Prior to the start of the 2026 NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams were considered among the leading Super Bowl contenders. After three weeks of play, the team sits at 1-2, a record that has left Sean McVay far from satisfied. Still, he remains confident that they can quickly turn things around and overcome this adversity.
“Do I love the fact that we’ve played three games and came up short in a couple of them? No, of course not,” McVay said to the press. “But what I also know is this: There’s been other moments that it seems like you’re in some storms, but this too shall pass, and let’s do the next right thing. Let’s lean in.
“What kind of lens do we want to see this through? Do we want to see this as, this is happening to me or for me, and how can I learn from it, how can I grow? It’s a challenge for me: What kind of leader do I want to be for this group?”
With a difficult matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles ahead, where they will be without Aaron Donald, the Rams have a great opportunity to even their record. McVay, a young head coach with plenty of experience, knows that they can grow through adversity.
Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams.
“Do I want to go through that adversity? No, but this is what we’re going through,” he added. “That’s what makes it meaningful. When things come easy, sometimes when you have success you become less resilient. I do not like it but I do know that’s where the real growth occurs.”
Rams must quickly make adjustments
If the Rams want to get back in the win column, it all comes down to tightening up a few key areas that have cost them recently. For starters, the offense needs to clean up the third-down struggles—converting under 35% on third downs just won’t cut it when you need to sustain long scoring drives and keep the defense rested.
Speaking of defense, they’ve gotta tighten up in the red zone, where opponents have been punching it in for touchdowns over 65% of the time, leaving zero margin for error. If McVay can re-establish a reliable run game—aiming to hit that 100+ rushing yard threshold—it’ll take massive pressure off Stafford, open up play-action, and put LA right back in control.
What’s next for the Rams?
Here is the upcoming 4-game stretch for the Los Angeles Rams as they push through the regular season:
- Oct 4, 2026: at Philadelphia Eagles (Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia)
- Oct 12, 2026: vs Buffalo Bills (SoFi Stadium, Inglewood)
- Oct 18, 2026: vs Arizona Cardinals (SoFi Stadium, Inglewood)
- Oct 25, 2026: at Las Vegas Raiders (Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas)
It’s a tough mix of heavy-hitting East Coast trips and high-stakes home matchups at SoFi Stadium, so they’ll need to lock in fast to keep pace in the NFC playoff hunt.
Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams.
Key takeaways
- 1-2 record for the Los Angeles Rams after three weeks of play.
- Sean McVay expressed frustration with early losses while praising team resilience.
- Under 35% third-down conversion rate highlights the offense’s recent struggles.
