Sean McVay just proved why he bucked his own Rams tradition in Week 18

The 12-5 Los Angeles Rams have halted a concerning two-game losing streak, and now are pivoting for the NFL playoffs. But if you followed the game, it appeared as though the team was content to lose its third game. That would have been a disaster, as it would have come at the hands of the 3-14 Arizona Cardinals.

Los Angeles trailed all the way until just under one minute remained in the third quarter.

This was supposed to be a 'get right' game. And while that eventually happened, LA needed nearly the entire game to get there. The Cardinals' first punt did not occur until the fourth quarter. The Rams scored touchdowns on their final three possessions (excluding kneeling in under two minutes to run out the game clock).

This was a game in which patience was necessary.to fully appreciate the Horns' effort. For much of the game, it was a seesaw battle that left fans both optimistic and frustrated. It was not until the final quarter that the version of the LA Rams bound for the postseason began to appear.

When that happened, head coach Sean McVay proved why he bucked his own Rams tradition in Week 18

The Rams needed four quarters in Week 18 to reset

The challenge for Sean McVay was determining the best way to get this team back on track. After all, the team had lost three of its previous five games. With another loss, the team would have carried the stink of a three-game losing streak into the postseason, as well as losing four of its final six games.

It was the stunning loss to the 8-9 Atlanta Falcons in Week 17 that persuaded McVay to play his health starters in Week 18. But even with the commitment to play all the starters, he limited that to his healthy starters. That meant that many key starters would sit out in Week 18, inlcluding wide receiver Davante Adams, and right guard Kevin Dotson.

But the key was getting veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford one more game to finish the season. In the Week 17 loss, Stafford tossed three interceptions to just two touchdowns. In Week 18, he rebounded by tossing four touchdowns and no interceptions.

But many elements of the Rams roster contributed to the victory. The pass rush erupted for six quarterback sacks. The defense created two turnovers. The run defense held the Cardinals to just 79 rushing yards. Three different receivers caught touchdowns, and four players caught multiple passes.

While the special teams remain a huge concern, coverage units were respectable, and LA put up 143 return yards in this one. Even punter Ethan Evans had a solid performance.

It took four quarters to get there. But this team worked through challenges to find its strength and resolve once more. And just in time too, as the team must now travel for a rematch with the 8-9 Carolina Panthers, the team that started the team spiraling downward in Week 13.

As always, thanks for reading.