Why Los Angeles Rams Sean McVay Should Win Coach of the Year Award
Who has a better case for winning this season's Coach of the Year award better than the Los Angeles Rams' Sean McVay?
While the Rams' having their spot in the postseason clinched may not have been a surprise two years ago, but rather an expectation. Following the Rams' nightmare Super Bowl hangover season a year ago, where they fell off the top of the NFL mountain to a 5-12 record, they have managed to restart their ascent.
The story of the Rams' bounce-back season and the case for McVay being recognized as the "Coach of the Year" starts this past offseason. Despite being one year removed from winning the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy, the Rams decided that their once Super Bowl-winning roster needed to be remodeled after their disastrous season.
But how exactly? In years past, general manager Les Snead made a name for himself with his ability to make blockbuster trades that commonly saw him exchange his NFL Draft picks for star players. However, Snead took a complete 180, as he decided to hold onto his picks and offload many of those star players he had once acquired.
Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay is a serious candidate to win the NFL's Coach of the Year award.
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The Rams offloaded players like Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner, and Leonard Floyd, among many others, leaving all that remained of their stars from the Super Bowl-winning team were Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, and Matthew Stafford. The roster "remodel" also saw the Rams acquire $75 million in dead money and boast a roster that had 19 rookies.
It seemed like the Rams were again set for a "down year." Yet, that hasn't been the case. Instead, McVay has the Rams entering their regular season finale against the San Francisco 49ers with a 9-7 record and a spot in the postseason already clinched.
Despite many believing that filling out a roster with 19 rookies couldn't lead to a playoff appearance, it has worked for the Rams as L.A. has also benefitted greatly from a rather healthy season from their three roster "pillars" in Stafford, Kupp, and Donald.
Additionally, even when the likes of Kupp missed time due to injury, they were able to find success without him, in large thanks to the emergence of fifth-round rookie receiver Puka Nacua.
Nacua is one of the leading candidates to win the NFL's Rookie of the Year award, as he leads the Rams with 1,445 yards and five touchdowns on 101 receptions. With Nacua, the Rams now have another dynamic receiver to pair with Kupp. But it hasn't only been the passing game that has seen the Rams offense take off.
After a few seasons of an inconsistent run game, the breakout of Kyren Williams has brought balance to the Rams' offense. Williams became the team's first 1,000-yard rusher since Todd Gurley in 2018 and is well on his way to earning himself a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Combine that with the Rams' defense, which has been serviceable despite being fairly young. They've also had their fair share of breakout players like rookie defensive tackle Kobie Turner and edge rusher Michael Hoecht.
While one game will certainly not make or break McVay's candidacy, a win on Sunday over the 12-4 Niners could only help as it'd mean the Rams would've doubled their wins from last season.
