Los Angeles Rams - Head Coach Sean McVay - Sunday, Nov. 4
Opening Statement:
"The Saints are an excellent football team. They made enough plays to win. I thought that our team did a great job fighting in the second half. We had some things that didn't go our way in the first half. They (the Saints) jumped out to a 21-point lead. We were able to get a field goal at the end of the first half; and then find a way to tie it up at 35 apiece. I thought that there were some play selections by me; I did not put us in some good spots to try to get us back in the game. The defense tightened up (in the second half). They made the critical plays at the end and did an excellent job. I cannot wait to go back and look at this film and figure out what we can do to get better. Give credit to Coach Payton and the Saints for coming out with a great win today."
On his message to the team at halftime with the 35-17 deficit:
"All you can do is to just take it one play at a time. Things change quickly. (The) Defense got a couple of stops. Offensively, we were able to get into a little bit of a rhythm and finish some drives with touchdowns. Our players are great. They just continue to fight and battle. They do not flinch; they do not blink. We did not make enough plays today. It starts with me being able to look at myself critically. What can I do better for this football team? I can't wait to get back to work tomorrow, try to get better, and get ready for a great Seattle team next week."
On the decision to fake the first half field goal attempt:
"We always talk about it. We are an aggressive, attacking team. If we feel like some of these looks present themselves to try to do that, we have confidence in our players. Unfortunately, it didn't work out in that situation. We came into this game feeling like we had to be aggressive. We wanted to be aggressive. That kind of embodies the identity that we do have. It didn't work out today, but that's not going to stop us from continuing to fight and make sure that we make aggressive decisions that are also smart. Based on the look, we have a lot of confidence in Johnny Hekker. We feel that more times than not, he is going to make that play for us"
On what the Rams did on defense in the second half to slow the Saints offense down some:
"I think that it was just being able to limit the big plays, be efficient on the early downs, and get some third down stops. We were able to sustain some drives offensively. We had a couple of critical stops and got them into some negative situations on some early down and distance and eliminate the big plays for a few series. (Michael) Thomas ended up making a big play at the end. (They) ended up having a fourth down conversion to (Alvin) Kamara on the toss-crack. They did a good job. You can see that that is a football team that has won seven in a row. (I have) a lot of respect for them. We came in here trying to get the win and expected to get the win."
On Drew Brees today:
"Drew is outstanding. I just think that his command and his overall presence…you can see why he is a first ballot Hall of Famer. He made the big-time throws. I thought that he did a nice job on some third downs being able to buy time in the pocket and find some guys down the field a little bit off-schedule when things weren't there in-rhythm. He is a special player, and I have a lot of respect for Drew."
On how his team feels after the loss today:
"We are good. We love it. You find out about yourself when you have a little bit of adversity. I know everybody in that locker room is going to respond the right way. I have full confidence in that. Sometimes setbacks can be setups for comebacks. That is the way that we look at it. I think that the motivation and the desire to move forward in positive ways is something that we challenge everybody in our building to do. I can't wait to go back to work and get ready to go for a tough Seattle team and being back at home. It's a setback, but we are going to respond the right way. I have full confidence in that in our coaches and our players."
On the cornerbacks and the safeties struggling today:
"I think some of the situations dictate whatever coverages we are in. Really, until you go back and look at the film, especially just based on my involvement on it, I would prefer to give it a look at that and figure out what are the things we can all do collectively to try and be better there and in all areas. Everybody can look at ourselves and figure out what we can do better. You see why Drew (Brees) is the all-time leading passer. He did an excellent job distributing the field. He's got great playmakers. Michael Thomas is a guy that doesn't get enough respect in this league for the production that he does have. I've always thought that he is a great player. (Alvin) Kamara is clearly special. Drew has the ability to use all five eligible (receivers) and get them involved in a variety of ways."
On the defensive play call on the Michael Thomas touchdown catch at the end of the game:
"We were in a combination-coverage right there. They ended up getting us where certain guys were doubled and some other guys had some situations where they were able to be one-on-one. We liked the calls right there. We can always look at ourselves and figure out what we can do as coaches and what can the players do to anticipate some of those and know what to expect in that situation from the given offense."
QB Jared Goff
On his thoughts on today's game:
"It was a good, full four quarter game and I think we did show the ability to fight back. I think even a little bit last week and this week, just the ability to be down and be out that we can fight back. We really made it a tight game at one point and we were right there in, just came a few plays short. I think we are just going to learn from it and move on to Seattle."
On the fake field goal and if it shifted momentum some:
"I loved it and I think he got it, so we will see. I haven't seen the replay yet, it was close. I don't know, I think it was still early and things were still about to happen throughout the game. What I think it really come down to was we both had one turnover, both teams, and they capitalized on their end and scored a touchdown and we didn't. That is the end of the story right there."
On the team's message coming into the second half:
"Same thing it always is, to just be ourselves and be poise and continue to execute. Getting that field goal was big and it put us in a position to continue to use that momentum in the next half. Like I said, we fought back hard, I am very proud of the guys, I am very proud of everyone, offense and defense, special teams. The way we fought helped make it a game."
On his interception at the end of the first half:
"I just didn't throw a great ball. He made a good play and I didn't throw a great ball. I thought there was a couple that I would like to have back; you always kind of feel that way when the result is this way, but for the most part I felt they played well on defense and gave us a lot of issues."
On this being the team's first loss of the season and if it relieves any pressure on them now:
"I don't think so. I think we'd put ourselves in a good place winning eight in a row. Coming in here, we knew it would be a tough game and unfortunately we came out on the wrong side, but I don't think so. We are going to take things one at a time and hopefully move on to 9-1 against Seattle."
On having Cooper Kupp back from injury today and how he contributed:
"He was great, he did a great job. Just getting him back. I am just so comfortable with him and everything he does. He is such a great player for us and just getting him healthy is really important."
On his second game playing in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome:
"It was just as loud and a lot of the same stuff involved with that, but I felt more comfortable and more seasoned and everything is not new, it is all stuff I have been through before."
RB Todd Gurley
On his impressions of the game:
"This was a game we have got to finish. I liked the way we played until the end, but obviously, we don't want that outcome or the loss, but you know, it is just another game and we will be able to bounce back next week."
On what the Saints defense did in the first half:
"Nothing we weren't doing. We were scoring points, kind of going back and forth, but we just didn't score enough."
On coming back in the second half:
"That is what we have been doing all year. Last week we were down and were able to come back. The last couple of games have been close, but we have been able to finish them out, (we) just didn't finish this one out."
On his takeaways from the comeback:
"It just tells you what type of team we are. Like I said, we have been able to do this for the last couple of weeks, we just did not come away with this big win. This is a great team and credit to the Saints, they have a great offense, a great defense, and great coaching. They were the better team today and credit them the win."
CB Marcus Peters
On the late touchdown to Michael Thomas:
"Third down and six, I just looked back and tried to make a play on the ball, shit happens like that in football. We were just trying to get in line and get something off and it just happened like that, I got beat. Regardless of communication, I got beat. Once the play starts you have got to go out there and you have to compete. I did, and they got it off for a touchdown."
On the team's first loss of the season:
"No man, how good this team is, we never thought this day would come, because we try so hard together, we know all three phases are going to go out there and compete. That is why we came back at the end of the game, that just shows how tough we are, how together we are, but this is going to be a good thing for us. We are going to go back to work and have an extra edge coming off a loss."
On the defense in the second half:
"That was just great coaching adjustment by coach Wade (Phillips). We came out there and we executed our second half plan, but we just couldn't get off the field on third down, I got beat on the play. I can stand up, I can play better. I have not been playing well these last couple of weeks and am just being honest, but I continue to fight, that is the type of player I am. Who cares if you get beat, but you go out there and you compete to the highest of your ability and stuff happens."
DT Aaron Donald
On this difference between the first and second half:
"We just cleaned some things up and made less mistakes, but we didn't play well in the first half. We need to go watch the film and see where we need to make corrections. They just played good, they did certain things we weren't expected and a few things that slowed us down, but that is a part of the game. You have to find ways up front to put more pressure on them. We tried at times in the first, but did in the second half to get a little bit more."
On the Rams not recording any sacks today:
"He (Drew Brees) did a lot of different things to try and slow us down. In the second half, we did some things to try and open it up and we got some more pressure on him, but he was getting the ball out. Sometimes you have big games, sometimes you get a bunch, some games you get a couple and some you get none. We just have to watch the film to make the corrections and fix it."
On the team's mindset going into the second half of the season with a loss:
"We are going to watch the film, make the corrections and fix things. This was just one game, we will fix it. We are disappointed that we lost, but like I said, we are going to fix it. We aren't panicking, we're not worried. We will make the corrections to fix it and continue to be better."
