The Los Angeles Rams’ overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night hinged on a blocked field goal by Bills outside linebacker Greg Rousseau, but Rams coach Sean McVay suggested the kick was flawed before the block even happened. Speaking to ESPN Los Angeles, McVay said the trajectory of kicker Harrison Mevis’ attempt was “way off” from the start, indicating the miss was not solely due to poor protection.
Mevis’ kick came in overtime after the Rams had already seen a 50-yard field goal miss earlier in regulation. Rousseau penetrated through the C gap, getting a hand on the ball and preventing the Rams from taking the lead. McVay admitted the protection was below standard, noting the Rams were “a little bit low with our pad level,” but stressed that the kick’s trajectory was “not in alignment with what would have been deemed good.”
“Rousseau swung the C-area and we played a little bit too low, and that’s where he got in there,” McVay said. “But unfortunately, the trajectory of the kick was way off already, and so him being able to block that, the kick was not in alignment with what would have been deemed good, and we got to be better with the protection.”
Mevis’ struggles this season contributed to the Rams’ decision to release him earlier this week. His misses against the Bills were his third and fourth in just five games, ending his time with the Rams with a total of five missed field goals. Despite those misses, Mevis never missed an extra point or a playoff kick during his tenure with the team.
The missed kicks came at a delicate point in the Rams’ season, with the team now recording their third loss. McVay emphasized the team’s need to improve execution in the kicking phase, calling it “the greatest team sport that there is,” while acknowledging the protection breakdown on the blocked kick.
The Rams have yet to name a replacement kicker following Mevis’ release. Meanwhile, the Bills capitalized on the special teams’ lapses to secure the overtime victory, leaving the Rams to regroup after another tight defeat.
According to Yahoo Sports.