Sean McVay points to missed field goals after Rams fall 38-35 in overtime

Sean McVay did not dress it up after the Rams’ 38-35 overtime loss on Monday night. With Los Angeles dropping to 2-3, the coach said the outcome was decided in part by missed field-goal attempts, including a blocked kick in overtime that would have put the Rams ahead had it been good.

According to McVay’s remarks to reporters after the game, he pointed “directly” at the field-goal unit and summarized the swing with a blunt assessment: “It cost us the game tonight.” In a one-possession overtime game, special teams execution and the ability to convert long-form chances are often the thin margins, and McVay’s comments framed missed kicks as the key difference rather than a single late breakdown elsewhere.

The focus landed on kicker Harrison Mevis. The account of the game notes that the Rams had “a couple of missed field goals,” and that one of those misses came in overtime via a blocked attempt. That sequence matters in the flow of an extra period: once a team reaches the range to attempt a field goal, a make can end the game quickly, while a miss or block can flip momentum and give the opponent a new set of downs to finish.

The Rams’ record now sits at 2-3, a standing that raises the practical importance of games that can be decided by a single series. Even without broader season context, an overtime loss that becomes a “what if” for points left off the board tends to change how coaches and players evaluate process, not just outcomes. McVay’s attribution suggests that he wants the team to treat kick execution as an immediate emphasis heading into the next stretch.

From a team-building standpoint, special teams can look like a fixed unit from week to week, but field-goal performance is dynamic. It is influenced by snap-and-hold timing, kicker rhythm, protection and scheme, and the way an opponent sets its pressure. McVay’s comments indicate that the Rams believe multiple pieces under the field-goal umbrella failed to land cleanly in this specific game, rather than the issue being limited to one late attempt.

What to watch next is whether the Rams respond with the typical internal adjustments coaches make after critical misses. That could include tightening communication during the kicking sequence, refining timing for the snap and hold, and reviewing protection assignments to reduce block chances. If Los Angeles continues to play in close games, the reliability of its field-goal unit may become a recurring storyline, and McVay’s postgame emphasis suggests he is already treating it as a priority.