Sean McVay said everything Rams fans needed to hear about Ty Simpson

Ty Simpson had about as good a preseason debut as anyone could have drawn up for the Los Angeles Rams' rookie first-rounder. Naturally, it comes with a grain of salt; it is, after all, the preseason, and he faced mostly the bottom of the Chiefs' depth chart after Stetson Bennett handled the first quarter.

Still, completing 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and a pair of touchdowns is a noteworthy box score, even in an exhibition game. Simpson really got going in the fourth quarter, once head coach Sean McVay opened up the playbook a bit more. 

Most importantly, Simpson looked poised and in control while executing what McVay asked of him. McVay's post-game assessment was everything Rams fans needed to hear.

"I thought he took what the defense gave him. He read the plays out, read with his feet. I thought he did a really good job overall. ... I thought he kept the ball in play, you know, that's the biggest thing is keeping the ball in play," the Rams coach said. "He made good, smart decisions. We always talk about decision, timing, and accuracy, and I thought that was on display."

Ty Simpson is already (mostly) making the right reads

Seeing Simpson in full command of the offense was a reassuring sign for spectators who, alongside giddy excitement at seeing the 13th pick in action, also harbored a twinge of dread. If things went wrong - if Simpson looked like the inexperienced rookie he is - their social media feeds would blow up with a new wave of criticism. 

Instead, Simpson shut his skeptics down. 

It wasn't perfect, of course. McVay pointed out a play where he thought Simpson dumped it off too quickly, rather than going through the full course of his downfield progressions:

"There was one situation that we'll have a great learning opportunity on a third down where, you know, they kind of play man coverage. We ended up throwing it to the flat to Max Klare. I think the pocket might have allowed him to be able to progress, but otherwise it was a really good day for him."

Citing a different point in the game, however, McVay also praised Simpson for a third-down checkdown that gained field position for a Rams punt, instead of forcing a throw that wasn't there. 

Later in the game, Simpson read the defense perfectly on a red-zone completion to CJ Daniels, setting up a second touchdown pass to running back Dean Connors. McVay called out Simpson's earlier read on a dump-off to Connors that produced a nice gain.

"He just felt like he was in good command and it was cool to see a good smile on his face," McVay said.

McVay's praise should have Rams fans excited for Simpson's growth

McVay's specific points of praise are even more encouraging. Decision-making. Timing. Accuracy. Footwork. All can be suspect in a rookie QB, and while Simpson has a long way to go in all four categories, impressing McVay in his first 'real game' is a fantastic start.  

Of course, it's only one preseason game, against second-, third-, and fourth-string defenders. McVay will opt for a positive spin when possible, although he also demands accountability. 

But it certainly seems as if Simpson is on the right track, from both the on-field evidence and the way McVay, Matthew Stafford, and offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase have talked about him.

He entered the game with the right mindset, not trying to do too much, focusing on the fundamentals. Simpson said afterwards that he focused on getting the ball to his playmakers, like Connors and his tight end Klare. 

He came in with a sound plan, executed it, and should only keep building on a foundation that already has his coaches impressed. Blue and Yellow faithful can hardly wait to see how Simpson looks against the Saints in preseason game No. 2.

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