Sean McVay Takes Blame for Costly Play Call in Rams’ Loss to 49ers

Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams are 3-2 after a divisional loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday at SoFi Stadium.

Sean McVay Takes Blame for Costly Play Call in Rams’ Loss to 49ers

Sean McVay (Image via Bleacher Report)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

In a heated divisional rivalry, the San Francisco 49ers upset the Los Angeles Rams 26-23 in a closely contested overtime match. And the Rams head coach Sean McVay was upset and visibly frustrated at the press conference for his part in the loss.

Instead of attempting a 29-yard field goal that would have tied the game at 26 with just over 3:40 remaining in overtime and handed possession back to the 49ers, Sean McVay chose to stay aggressive. On the ensuing fourth-down attempt, Kyren Williams was stopped at the line of scrimmage, and the gamble backfired.

In the press conference, McVay was not happy with his play-calling. He didn’t even let the reporter finish the question before exploding about his regret. McVay was flat and blunt with his response.

It’s a bad call. It’s a bad call by me.

According to McVay, there were no intentions to attempt a field goal. Nonetheless, McVay confessed that he wished he had called for the three-point and tied the game.

No. No. In hindsight, I wish I would’ve. But we came in here to try to win the football game. It didn’t go down for us. That wasn’t even a thought.

McVay’s regrets stemmed from putting his players in a bad spot. He added that he had to live with the regret of losing a crucial divisional match, but he hoped to come out stronger from this mistake and be better. The Niners and the Rams were both 3-1 heading into Thursday, and a win in that controversial matchup would have cemented a top spot in the NFC West.

Sean McVay balances accountability and support as the Rams eye key adjustments

Sean McVay did not shy away from taking accountability and admitted his fault for not calling for a tie and being aggressive with his play-calling. However, the Los Angeles Rams had a few other issues other than the final-minute failures.

Sean McVay
Sean McVay (Image via SI)

Speaking candidly to reporters, McVay acknowledged shortcomings across multiple areas, with particular focus on the Rams’ secondary. He praised the competitiveness of his cornerback group but emphasized the need for improvements in coverage, discipline, and execution.

I’m going to really do a deep dive into this tape. I really like the group of players that we’re working with. We want to continue to find ways to be able to put them in good positions to have successful outcomes.

Beyond the defensive lapses, another turning point came late in the game, Kyren Williams’ fumble, a play McVay was quick to discuss. Rather than placing blame, McVay doubled down on his support for the young running back, highlighting his resilience and playmaking ability.

The first thing is you let him know you love him and you appreciate him as a competitor… I think you want to make sure that you let guys know that you number one, love them unconditionally, you support them, and you want to try to be able to give them the tools to solve the problems.

Looking ahead, the Rams’ immediate schedule presents fresh challenges. A banged-up Ravens squad awaits in Baltimore, followed by a high-profile London matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars before a much-needed bye week. With injuries mounting across the league and playoff races tightening, McVay is keen to correct flaws now rather than allow them to linger.

For a team that has shown flashes of promise but remains inconsistent, McVay’s urgency is well-placed. The Rams have talent on both sides of the ball, but execution and discipline have repeatedly undermined their efforts.

Also Read: 3 Young QBs Who Can Establish Themselves as Franchise Starters in Week 5