Sean McVay is in no danger of losing his job in the wake the Los Angeles Rams being officially eliminated from postseason contention with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night, but the same cannot be said of his coaching staff.
The Rams’ 33-30 defeat was as heartbreaking as it gets, as they jumped out to a 14-3 lead only to watch their defense fail to answer the call late in the game. LA allowed the Niners to convert twice on 3rd-and-16 in the final minutes, once because of a coverage breakdown that led to a 46-yard connection from Jimmy Garoppolo to Emmanuel Sanders.
According to Michael Silver of NFL.com, the performance could have major consequences. Multiple sources told Silver there may be a big shakeup with McVay’s coaching staff, and that could include firing defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
Phillips is considered one of the best defensive coaching minds in the NFL. He helped lead the Denver Broncos to a championship with their elite defense prior to joining the Rams, and he has had success with numerous teams over the years. The Rams ranked somewhere in the middle of the pack in most major defensive categories this year, though they didn’t look the part on Saturday.
“I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, but I’d expect some major changes around here in the next few months,” one veteran Rams player told Silver after the loss.
The Rams had high expectations this season after reaching the Super Bowl last year, and the look on McVay’s face after Saturday night’s game said it all. LA gave up multiple first-round draft picks to acquire star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and you never expect to allow 33 points in the most important game of the season after making such a significant trade. Phillips could ultimately take the fall for that.
