Words cannot describe Sean McVay's emotional reaction to Rams' playoff loss

At the end of the Divisional Round between the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 NFL Playoffs, the scoreboard displayed the end to one of the most thrilling and dramatic games played in the postseason. The Rams fell short by a score of 28-22, but the team had an opportunity to sneak out as the winner. The offense drove the football to a third down and two yards to go at the Eagles' 13-yard line with 1:13 to go in the game.

Two downs to move the football two yards. Two downs to get a first down. The Rams could do neither.

It was a game that found the offense passing 44 times, and running just 23 times. Old habits are tough to break. When the Rams play distribution is so skewed towards the passing game, the team is unlikely to win. This game was no exception. The Rams did not run the football often, but they did run effectively. At the final whistle, running back Kyren Williams ran 19 times for 106 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry.

But Williams fumbled the football with 15:00 on the game clock and the offense driving. The turnover would lead to an Eagles field goal that allowed them to increase their lead to 19-15. On the next offensive possession, Rams QB Matthew Stafford fumbled while being sacked. Again, that led to the Eagles kicking another field goal, increasing their lead to 22-15. The Eagles would win by six points.

After his fumble, Williams would only carry the football four more times.

Two turnovers became the margin of victory for the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles had the home-field advantage, a tremendous running back in Saquon Barkley, the benefit of playing three time zones ahead of the Pacific Coast, and snowy conditions. And they ended up winning the game by six points. Those six points were directly attributable to two offensive fumbles.

So close, yet so far.

The loss broke the team's cycle of appearing in the Super Bowl every third year. This is the third three-year cycle, a cycle that began in 2016. But that was not the only thing broken. As per multiple reports, LA Rams Head Coach Sean McVay's heart was broken after the loss.

Coach McVay had been the youngest NFL head coach for many years, and due to the annual coaching carousel, he may reclaim his title again. But he has learned over the years to lead by example, and to support his players in ways that seemed foreign to him in the past.

After the heartbreaking loss, and facing the uncertainty of the next offseason, Coach McVay made it a point to personally welcome and thank every player returning to the visitor's locker room at Lincoln Financial Field. That is the type of Coach that Sean McVay has grown into.

Do emotional moments count? Is there some benefit to an outpouring of emotions for this team? Speaking for myself and my own personal experiences, I know the certain esprit de corps that develops among military trainees that forges life-long bond. Those moments that drive men to tears create a kinship that can be closer than family.

Nothing makes a team faster than facing adversity together. For the Los Angles Rams, a team that began with immense adversity, the group of guys had become a team even before the 2024 NFL season arrived.

Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford epitomized the season in memorable words:

I had wanted to put my finger on the pulse of this team. What drove a 1-4 team to battle so fiercely for the remainder of the 2024 NFL season? How could a team that struggled to find one win in the first five games seem so unbeatable the rest of the way?

In the end, it wasn't Xs and Os on a whiteboard. It was not the driving shouts of a coaching staff on the practice field. It was some less dramatic than that. It was a team of young men who simply rallied around one another and their coaches, not wanted to let one another down.

So I no longer believe in the limits to this team, as in how long can they keep finding success in must-win games. I believe it's the opposite. How long can this team be denied despite the overwhelming efforts of everyone on the team? At some point, this team will compete in a Super Bowl. When that happens, look for them to win.

As always, thanks for reading.

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