The Los Angeles Rams have held the number of most teams in the NFC West division under head coach Sean McVay, save for Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers.
The rivalry has been one-sided as of late with the 49ers securing yet another season sweep during the 2020 campaign. It has gotten to the point players like free safety Jimmie Ward have fond memories of the matchup.
Ward has enjoyed plenty of success versus the Rams while playing an integral role in the secondary. It is for this reason that he remains perplexed about their game plan that features plenty of action coming his way.
Ward called out McVay on his supposed affinity for going his way so often, via Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated:
“Yeah. What’s with their coach (Sean McVay)? Does he have the big head? I don’t want to say he has the big head, because I think he’s a hell of a coach. But what does he have against me to make him go at me every game and lose? And I don’t even talk s— when we play the Rams. I don’t remember me talking s—. But I’ve had some good games against them. I don’t understand why he tries to go at me. I think I would try to go at somebody else.
“If you look at my track record, you’d be like, ‘Damn, this m—– f—– dominated against the Rams.’ I even blocked a punt against them. Why even go at me? I don’t know, maybe there’s film. I wish I knew what offensive coordinators think of me. Do they say, ‘We’re going to go at this guy, he doesn’t cover as well, doesn’t tackle well.”? I don’t think they say that. I just would like to know.
“I know (McVay) is going to try to at me this year. I’ve been talking a lot of s—. I’m pretty sure it’s going to get to him, so we’ll see. I’ll get more balls thrown to me, so I’ll get more action, and if I can back up what I’m talking about now and this whole offseason, hopefully I’ll get paid more money.”
Ward is clearly doing what he can to keep the flames of this rivalry going into the 2021 NFL season. Of course, he has managed to back up all the trash talk with both his individual play and the 49ers’ success over the Rams
Ward is currently 4-1 against McVay since his arrival back in 2017. He has registered 23 tackles and three pass defenses while playing every defensive snap in those games.
Fortunately, things are much different on the Rams’ front this time around with the acquisition of quarterback Matthew Stafford. Not only that, they managed to revamp the receiving corps around him with some explosive weapons.
Ward and the rest of the league are expected to have their hands full with this group next season. It is safe to say that his comments and those of other doubters will not go unnoticed.
