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Sep 21, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay walks from the tunnel for action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Why the Rams, McVay Must Pivot After Week 3

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Brock Vierra | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 1:47 PM ET

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams head coach had to once again shake Nick Sirianni's hand in defeat, the fourth defeat to Sirianni in three years.

This point should mark a crossroads for the Super Bowl champion. Let's not mince words, anyone who has covered McVay or witnessed his tremendous rise over his young career understands that the man is different. He caused a ripple effect across the league from his early success, being hired as a head coach for a failing franchise at 30, leading the team to a Super Bowl at 33, and winning one at 36.

However, this January, the Rams' head man turns 40, and one has to wonder what's next for him. Outside of his family, coaching remains his ultimate love. However, the work only pays off when glory awaits but for a man who is 0-4 against Sirianni, the current holder of the Lombardi, who is 0-5 against Matt LaFleur, the man with the NFL's best defender, who is trying to hold off three coaches made of similar stuff in Kyle Shanahan, Jonathan Gannon, and Mike Macdonald in the division, what's next for McVay?

The Dawn of Change

McVay isn't satisfied with one title. That isn't who he is nor is satisfaction in his blood. His grandfather didn't build the Golden Dynasty because he was satisfied, and in 2025, the loss to Philadelphia and the seconds after the realization of the loss hit McVay, are the seconds that are about to define the McVay-led Rams in his 40s.

I remember when McVay first became head coach, he had a different...dare I say aura about him if not straight up attitude. This was a man who simply did not care. This was peak McVay.

He couldn't care because he couldn't hide. He was the youngest coach in the NFL during a time when people didn't get interviews until they were at least in their 40s. So he came out swinging.

His offense was the best in the NFL, he had the defense to back him, and he wanted to take on hell with the confidence that he'd win against any devil.

This was a man who took on Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid at their offensive peak, when no one knew how to stop them and held the ship steady to defeat the duo in the greatest regular-season game of all time...at 32 years old.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

That was not the man on Sunday but it will be next Sunday. For the first time since lifting the Lombardi, McVay was in command of the best team in the NFL. The problem is that he had the best team for about 32 minutes of game time.

In every loss, there's a lesson, and that lesson on Sunday is that it's time for peak McVay again. The standard was not the standard and for the first time, McVay was in control of the league and somehow pedestrian. He took his foot off the gas, and it showed.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

That's not him in the slightest. With the Colts on the horizon, I'm expecting a villainous showing by this team on Sunday and throughout the week. In fact, I predict that this loss will be the catalyst to the team's forward success.

McVay, the offensive genius, has been carried by the defense for too long. That ended at about 1:15 PM PST on Sunday. Knowing this team, there's a new attitude in the building. No more kumbaya, let's do this together. More of we're better than you, and we're going to show it.

This loss will power the Rams over the next decade. Why do I think this? Because McVay had every opportunity to throw out an excuse, to blame someone else and didn't. When he exited the presser, there was that same attitude we all have seen throughout the years with the vigor of McVay in the 2010s.

The Rams are back. Let's see how they prove it.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Rams on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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