The respect for Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay continues to develop.
It’s not simply because the Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, to win Tremendous Bowl 56 Sunday evening, however the best way he dealt with his workforce all through the season and playoffs was admirable.
Critics will say McVay, 36, ought to have gained a title as a result of proprietor Stan Kroenke traded away their most vital draft capital to usher in celebrity skills like quarterback Matthew Stafford, exterior linebacker Von Miller, receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, however there’s a historical past of groups doing this and failing miserably.
McVay introduced in a disruptive persona like Beckham and nonetheless acquired important manufacturing out of him, which reveals he can attain a participant’s soul. Earlier within the 12 months it appeared like solely a matter of time earlier than the Rams imploded — they went 0-3 in November — however they by no means did.
As a substitute, their star gamers all the time got here by in crunch time. It occurred right here in Baltimore on Jan. 2 when the Rams pulled out a 20-19 victory, and once more Sunday evening as Stafford led Los Angeles on a game-winning 79-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard landing cross to Cooper Kupp with about 90 seconds remaining.
Earlier than then, the Rams had solely 52 yards of complete offense within the second half. However on this final drive, Stafford, who accomplished 26 of 40 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns, simply dinked and dunked his method down the sphere. In addition to the game-winning landing, Kupp had 4 catches for 39 yards on the final drive. The sport may not have been determined so late if Beckham Jr. didn’t depart the sport with a knee damage within the second quarter. He had two catches for 52 yards, together with a 17-yard landing catch within the opening quarter.
On protection, deal with Aaron Donald dominated the second half, ending with 4 tackles and two sacks. His last play sealed the sport, as he spun quarterback Joe Burrow round and ensured his fourth-and-1 cross fell incomplete with 43 seconds left. Von Miller ended up with two sacks, however like Donald turned up his recreation within the second half when the offense struggled.
Once more, there can be some who say any coach with affordable information might have gained with this workforce, however the NFL is not nearly X’s and O’s. The Rams gained in that space, as McVay went no-huddle to regulate the tempo and maintain the Bengals in delicate zone coverages. Los Angeles additionally devised a method to liberate Donald one-on-one alongside the road of scrimmage and the identical with Kupp within the slot late within the recreation.
However teaching can also be about constructing a tradition, creating chemistry, controlling social media and having the ability to inspire. The final idea isn’t all the time simple in the case of high-maintenance gamers who make $20 to $40 million a 12 months and demand the ball and the highlight.
McVay made it work in Los Angeles.
Donald ought to have been MVP
Kupp was named the Tremendous Bowl’s Most Worthwhile Participant and few will disagree after he caught eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, however the award ought to have been given to Donald.
Not solely is he the perfect defensive participant within the recreation, however the perfect participant within the NFL.
Cincinnati needed to block him on virtually each play with two, generally three linemen. Give it some thought: That’s greater than 900 kilos of humanity coming at one participant persistently all through the sport, and Donald nonetheless wore them down by the tip of the sport. The final six Tremendous Bowl MVPs have gone to offensive gamers, 4 to quarterbacks.
This award is beginning to turn into just like the Heisman Trophy the place the perfect school soccer participant is normally a quarterback, operating again or receiver. However in case you actually wish to know who the perfect participant on the sphere was, go ask the Bengals’ offensive linemen.
Burrow wants safety
The largest chuckle of the evening was listening to NBC broadcasters talk about the dilemma the Bengals face through the offseason. Ought to they draft extra explosive offensive gamers or offensive linemen?
Let’s see: The Bengals allowed 55 sacks through the common season. They gave up 9 within the divisional-round win in opposition to Tennessee and 7 in opposition to the Rams Sunday evening. They've maybe the perfect younger quarterback within the NFL and there may be debate if he wants higher cross safety?
Actually?
Faculty’s down and out
I really feel dangerous for the youngsters in Cincinnati. Faculties had been closed Monday so there are going to be a whole lot of sad youngsters sitting at dwelling crashing toys into partitions.
Really, I really feel worse for the mother and father as a result of a few of them have to remain at dwelling with their kids. Solely in Cincinnati would such a factor happen, however that’s as a result of the Bengals had not been to a Tremendous Bowl since 1989. The long run seems good, although, with Burrow and younger gamers like receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
I'm wondering what the considering is over at The Fort today. Prior to now, the Bengals had been good for 2 divisional wins a 12 months. This previous season, they blew the Ravens out twice. The Ravens would possibly really feel as little as the mother and father and school-aged kids in Cincinnati.
Raheem Morris’ future
It is going to be fascinating to see if Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris attracts any curiosity from NFL groups as a doable head coach sooner or later.
In addition to being the Rams’ first-year coordinator, he was with Tampa Bay as a defensive high quality management assistant when the Buccaneers gained Tremendous Bowl XXXVII in 2002. Morris, who's Black, has been a head coach within the NFL earlier than, compiling a 21-38 document in 5 seasons in Tampa Bay and Atlanta.
However in each of these conditions, he grew to become a late alternative or interim in unsettled conditions the place the earlier head coaches both give up or had been fired for varied causes.
The knock on Morris, 45, is that he turns into near the gamers, likes to socialize with them an excessive amount of.
That’s a no-no for any coach on any stage. He must be sufficiently old to know higher now.
No calls, no downside
Bengals followers are already complaining about these late cross interference calls on their workforce on the ultimate Rams offensive drive. They're saying the referees acquired too concerned after letting either side be bodily within the first three quarters.
Guidelines are guidelines. Cincinnati acquired the no-call of the sport when Higgins clearly interfered with Ramsey, tossed him to the bottom by his facemask on a 75-yard landing catch on the primary play of the second half.
Cincy people must cease whining; simply go maintain your faculty youngsters.