Sean McVay delivers an emotional message after Rams' heartbreaking loss

The Los Angeles Rams had no business winning after Saquon Barkley scored a 78-yard rushing touchdown to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 13-point lead with under five minutes remaining.

Sean McVay's team never gave up. It summed up their season. Nobody gave them a shot after they fell to a 1-4 start in October, but they kept believing, and a 10-3 run helped them reach the NFC's final four.

They almost pulled off another miracle on Sunday afternoon. Barkley's touchdown proved to be the game-winner, but the Rams fell 13 painful yards short of a stunning victory inside a snowy Lincoln Financial Field. Had it not been for a brutal missed call by the refs on the final play, we might be talking about a different finish to Sunday's divisional-round showdown.

The harsh reality is the Rams' Super Bowl dreams are over. What does it mean for Matthew Stafford's future? That's the number one question facing this team in the offseason.

Before that, McVay took time to discuss his pride and love for this year's team.

Sean McVay is proud of Rams' efforts despite last-second loss to Eagles

The Rams overcame the odds to even reach this stage of the postseason. They had a chance to win, but it wasn't to be. Speaking to reporters after the game, McVay said he had no doubt they would come back in the game.

"I didn't see it going any other way than us winning that game, 29-28. I think this game, in a lot of ways, epitomized the resilience, the grit, the ability to overcome adversity," said McVay. "Just had a couple things that we couldn't overcome. There will be some things that we can learn from, but this is the time for gratitude, for appreciation."

The number one takeaway? McVay is incredibly proud of his team.

"I love this group, I love this coaching staff, I love these players, and I also understand and appreciate how difficult it is to be in positions like this where you've got the game in hand," McVay said. "I feel like we had total control toward the latter part of that game. Momentum was in our favor and we had an opportunity to win that game, and we just came up short."

That's what makes it so painful. No playoff exit is easy, but the Rams had a real chance to win at the end. A sack on Stafford on 3rd-and-2 from the Eagles' 13-yard line effectively ended it, making the incoming fourth-down failure far more challenging than it needed to be.

The Rams enter an uncertain offseason. Who will start at quarterback in Week 1 next September? That remains to be seen.

The season didn't end the way we hoped, but Rams fans have every reason to be proud of this team's efforts. They could've given up at 1-4. They could've quit when Barkley gave the Eagles a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter.

They didn't know when they were beaten and fought until the end.

More Rams News, Analysis, and Rumors