McVay explains away mistakes from Stafford
Quarterback has six turnovers in last three games, but coach isn’t calling him out.
The Rams’ record fell to 7-4 with a 36-28 defeat to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
What we learned from the loss, which extended the Rams’ losing streak to three games:
Sean McVay won’t criticize Matthew Stafford ... or acknowledge that the quarterback needs to play better.
Stafford once again turned over the ball twice. He lost a fumble that the Packers quickly converted into a touchdown, and had an interception returned for a touchdown for the third game in a row.
Not coincidentally, the Rams’ losing streak reached three games.
Former starter Jared Goff had some headscratching streaks of errors during his five seasons with the Rams. He lost fumbles that exasperated fans and McVay — but he never gave up three pick-sixes in a row.
McVay eventually tired of it and called out Goff, saying “our quarterback’s got to take better care of the football.”
But McVay apparently won’t go there with Stafford, a 13th-year pro. Every one of his six turnovers in the last three games, McVay said, had a different narrative.
That makes perfect sense, but so did Goff ’s mistakes.
Odell Beckham Jr. can go deep.
In his second game with the Rams, Beckham scored his first touchdown on a 54yard strike from Stafford.
Beckham played 61 of 62 offensive snaps. He was targeted 10 times and caught five passes for 81 yards.
The Rams still miss receiver Robert Woods, who caught passes and eagerly performed less-glamorous tasks that helped make the offense go. But Beckham showed that he can provide a big-play option.
McVay said Monday that Beckham suffered a hip injury during the game, but that it was not expected to affect his status for Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at SoFi Stadium. McVay described the injury as a “posterior hip pointer” that will be treated and padded during the week of preparation.
The star-studded defensive front has yet to live up to expectations.
Aaron Donald is a threetime NFL defensive player of the year and future Hall of Famer. Von Miller is also no doubt bound for the Hall of Fame. And Leonard Floyd is a rising star.
But their second game together was no sack-fest.
All got hits on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but he was sacked only once, by tackle Greg Gaines.
It marked the second time in as many games that the opposing quarterback got the ball out quickly and avoided poor decisions that might have led to interceptions.
Offensive coordinators are successfully scheming around Jalen Ramsey.
The Rams star cornerback is an outstanding player — but he can’t be everywhere at once.
So, Packers coach Matt LaFleur, as did 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, put the onus on less-heralded Rams players, forcing them into mismatches and mistakes.
Rodgers completed passes to nine receivers. Packers receiver Davante Adams caught eight passes for 104 yards. Cobb had four catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
The field-goal unit has been great, but those special teams ...
Matt Gay kicked two more field goals. He has made 20 of 21 attempts. Rookie Robert Rochell provided a bright spot when he recovered a fumble by Randall Cobb on a punt return.
But J.J. Koski fumbled on a punt return. And punter Johnny Hekker was inconsistent again.
Meanwhile, Corey Bojorquez, traded by the Rams in favor of Hekker, pinned the Rams at the one-yard line with a 61-yard kick.
Running back Sony Michel returned four kickoffs, including one for 28 yards. It was the first time Michel returned kickoffs since returning four for the New England Patriots in 2018.
“He had expressed some interest in doing it,” McVay said. “We don’t have a lot of guys that are experienced in that role.
“He is a tough, physical, downhill runner that is fearless . ... There were some positives, and definitely some things we can learn from.”