In a major NFL development, it’s become clear the past two years that Sean McVay still has the fire in his belly.
While that’s bad news for Rams opponents, it’s good for football lovers.
There’s no more talk that McVay — certainly one of the NFL’s better head coaches — might be burned out.
Three-plus years ago after he became the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl, McVay hit the pause button on a career in which 100-plus-hour work weeks arent unusual. He said he wanted to make sure he still had the necessary desire and energy to lead the Rams. The prospect of marriage and fatherhood, he said, had led him to give more thought to his career path.
After considering a move into media work, McVay decided to remain with the Rams.
He knew the job would become more difficult. Because of an aging roster and scarce premium draft capital, it would be a while before L.A. could contend for another NFC West title, much less a Super Bowl.
Did McVay have what it takes to engineer a rebuild?
The first season after the Super Bowl victory, 2022, the Rams went 5-12 — their first losing season under McVay.
The harsh medicine was worth it.
Rams talent man Les Snead and McVay drafted 14 players three months later. Thirteen of them have appeared in no fewer than eight NFL games.
Rams offensive linemen Jonah Jackson, left, and Steve Avila, right, returned to practice this week, head coach Sean McVay told reporters during his Monday conference call. Jackson, who has missed the last six games with a shoulder injury, is expected to return for next Monday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. Avila’s progress will be monitored throughout the week, but McVay did not rule out entirely the possibility of the second-year lineman returning this week from the MCL sprain that has kept him out since Week 1. (AP Photo/David Dermer)TCU blocker Steve Avila, taken 36th overall, was the Rams first player chosen. He started 18 games last year as a rookie. A pair of third-round selections dropped into the defense’s front seven — linebacker Byron Young (Tennessee) and tackle Kobie Turner (Wake Forest) — have combined for 25 career sacks. A fifth-round choice out of BYU, receiver Puka Nacua has caught 117 passes for 1,638 yards and six touchdowns.
Last year’s team went 10-7, earned a wild card and lost its playoff game at Detroit, 24-23, to a Lions team that went on to the NFC title game.
Could the 24 Rams build on that breakthrough?
For football geeks, an interesting part of that answer would be determined by Snead and McVay’s big bet on the offensive line’s interior.
Between the tackles, the Rams went large — not just with their free-agent contracts but also the size of the three blockers.
Avila is a large center at 6-foot-4 and 338 pounds. Signed to big multi-year deals in March were two veteran guards in their late 20s: ex-Lions mainstay Jonah Jackson, a 27-year-old who stands 6-4 and 315 pounds; and powerful ex-Steelers starter Kevin Dotson, 28, a 330-pounder and August 23 trade acquisition. Jacksons deal included $25.5 million guaranteed. Dotson received $24 million guaranteed.
Injuries to Avila and Jackson have limited each player to fewer than 200 snaps this season, but both blockers returned to practice Thursday.
So with Jackson projected to play Monday night against the Dolphins and Avila a candidate to return later this month, the Rams (4-4) may find out later this season if the interior phalanx can perform as envisioned in March.
A healthy left-to-right trio of Jackson, Avila and Dotson (who played every snap) might make the Rams more entertaining to watch. A year ago McVays increased emphasis on north-south rushing and gap-style blocking bore fruit. In the meantime, rookies Beaux Limmer and Justin Dedich, have allowed no sacks at center and left guard, respectively,
Tree thriving
Once again, several NFL offenses shaped by former offensive assistants to McVay are rewarding viewers.
Coach Matt LaFleur’s Packers are ninth in points despite multiple injuries to starting quarterback Jordan Love. The Packers, adapting well, went 2-0 behind backup Malik Willis.
The Vikings are eighth in points under Carlsbad’s Kevin O’Connell, their head coach/playcaller who was McVay’s coordinator on the Super Bowl winner. Sam Darnold, 27, is having a career-best first season under O’Connell.
Longtime McVay assistant Zac Robinson’s first coordinator gig has coincided with the Falcons standing 12th in points scored, a year after they finished 26th. (Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, a March arrival, rose into NFL prominence while working with McVay in Washington.) The Falcons (6-3) might be headed to their first postseason since 2017. Their head coach, Raheem Morris, hired in January, was McVays defensive coordinator on L.A.s Super Bowl winner and the following two teams.
Under first-year coordinator Liam Coen, McVays OC in 2022, the Bucs stand fifth in points. Monday night, Coens offense fared well versus the savvy Chiefs despite missing two star receivers.
For all of McVays successes, the coach remains young for the profession. Hes 38.