Sean McVay just said what no LA Rams fans wanted to hear in Week 14

9-3 Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is saying the right things at the right times. After flirting with the designation of 'best football team' just one week ago, the loss to the 7-6 Carolina Panthers has absolved the team of being too good too soon.

Some are already scoffing at this team, even as five more winnable games remain on the schedule. The mathematical range of this team realistically falls between 11 wins and 13 wins. But even those impressive projections are not enough to pry head coach Sean McVay from dire warnings for his team if it does not remain focused on success.

"Last week serves as a phenomenal reminder of man, you get all ahead of yourself, we will not even be in the playoffs if we are not careful"

Rams HC Sean MeVay

It's the time of the season when impacts seem to be magnified. For every injury and game outcome, the repercussions are greater because the time to recover is lessened with every week. There are five more games to play out of a 17-game season. Right now, Los Angeles is winning 75 percent of those games. But here come the 3-9 Arizona Cardinals, and just like that, the team has to galvanize once more.

Why did McVay warn the Rams in Week 14 after a humbling loss?

If you focus on the three losses alone, the team had ended the game within one score of its opponent. But that was not the case in 2024, when Los Angeles was thrashed by the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 41-10.

It was the worst loss suffered by the team in the past two seasons, and it stands as a huge billboard for current players on the Rams roster to approach this game with added intensity, focus, and preparation.

LA is reeling off a loss, but many things went right for the team. And the messaging from Coach McVay stands to benefit the team in ways that he seems to prefer. He admits that a bit of adversity stirs the pot for success. And with a team already boasting nine wins, but with both the 9-3 Seattle Seahawks and 9-4 San Francisco 49ers hot on the Rams' heels, the remaining five games are truly make-or-break trials for the Horns.

After bursting out to two victories, the Cardinals have lost nine of their last 10 games, and four consecutive games leading up to this one. Unfortunately, only one of their last 10 opponents was not a playoff contender. Now, they must face a perturbed Los Angeles Rams team.

This is not an easy win for the Horns. Divisional opponents often play their hardest with their backs against the wall. Players are playing for their careers, their future. And the Cardinals are one of the teams that, if they win, will fall behind the Atlanta Falcons in the 2026 NFL Draft selection order.

Still, no 9-3 team places any interest in the draft, and the LA Rams are no exception. There are games to be won, and a playoff berth to be earned. The Cardinals stand in the way of those goals twice in the last five weeks of the season. In Week 14, fans can expect LA to be ready for them.

As always, thanks for reading.