The Los Angeles Rams will have to navigate life without star wide receiver Puka Nacua, who is headed to IR after injuring his knee against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
This injury stings even worse because it happened on the Rams’ final offensive play of the game, when Nacua was rushing the ball on a jet sweep.
Rams head coach Sean McVay expressed his regret on this play call and what it led to when speaking with the media on Monday.
“It’s things you think about. If I would have known that would have occurred on the last play, that it ends up cutting up instead of being able to circle like the previous one we had. I’m kicking myself about those things,” McVay said.
The Rams also lost Davante Adams to a hamstring injury on the Rams’ penultimate possession in their 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
“I’d be lying to you if I said I haven’t questioned the decision making on that last play over and over in my head of what could have been another option, that you felt like could have gotten a conversion and maybe end of the game that would have led to him not taking a violent hit to his right knee,” he added.
“It’s stuff that I feel tremendous responsibility for, and we have to be able to figure out how to protect these guys while also putting them in positions that help our team and allow them to be able to shine.”
In other words, McVay is placing a lot of the blame on himself (or at least his play-calling) for Nacua’s injury.
Hindsight is 20/20, and McVay could not have known this play call would lead to one of the league’s best players getting hurt.
But that has not stopped him from kicking himself over it.
The Rams are 5-4 and one game behind the Green Bay Packers for the final Wild Card spot in the NFC. However, four of their next five opponents are also playoff contenders, making the injury ill-timed.
