The Los Angeles Rams are set to take on their first of two joint practices with the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. While head coach Sean McVay is excited to go against another team, he is not particularly interested in the fact that the two teams represent the same city. Instead, McVay is focused on being “able to test our rules, to be able to compete, but do it in a smart way where we’re minimizing the risk for injury.”
Los Angeles Rams Practice With Chargers About Getting Better
“The LA thing doesn’t really have anything to do with it for us,” McVay.
While McVay may not be interested in the “Battle for LA,” as it were. The players may have a different view. The Rams have often been known to be a highly disciplined team, but joint practices in years past have boiled over. That isn’t unusual league-wide, but it is a break in character for the focused teams that McVay captains.
Heading into the 2021 season, they planned to have two joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders but canceled after the first turned into a brawl. Ahead of the 2022 season, Aaron Donald wielded two helmets when the Ram’s practice with the Cincinnati Bengals devolved into a street fight, ending that joint early.
Sean McVay: “I’ve always really enjoyed these”
McVay’s countenance on the subject didn’t waiver from the all-business approach throughout his answer about the potential animosity and sees the opportunity as refreshing.
“I feel really good about talking with coach [Jim] Harbaugh, kind of about the rules of engagement. They’re very much in alignment with how they practice is how we practice. And our guys know how important it is for us to be able to go get that work. This is about that time where you’re tired of going against one another. There’s a certain familiarity and I think it’ll be healthy for us to be able to see each other, to see another team.”
McVay has always “really enjoyed these” and perhaps despite those earlier practices that went awry, they were able to get what they ultimately wanted out of their joint practices.
“We’re just looking forward to getting some good work and really testing our rules.” McVay said “And fortunately, if we have some things that don’t go down the way that we want, there’s no consequences and we’ll be able to learn from it and be better for it.”
