The Los Angeles Rams have just two games remaining in what has been an injury-riddled and difficult 2022 campaign. Sean McVay has managed to find a reason for excitement, though, as he prepares to face his L.A. counterpart in Brandon Staley and the L.A. Chargers.
The Chargers have been able to overcome some injuries on the defense and with their skill positions, clinching a postseason spot for the first time since 2018 after their Week 16 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Staley has been a big part of the Chargers’ new-found success, as his aggressive coaching style has drawn praise throughout the league.
At this point in the season, the Rams have very little to play for. However, individual pride has always been a driving motivator in the NFL, and McVay found pride in taking on the challenge of defeating a coach like Staley.
McVay spoke about the upcoming matchup and what has made the Chargers so successful this season. “I think it’s a great challenge. We’ll jump into the tape here after I finish up with you guys. You guys know the amount of respect that I have for him as a football mind and a football coach, and you can see they’ve done a great job putting themselves in legitimate playoff contention where they’re excellent and I think they are great in crunch time moments.”
“I think everybody has a little bit different spin on it based on their personnel. And how many similarities are there to what [Packers Defensive Coordinator] Joe [Barry] and [Broncos Defensive Coordinator] E [Ejiro Evero] are doing? I’ll be able to kind of be better equipped with those answers once I dive into the tape, but you know it’s going to be a really sound outfit, guys are going to be in the right spots. He does a great job of trying to create a lot of conflict and try to be the aggressor and dictate the terms from his vantage point defensively with the scheme that he runs and the mind that he has.”
This is the first meeting between the Rams and the Chargers since both teams moved into SoFi Stadium and Staley took over as the Chargers head coach after being the Rams defensive coordinator. Staley and McVay’s ties go back years, and the battle of two of the best coaching minds in the league should lead to a great watch.
And even though both teams have little to play for — the Rams eliminated and the Chargers clinched in the postseason — NFL players and coaches very rarely give up on a season. This should be an exciting game and a fascinating chess match between McVay and Staley.
The two teams meet on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023 at 1:25 p.m. PT on CBS, at SoFi Stadium.
Rams-Chargers flexed out of SNF
Originally, the Rams and Chargers Week 17 affair was going to be televised on Sunday Night Football, given the assumption that both teams would be playoff-bound. However, given the lack of playoff implications in this game, the NFL has decided to flex the matchup out of SNF and to a normal 1:25 p.m. slot.
Instead, the Baltimore Ravens — still fighting for the AFC North crown — and the Pittsburgh Steelers — still in the hunt for a wild card spot — will face off in the primetime slot.
