Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Robert Zeglinski

Everyone blasted Sean McVay for a fourth-quarter Rams punt while in Lions territory

The Los Angeles Rams had a playoff win in their grasp. Despite red-zone miscues and a defense being besieged by the Detroit Lions (for a half, anyway), the Rams had the Lions on the ropes.

But then Sean McVay decided to turtle at the game’s most critical moment. Now, the Rams are heading to the golf course.

After a controversial non-holding call on Puka Nacua, the Rams were still sitting in Detroit territory. Even on a long fourth-and-14, it was probably worth going for it with only roughly four minutes remaining because L.A. had just one timeout left (also thanks to McVay!). Instead, McVay had Ethan Evans punt the ball away, and the Rams never saw the ball again as their 2023 season officially came to a close.

Woof. A brutal decision that the math agrees with:

I already thought the punt was silly, given the game situation. Now I see it apparently ranks in the 99th percentile of ill-advised punts over the entire season? Oh, my goodness. If that weren’t enough, the Rams settled for not one, not two, but three chip-shot field goals in the loss instead of putting the pedal to the metal. McVay coached scared all around, and the Rams’ last punt was the final cherry on top.

I have a feeling McVay will replay this sequence — including his awful timeout management and general lack of aggressiveness — in his head for a while. He and the Rams will have plenty of time to do so.

Fans blasted Sean McVay's cowardly decision to punt with the Rams' season on the line

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.