The Los Angeles Rams weren’t expected to beat the Baltimore Ravens as 7.5-point underdogs on Sunday, but that doesn’t make their heartbreaking 37-31 loss in overtime sting any less. They were on the cusp of pulling off a big upset over their AFC foes, only to squander the opportunity with costly mistakes throughout the game – from blown coverages to penalties and poor clock management.
Sean McVay was disappointed after the game, but he also expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back. They have a great chance to get back on track in Week 15 when they host the 4-9 Commanders, a game they’re favored by 6.5 points in.
McVay said in his postgame press conference that he’s never been part of a game that ended on a walk-off punt return, but he loves that the Rams were able to go toe-to-toe with a team as good as the Ravens.
“That’s a tough way to go down after the way the game went, but it was two teams going back and forth,” he said. “Being able to go toe to toe in a championship-caliber game late in December. Let’s see how we respond. I think you’re going to be proud of the way that this group responds. This was a tough, hard-earned win for the Ravens today. We’re going to come back swinging.”
The Ravens were viewed as one of the best teams in the league coming into Week 14, owning a 9-3 record. To make things even more difficult for the Rams, the Ravens were at home and coming off a bye, playing in rainy conditions in the early 1 p.m. ET kickoff window.
Everything was working against the Rams, yet they almost pulled off the upset.
“I mean, you look at it, and it’s one of the most complete teams in the league,” McVay said. “They’re as good as anybody on both sides of the football. They’re excellent on special teams. They’re coming off the bye with a great home-crowd atmosphere. It’s OK to hurt right now. That was a gut-wrenching loss. Guys put a lot out there, but we’re not going to let the Ravens beat us twice. I can promise you that.”
The Rams may not be in a great position to make the playoffs, but they’ve already exceeded expectations in 2023 and they now get three favorable matchups as they push to make the postseason. It’s hard for McVay not to be pleased with the way his young team has played.
