Sean McVay would like to do over one sequence from the NFC Championship Game.
The Los Angeles Rams led 13-10 over the Seattle Seahawks in the first half, and the defense forced a three-and-out with less than two minutes remaining. After a five-yard run from Kyren Williams on first down, the clock stopped on two incomplete passes, prompting the Rams to punt.
Seattle capitalized on the extra opportunity, driving the field 74 yards in 34 seconds to score a go-ahead touchdown. McVay regretted his play-calling decision during an interview with Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio and Chris Simms on Monday.
"I try not to dwell on stuff that really doesn't move me forward," McVay said. "Now, what I do dwell on, that NFC Championship Game. One thing you don’t do in a two-minute situation, don’t put the defense back out on the field. We run it on a first-and-10, and then you know what? Should have run it again. They got three timeouts. We end up throwing it; it goes incomplete. Then we go incomplete on third down, give them three downs. They go score a touchdown. Changes the momentum of that going into the half."
McVay's "major mistake"
Some critics may question another McVay decision in the Rams' NFC Championship Game loss. Down 31-27 with around five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the head coach left his offense on the field for a critical fourth down at Seattle's 6-yard line.
The Seahawks made a stop, and only 25 seconds remained when the Rams retrieved possession. However, McVay stands by his logical call to forgo a field goal when they needed a touchdown.
"There was a lot made about the fourth down and four. I'm going for that all over again," McVay said. "The flow of the game, didn't know if we were going to get another possession. We're down four. Felt good about the momentum, the way Matthew (Stafford) and the guys were playing ... But they made the play, and we didn't."
On the other hand, McVay regrets the "major mistake" of throwing twice to close the first half.
"What I would do differently is handle the end of the first half differently,” McVay said. "Do some different things just overall game management-wise, and those will be the things I never run away from."
