Rams focused on playing ‘great for 60 minutes’ at Chicago

LOS ANGELES — After the Los Angeles Rams lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3, Sean McVay addressed his team in the visitors locker room at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Rams lost 33-26 after leading 26-7 early in the third quarter. And after that game, wide receiver Davante Adams said McVay told the team that they would «find out who we are as a result of a loss like this.»

«We’ve shown a lot what it takes to be one of the top teams in this league,» he said of McVay’s message. «But it doesn’t just happen just because you got the guys. You got to play like that in fourth quarters.»

That Week 3 loss is far from the only time the Rams have lost a game they once appeared to have command of. In Week 16, the Rams were on their way to beating the Seattle Seahawks and taking a substantial lead in the NFC, but L.A. went from a 30-14 lead in the fourth quarter to a 38-37 overtime loss.

Carolina Panthers in the wild-card round of the playoffs — and hold them off to win 34-31 and advance.

«What was the difference the other day? We found a way, right?» McVay said. «Here’s the thing I would say: The enemy has a say, and that has been where we think our scars can be our strengths.»

In last weekend’s game against the Panthers, the Rams scored the first two touchdowns to go up 14-0 early in the second quarter.

«What I was proud of is that we found a way to finish,» McVay said. «There have been some instances that we’ve leaned into that we established leads, and we weren’t able to sustain that momentum and make those critical plays to be the difference.

«That was the positive takeaway from the other day, even though I think that we can play a lot better and I expect us to play a lot better.»

Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse pointed to what he learned from that loss to the Eagles, saying, «I thought we got satisfied, especially after the beginning of the third quarter.»

Defensive end Kobie Turner said «momentum is a very real thing,» pointing to the way Carolina was able to score just before halftime to take a 17-14 lead.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is no stranger to the fourth-quarter comeback, sending Los Angeles to the divisional round of the playoffs with a game-winning touchdown pass with 38 seconds remaining at Carolina.

Stafford’s four game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime of a playoff game are double any other Rams quarterback in the Super Bowl era (since 1966), per ESPN Research. Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner had two over that span.

Stafford said while the «emotion» of getting back into a game and having a chance to come back can be «great,» there’s also the issue that «you have to go out there and execute.»

«I feel like you’re never out of a game until the clock’s over or there’s just obviously not going to be enough time,» Stafford said. «But if there’s time on the clock, I feel great about it.»

Going out and executing might be more key given the team the Rams will face the Chicago Bears in the divisional round Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock). Bears quarterback Caleb Williams led his team on seven game-winning drives this season, which ties him with Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix for the most in the NFL this season, per ESPN Research.

«They’re going to keep going,» Verse said of Chicago’s willpower. «It doesn’t matter if they’re down, it doesn’t matter if they’re up, they’re going to keep pushing.»

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In the wild-card round, the Bears scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Green Bay Packers, marking the largest comeback in postseason history, according to ESPN Research.

«In a way, I feel like this game is poetic,» Turner said. «Having a team that is so good at being able to close out and find a way to come away with a win and having that be one of the things that we’ve struggled with this year. And it’s like, if we’re the team that I believe that we are, if we’re the team that this entire organization believes that we are, then we’re going to find a way to be able to close it out in the fourth quarter and that’s going to propel us to whatever it is that will come next.

«But if we get into that situation [with a lead], it’s all right, how do we use all of these things that we’ve learned and that we’ve applied? … Now how do we use that as an impetus to be able to go and do what we want to do? «

But while the Rams are aware of the success their divisional-round opponent has had coming back late in games, McVay said the focus is more on playing «great for 60 minutes.»

And while the coach said «you can take some confidence» from how the Rams came back against the Panthers, McVay also said Los Angeles will be striving for that «consistent execution» against the Bears on Sunday.

«Maybe this week is the week,» McVay said.