Sean McVay didn’t sugarcoat anything after the Rams’ 18-16 home loss to the Cardinals.
For a team that could point to explanations for its first three defeats, Sunday left no easy out. The Rams had already been able to frame losses to the 49ers in Australia, the Broncos in Denver, and the Bills as games shaped by travel, a controversial pass interference call, and special teams issues.
None of that applied this time. Arizona came in on a four-game losing streak, and still walked out with the win.
McVay said the Rams were undone by “critical errors” and the kind of self-inflicted mistakes that keep showing up. He made it clear he’s still searching for the fix.
“I don't have those answers right now, otherwise it would've gotten fixed,” McVay said.
His overall verdict on the afternoon was even more direct. “Nothing positive I can say about today,” he told reporters, calling it, “A humbling day.”
The Rams’ offense again failed to get much going, not reaching double-digit points until the final minute of the fourth quarter. But the mistakes extended beyond the scoreboard. Tyler Higbee’s fourth-quarter fumble was a costly blow, and an unnecessary roughness penalty helped speed up the Cardinals’ game-winning drive.
McVay pointed to the root problem without dancing around it.
“We won't win a game unless we figure out how not to beat ourselves,” McVay said. “Just so many unforced errors, so many things that are not in alignment with what we want to do, specifically on the offensive side of the ball.”
The Rams’ next four games all come against opponents at .500 or worse, but Sunday was a sharp reminder that nothing can be assumed, even for a preseason Super Bowl favorite.
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