The Los Angeles Rams were already a playoff-caliber team last season that got even stronger with an MVP-level season from Matthew Stafford and the addition of Davante Adams. There’s now only one win separating this team from a third Super Bowl appearance under Sean McVay’s tenure, and McVay is making sure it goes right.

“There were a lot of things that we can learn from,” McVay said, “And we’ll have to be on the screws and be sharper throughout, starting with myself, you know, if we expect to do what we want to do.”

The Rams are set to face the Seahawks next and Sean McVay knows exactly what that setup demands. After all, McVay holds a 10–7 record against Mike Macdonald’s team, including a memorable playoff win during the 2020 season that came on the road at Lumen Field.

However, that doesn’t mean he’s leaning on past success. McVay made it clear that taking the Seahawks once again will require an all-around effort from his team.

“You have to be ready to just be totally present,” he said ahead of the big game. “Lock in and have the competitive stamina to be able to do right a little bit longer. That’s consistent with every game. But, obviously, the stakes are higher, and the opponent is really special. And so, it’s always about us first and foremost. But we know what it’s going to take to be able to try to deliver in a hostile environment against a team that’s as complete as there is in this league.”

Against Seattle, McVay expects Rams QB Matthew Stafford and the team to be at their best. It’s the Seahawks, the team that is entering the matchup riding a seven-game winning streak, highlighted by a 38–37 overtime win against the Rams.

Stafford put up massive numbers in that game. He threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns. He will have to match that very effort once again.

In the Rams’ last outing, where they faced the Bears, they stuffed Chicago on fourth down and followed it up with a long, clean drive. That 14-play march ended with Kyren Williams finding the end zone and SoFi Stadium rocking. However, from there, the rhythm vanished. The offense stalled, points became hard to find, and the Rams settled for just 13 more the rest of the way while finishing with 340 total yards.

Because of that, McVay turned the criticism inward once the game finally ended 20-17. After Harrison Mevis drilled a 42-yard field goal in overtime to seal it, the head coach owned the struggle.

“Offensively, man, I did not do a very good job for our group tonight,” Sean McVay said after the Bears game.

But now, the focus shifts to Lumen Field, and McVay knows the environment will be intense.

“It’s going to be an outstanding atmosphere and environment, but we can’t afford to have some of those things, and that’s where, you know, we as coaches have to make sure that we are providing the opportunity for our guys to go play fast, free, and physical,” he added.

However, the warning did not stop there.

After Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford delivered a strong message to the locker room

Matthew Stafford did not dodge the question when reporters asked how the Rams plan to look sharper than last week. Instead, the veteran quarterback pointed straight at identity and habits, not schemes.

“I think it’s just going out here and restarting where we are and just saying, okay, what’s the best stuff that we do?” he said. “What makes us, as an offense, a good offense when we’re playing well? That’s our communication.”

Then, Stafford doubled down on the basics, making it clear that talent alone will not carry the City of Angels any further. He stressed the grind that shows up between snaps.

“That’s our technique. It’s our effort, all those kinds of things. You just continue to harp on the fundamentals, the basics of playing football at a high level.”

That message matters, especially after a rare playoff night where he failed to throw a touchdown, only the second time that has happened in his postseason career.  On Sunday, Stafford logged 11 off-target throws, tied for his most since joining the Rams in 2021, according to ESPN Research.

The same quarterback who led the league with 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns finished 20 of 42 for 258 yards against the Bears. Still, when it mattered most, Stafford delivered.

Despite the uneven offense, he engineered his 55th career winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime. That total has sat 11 clear of the next closest player since 2009. More importantly, the win pushed the fifth-seeded Rams into the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the Super Bowl LVI run in 2021.

However, the road ahead will not be easy. The Rams split the season series with the Seahawks, stealing a 21-19 win at SoFi Stadium in Week 11 before blowing a 30-14 fourth-quarter lead in a 38-37 overtime loss at Lumen Field in Week 16.

Now, all eyes turn to the execution and how this finally unfolds for Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford.