Rams Coach Sean McVay Not Worried About Playoff Seeding
Few expected the Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs this season, but lo and behold, they have already clinched a berth with a week to go.
Knowing that they are in no matter what, the Rams are opting to rest some of their stars, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive lineman Aaron Donald, in Sunday's regular-season finale against the San Francisco 49ers.
Unlike their opponent, who has already clinched the NFC's top seed, the Rams do still have something to play for. L.A. currently holds the No. 6 seed, and will lock down that spot with a win over San Francisco. However, a loss and a Green Bay Packers win would knock the Rams down to the No. 7 seed.
Despite not locking in their seed just yet, Rams coach Sean McVay is not too concerned on where exactly his team ends up.
Sean McVay
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“I think when you look at the projections, I think they are excellent teams regardless,” McVay told reporters. “There are a couple layers to it and when you look at it, what we’ve just felt like was this approach is the best one for our team. You want to see guys go compete and do well, but that was what we felt like and no matter whether… I know what could occur…everything occurs, and you think you know and you just don’t, right?
"Taking all that into consideration didn’t really feel like the other side of it to try to do something to maintain the sixth or know you could be the seventh was best for our team.”
Of the three possible opponents the Rams can draw, the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions, none will provide an easy matchup. They already lost to the Cowboys and Eagles earlier in the season, and while they haven't yet played the Lions, it would be an emotional game with L.A.'s Matthew Stafford and Detroit's Jared Goff facing their former teams.
Even though they're resting most of their stars, the Rams are still taking the lead-up to Sunday's game very seriously.
"This isn’t like a preseason game," McVay said. "This is, hey, we have to take steps in the right direction. The guys that are playing need to be ready to go and understand that it is about continuously improving and then ultimately those guys that aren’t do a great job leading, continuing to prepare and then being ready to go when the Wild Card comes around.”
