One year ago, Sean McVay became the youngest head coach in the NFL when he was hired by the Los Angeles Rams. At only 32 years old, he proved to the NFL that age is just a number, winning the 2017 NFL Coach of the Year Award in just his first season.
How Sean McVay won NFL Coach of the Year in his 1st season with the Rams
McVay is the youngest head coach in the NFL, but his leadership and football acumen helped the Rams reach the playoffs in 2017.
Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images
He wasn’t expected to bring the young Rams back to relevancy so soon after five straight losing seasons under Jeff Fisher. But McVay led the Rams to an 11-5 record and an NFC West crown, the franchise’s first division championship since the 2003 season.
He ended up winning Coach of the Year in a landslide:
McVay had tons of work to do once he arrived in the City of Angels. He had to bolster the defense, find more playmakers on offense, and come up with different ways to get Todd Gurley the ball. But his biggest job was simple: Groom quarterback Jared Goff. Fortunately for Rams fans, McVay did just that and a lot more.
How McVay got Goff to the next level
The biggest knock against the Rams during the Fisher era was they could not generate much offense. The Rams traded up to draft Goff with the No. 1 pick in 2016, but he didn’t start until midway through his rookie campaign. When he did, he threw just five touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven starts. That offense ranked dead last in the NFL.
McVay’s main priority over the offseason was to surround Goff with talent. He also incorporated a quick-rythym passing attack, an offense Goff flourished in during his collegiate career at California.
Los Angeles kicked off its roster rebuild by signing star left tackle Andrew Whitworth, center John Sullivan, and receiver Robert Woods in free agency.
But the Rams didn’t stop there. They selected tight end Gerald Everett and receivers Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds in last year’s draft. Once again, though, the Rams wanted to add more talent. So, they traded for Buffalo Bills’ star receiver Sammy Watkins, capping off a busy offseason for McVay.
The Rams’ offense took off in 2017
Once the season started, the Rams began to terrorize opposing defenses. Los Angeles scored a league-high 29.9 points per game — a huge improvement from the league-worst 14 points it averaged during 2016.
Goff threw for 3,804 yards to go along with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions, with a 100.5 passer rating. He finished in the top 10 in yards and touchdowns, and he also had the fifth-best passer rating in the league.
Because of Goff’s stellar play, Gurley didn’t have to run into eight-man fronts. Gurley had a career rebirth in 2017 and won the league’s Offensive Player of the Year award. After rushing for 885 yards in his disappointing sophomore campaign, he ran for 1,305 and a league-high 13 touchdowns. Gurley also made a huge impact in the passing game — hauling in 64 receptions for 788 yards and six scores. He led the league in scrimmage yards and touchdowns.
The defense took another step under new leadership
The Rams’ defense, on the other hand, was always pretty stout in the past. But McVay brought in Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to give this unit a shot of ferociousness.
The Rams forced 28 turnovers this season, good for fifth-best in the league. They also went from registering just 31 sacks in 2016 to 48 in 2017, better than all but three teams. Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald led the way with 11, tying a career best.
Even though the Rams’ 2017 ended with a loss against the Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card round, McVay helped them make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. There’s no denying McVay has this young team on the right path.
See More:
