When the Los Angeles Rams hired a 30-year-old offensive coordinator from Washington in 2017, they altered the course of their franchise. Since his arrival in Los Angeles, Sean McVay has led the Rams to three NFC West divisional titles, two NFC championships, two Super Bowl appearances, and one Super Bowl victory, while also becoming one of the NFL’s most consistent coaches. He had a winning record in five of his first six years as a head coach and is on track to win his sixth in seven this season.
That said, it’s hardly surprising that McVay now has a chance to tie, if not break, a team record set in 1994 this season. McVay would join former Rams head coach Chuck Knox for second all-time in total wins with 69 if the Rams beat the Giants on Sunday. McVay is also only six wins away from tying head coach John Robinson for the franchise record, which he may achieve if the Rams go on a huge Super Bowl run this season.
McVay has impressed both fans and pundits this season, despite the fact that preseason projections put Los Angeles as one of the worst teams in the NFL. This was due to the team’s roster being virtually 50% rookies, and the franchise having little cap capacity for large free agent additions. They were also 5-12 in an injury-plagued 2022, with many seasoned players leaving via free agency or trade.
Despite this, McVay’s club is now sitting in sixth place in the NFC Playoffs with an 8-7 record. Rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua appears to be the likely Offensive Rookie of the Year, while defensive draft picks Kobie Turner and Byron Young lead the defensive line in almost every rookie stat category. Kyren Williams, a second-year running back whom McVay believed could handle a starting job despite not seeing many major snaps his rookie year, is the Rams’ first 1,000-yard rusher since 2018.
McVay also smartly persisted by his quarterback Matthew Stafford despite ailments and retirement rumors, even though most had written him off. Stafford suddenly appears to be rejuvenated in McVay’s overhauled offense, with a passing rating of 93.0, 3,648 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions.
He’s helped players like CB Ahkello Witherspoon, LG Kevin Dotson, and WR DeMarcus Robinson go from outcasts on their previous teams to vital, successful players in Los Angeles. Dotson, in particular, has been regarded as one of the league’s greatest right guards this season.
Los Angeles controls their own destiny; win the next two weeks and they will be in the playoffs. However, regardless of postseason berth, one thing is certain: Sean McVay should be nominated for Head Coach of the Year this season, and is already one of the best head coaches in team history. After recommitting to Los Angeles this offseason, he appears to have plenty of coaching ahead of him, so it will be intriguing to see if McVay goes down as the greatest Rams coach ever, especially given that he is still the league’s youngest head coach.
Leave a Reply