting Stafford seemed like the best option considering they can only get the three or four seed. He added that being the three versus the four seed doesn’t make a difference to him because “I know that you’re going to play an excellent team either way.”
McVay doesn’t view this as a tryout for Garoppolo’s potential future with the Rams, but “a great opportunity for Jimmy,” McVay said. He’s been impressed with Garoppolo’s professionalism and approach to learning in a role that he hasn’t been in since early in his career.
The team won’t make any IR moves until after the playoffs, McVay said, when they get two extra return slots and their one remaining one will carry over into the postseason.
“(Being on the bench) gives you a chance to see the defense differently. When you’re in there playing, you got to do what you got to do to get the play run right, to find a completion, whatever it is… you get a different view through a different pair of lenses. On the sideline, you get to see things, you’re not getting hit. So, there’s some new differences there, but it’s been good for me. Staff(ord) has been awesome. He’s very open with telling you what he seen, what he did on this play, which is rare in this league.” – Garoppolo
This will be Garoppolo’s first start with the Rams after signing a one-year deal with Los Angeles this offseason. He’s been learning from a different perspective this season and McVay “does a really good job of explaining (things) in detail too,” he said. “He’ll take the time to slow things down.” He’s studied other quarterbacks on the scout team and experienced the position in a way he hasn’t thus far in his career; as a veteran backup in a new offense.
Garoppolo said “you can find something in everyone’s game and apply it to your own.” He’s done that on the scout team, particularly with passers’ uses of cadence and motion. Getting back into live action for the first time is “never seamless,” Garoppolo said, and he will face adversity at some point. He joked he might get his brother to hit him a little bit this weekend in preparation for his first game action in over a year.
It’s “been impressive” learning from Stafford, Garoppolo said, and the Rams’ quarterback room is “a tight-run outfit” that takes the little details seriously.