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October 15, 2025 18 mins
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Davante Adams talk about using their time away from home in Baltimore to build team chemistry, while head coach Sean McVay discusses plans for wide receiver Tutu Atwell as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, you know, first of all, just want to thank
the Baltimore Orioles. You know, what an amazing opportunity and
really just how gracious they've been to offer up the
opportunity to be able to use their facilities, and it's
a really cool thing for our players and hopefully it's
going to lead to a great week of preparation. Had
a good walk through, looking forward to having a good practice,
So very grateful for them. As far as injuries are concerned,

(00:22):
Kobe Parkinson will be full, Omar Spates and two two
at well will be limited guys that will be d
NPS Blake Quorum, Puka Nakua, Rob Havenstein, and then Josiah
Stewart ended up you know, coming down. He was a
little sick today, so hopefully he's feeling better tomorrow. But
those other guys, you know, Blake and Puka with their
ankles and Rob with his ankle as well.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Do you expect Puka to practice at all this week?

Speaker 3 (00:45):
You know, it's it's hard to say right now.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
You know, he's not going to practice today, and you
know we'll see where tomorrow's at.

Speaker 4 (00:51):
What about Omar Spates, how's he looking right now?

Speaker 3 (00:53):
Looking good?

Speaker 1 (00:54):
You know, he'll be he'll be limited today, but he's
making really good progress too, and so if things go
according to plant, expect him to be ready to go
for the game.

Speaker 4 (01:01):
It's the length of.

Speaker 5 (01:02):
The trip, the flight you're going to take effect at all,
how you guys handle injuries this week.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
It doesn't, you know, because we've got everybody here in
terms of what what do you mean by that, just
like who we would bring and stuff like that. No,
because we've got our whole practice squad, because we're really
doing the majority of our prep here and want to
be able to have everybody get that experience, and especially
just because we're leaving a little bit later. This is similar,
but it's even a little bit later that we're leaving
compared to when we've done this trip before, Sarah, So

(01:30):
you know, it doesn't affect any of those things.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
What so what will be kind of the determining factor
for Pooka. I know you had said you didn't. Scans
made it look like it probably isn't something long term.
But what's going to be your barometer for whether he
practices and plays?

Speaker 1 (01:46):
I think just I think we talked about it a
little bit the other day, you know, there's a difference
between return to play return and performance. You want to
put him in a position to have successful outcomes. I
do think some of that, you know is reflected in
is he able to go through practice and really get
a good feel, allow him to feel comfortable and confident,
and what we would be asking if he goes. If not,
then you have a ton of confidence in the group
that you know, with the guys that will be asked

(02:08):
to take on you know.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
Bigger roles. But you don't have a replace a stud
like him. But we've got a lot of confidence in
the other guys. If that's the case.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
Is there any way you would play him if he
didn't practice this week?

Speaker 1 (02:18):
You know, I think it'd probably be tough to say,
but you know, I certainly don't want to pigeonhole myself into,
you know, a kind of an approach like that, But
I think that you would like him to be able
to do that.

Speaker 6 (02:28):
You mentioned you thought too would be back. Is there
just a process of kind of easing him back in
this week?

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah, when we put limited, it means really that, you know,
if he was going to take a normal workload, we're
just a little bit more mindful of some of the
high speed yards. Everything is trending in the direction of
we expect him to be ready to roll, just being
smart easing him back in. But it's not because of
any sort of setbacks. He's making good progress, Nate, So
it will feel good about him when we.

Speaker 6 (02:52):
Asked you about it making you know, big play at
the end of the game and waiting for his turn.
I guess how does that translate to waiting for the
opportunity to if he needs to step up.

Speaker 7 (03:00):
Be more of like a you know, point on there.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
You know, I think what's great about to two is
whatever he's asked, you know, I think, and I mentioned
this previously. You know, when he's gotten opportunities to take
on bigger roles, whether it was a couple of years
ago when Cooper's been on IR missed extended periods of time,
he's really answered the bell. And then this year, even
though there's been limited opportunities, I.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
Think what you've seen is the impact.

Speaker 1 (03:20):
That he can have, you know, with the way that
he's able to affect an influence coverage. You know, the
big plays that he makes against the Niners, the big
play that he made against Ady that you're talking about
and so the moment's not too big. He loves it
and I think, you know, he plays big and he's
he's shown that he's consistently, you know, ready to go
depending upon what's asked of him. And if Pooka isn't
able to go, then looking forward to seeing tou.

Speaker 4 (03:40):
To do his thing.

Speaker 3 (03:41):
Sean, You're going to go regardless of whether Pooka goes
or not.

Speaker 5 (03:44):
You're going to go play a game in a city
where the Crumpies have another team. What has been your
experience with them only owning multiple teams and kind of
the relationship you've built with some of these other oranizations.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, it's special, you know, because I think there's an
understanding of a willing to share. You know, there's so
many things that are similar in an alignment, even if
it might be different arenas or different sports.

Speaker 3 (04:06):
But you know, leadership, you know, trying to get everybody
on the same page.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
What are the things that you want to commit to
with your values and principles. We've got to have a
relationship with Michel that I really cherish in value. Learned
a lot from just watching the way that he moves.
And then when we've gotten a chance to visit with
one another. You know, had a chance to connect with
Nuggets Avalanche people and it's it's really special, you know.
And I think then, you know, with Kevin's involvement and
interactions and exposure to all parts of it, it's helpful

(04:31):
to really be able to see, you know, what it
looks like. And I think you're seeing you know, all
their organizations that they oversee. It's not by coincidence that
you know, it starts at the top and why they've
been successful and why they do things the right way.

Speaker 5 (04:42):
Mikel was in LA last year. It sounds like maybe
you gave a speech to the team or talk to
you guys. Is there anything you can.

Speaker 4 (04:48):
Share from that.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
I think you know what you feel from him, there's
there's such a consistent alignment in terms of the things
that we value. But you know, you talk about building relationships,
having the courage to go for it, being steady through
the tough moment moments, you know, being connected where you're
in it with the group.

Speaker 3 (05:03):
And you know, one of the things that I love
about him.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
That you know, we try to be able to do
is is he so reflective on where can he continue
to grow? And he's not afraid to ask questions that
he wants real honest feedback from his guys of where
he can improve for them or maybe what are the
things that they really like that he wants to continue
to do, whether that be with his players, with his staff.
But the way that he leads and the way that
he models the way is a great example. And I've

(05:26):
really share it's just you know, watching him navigate the
different you know, the different things that you're responsible for
navigating in leadership positions, you know, and then the.

Speaker 3 (05:35):
Great pressure or you know, whatever it is.

Speaker 1 (05:38):
It's it's a privilege and uh and he embraces it,
and it's cool to watch him move and how he
handles it all.

Speaker 6 (05:43):
What will be different about how you run practice in
a baseball stadium like this, or there's certain things you
can't do.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
No, there's no limitations. I mean, it's unbelievable.

Speaker 8 (05:51):
You know.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
We we might not be able to take some of
the vertical shots.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
We're a little bit more limited with some of the
vertical grass, but that's probably a good thing.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
But you know, we'll be able to do everything. We
got two spot walkthroughs.

Speaker 1 (06:01):
We'll be able to get individual we'll be able to
come together in team settings and activate all parts of
the field, and it's a pretty damn cool setting.

Speaker 3 (06:07):
So you know, we're excited about it.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yes, Berg and those guys do an amazing job.

Speaker 3 (06:16):
So it's really a credit to our whole group.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
You know, you talk about you know sometimes I get
spoiled where you just show up and everything's there. But
the amount of work that goes on behind this, behind
the scenes from guys like Brennan Berger, Dan de Metri Sin,
just our operations as a whole, it's really impressive. We're
grateful for it, and I think it's going to be
a really great work week for us, and we're excited
about it.

Speaker 2 (06:35):
Sean, we asked you about coaching against the Jaguars against
Liam and Jaguars last week, but now that you're actually
doing it, what's it like to prepare for him this
team specifically and just against your history, you know, going
against guys from your coaching tree that are now head coaches.
What are the challenges and what are the if.

Speaker 1 (06:55):
Any I think that I think that it's a fun narrative,
but it still is the Rams versus Jack. They do
a great job in all three phases. You can see
the identity. The personality of the team in a lot
of ways is reflective of the good traits that Liam has.
You know, they're playing tough, there's a commitment to you know,
a style of play that they have really in all
three phases.

Speaker 3 (07:14):
But you know, it's really about the Rams versus the Jags.

Speaker 1 (07:17):
And he's done an excellent job of evolving, you know,
bringing you know, his offense to life, what he wants
to be able to do and what he wants their
defense and their teams to look like.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
And you know we've done the same.

Speaker 1 (07:26):
But what I do know is you're going against a
guy that you know, they're really well coached. They have
some familiarity with some of the things that we're trying
to do, just like we do them, but you don't
know when you're gonna activate it. And it's about these
players and us as coach is trying to make good
decisions to put him in right spots.

Speaker 3 (07:40):
Okay, thanks guys.

Speaker 5 (07:42):
This is the last couple of days look like from
Baltimore for you.

Speaker 9 (07:45):
Oh, not a whole lot of action, just kind of
hanging out in the hotel watching tape, trying to get ready. Yeah,
it's been pretty you know, nondescript for me just getting
ready to play ball.

Speaker 4 (07:58):
But this is really awesome.

Speaker 9 (07:59):
Came over here on Monday for our workout and then
back again obviously today.

Speaker 4 (08:02):
And really cool to be to be here doing this,
is it?

Speaker 2 (08:06):
I mean, you're when you're on the field. Is it
any different being in this venue practicing than it would
be anywhere else?

Speaker 9 (08:12):
I mean, when I'm when I'm under center, no, but uh,
you know when i'm defenses up or special teams is
going to take a peak around.

Speaker 4 (08:18):
It's pretty cool.

Speaker 9 (08:19):
But it's really cool for us to be able to
use you know, really the dugout and uh clubhouse, all
that kind of stuff. It's uh, it's cool for our
guys to see kind of what they go through on
a daily basis and some of their stuff.

Speaker 4 (08:28):
And all the guys that used to play baseball are
fired enough to be.

Speaker 2 (08:31):
Here before you really start focusing on football. And you
played baseball in high school, probably would have been a
prospect had you gone that way? Did you ever dream
about playing in a venue like this?

Speaker 4 (08:43):
And I loved it.

Speaker 9 (08:44):
I mean I thought I would have played baseball up
until probably my sophomore were in high school. I was
then I started playing, you know, quarterback, and it was
you know, got some offers to play football and all
that kind of stuff, so it kind of ended on baseball.
But I loved it growing up. I mean, this was
my favorite sport and still love watching it. And maybe
I'll take some infield at some point this week. That

(09:04):
would be more fun than probably trying to hit right now.
So but yeah, it's it's cool to be out here.

Speaker 4 (09:09):
When was the last time you were, like physically on
a baseball field like this.

Speaker 9 (09:13):
I mean I threw out a first pitch at Dodger
Stadium at some point, but moving around freely without you know,
the other guys out there, It's been a while, so
it's it's.

Speaker 2 (09:23):
Cool, Sean said, Pooka is not going to practice today
and see what happens through the week if he's not available,
How does that do you feel like that impacts you guys?

Speaker 4 (09:33):
I mean, obviously he's a great player.

Speaker 9 (09:34):
You know, he's a guy that does a lot for
us both in the run game in the past, game,
got great energy on game day. So if he's not
able to go, then you know, obviously his presence will
be you know, missed. But at the same time, I
have total trust and confidence and all the other guys
that we have, you know, to get out there and
go make place for us.

Speaker 2 (09:51):
I know you're saying you have confidence everyone. You do
have a three time all pro also in that receiver course.
So in terms of if Pooka isn't there is there
comfort knowing you have a guy like Davonte who can
step up.

Speaker 9 (10:04):
Yeah, I mean he's uh, you know, he's one of
the best receivers of our era, and uh, we're lucky
to have him. And and yeah, I mean absolutely, I
mean he's a he's a great player. So we're we're
fired up.

Speaker 6 (10:15):
How do you think the connection has been with him
so far this year? And what I guess have you
guys been able to add.

Speaker 7 (10:19):
To it over the course of six one.

Speaker 4 (10:21):
Yeah, there's been some good ones. There's been some missed ones.

Speaker 9 (10:23):
You know, I would I would take the majority of
the blame on a lot of those, you know, just
give him a better chance on a couple and uh,
you know, he's he's still doing a great job of winning.
I mean I missed him on the one corner route
in the end zone and and uh man.

Speaker 4 (10:34):
He made his guy look foolish.

Speaker 9 (10:35):
So he's doing a great job separating, and I gotta
give him a couple of a couple better chances.

Speaker 5 (10:39):
You watch film this year, specifically against on Sunday against
the Ravens, when you looked at the execution in the
red zone, what do you what.

Speaker 8 (10:46):
Sends out to you?

Speaker 4 (10:47):
Uh?

Speaker 9 (10:48):
I mean the the early execution was just two throws
really missed by me. That's I mean, that's the biggest
thing I think when it boils down to there.

Speaker 2 (10:56):
There's nothing scientific about this, but it just seems like
games in line and then typically aren't the you know,
free flowing stuff that we're accustomed to seeing, you know
in NFL stadiums. Is there a reason why that? I mean,
is it the travel or what's kind of been your
experience or maybe your just thoughts on why those games
seem to be a little bit more of a slog.

Speaker 9 (11:17):
Yeah, I don't know. I've only been a part of two,
it's been ten years. Don't usually wake up for the
what time is in on the West Coast? Is it's
nine thirty six thirty six thirty Yeah, so that's a
tough wake up. Uh sometimes on game day, but uh no,
I think you know it is difficult to travel that
far and play. There's no question about it. It's nice

(11:38):
being able to go from the East coast, uh and
get over there and not make it you know, West
coast all the way there.

Speaker 4 (11:43):
But I couldn't put my finger on either. I mean
I was a part of one.

Speaker 9 (11:46):
We were down I think twenty four to three at halftime,
came back and won the game, and then the second
we got beat by the Chiefs pretty handily. We had
a coordinator change on the way to London, which was
less than ideal. So but no, I don't know, it's
uh uh, it's it's a long way to go, different venue,
different place.

Speaker 8 (12:03):
You know.

Speaker 9 (12:03):
We're playing a team that has been over there a
lot and goes over there a lot.

Speaker 4 (12:06):
So it's a it's a challenge for us.

Speaker 7 (12:08):
You mentioned, is that a.

Speaker 5 (12:09):
Challenge with them maybe more used to the cadence of
going over there.

Speaker 9 (12:12):
I mean you would think that they've got it pretty
dialed in, you know, but once the ball snapped, nobody
cares if they got there that there we ate this
food or slept on this flight or did that.

Speaker 4 (12:20):
It's like, go play the game.

Speaker 6 (12:22):
Two's made some big time catches limited opportunities so far,
Because what's your confidence of if you know, if Puka
can't go or if he's limited, you know, taking what
you've kind of built with with Tutu and kind of
growing it out through a full game.

Speaker 8 (12:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (12:36):
Absolutely, you know, every opportunity we've given him, he's uh,
he sees it. So I don't see anything different happening
if he gets more opportunities in this game.

Speaker 8 (12:44):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (12:44):
You know, I got a ton of trust in him.

Speaker 9 (12:45):
I've got some reps from years past with him that
I you know, I believe in him obviously a ton
and he made some big plays for us, you know,
not too long ago, a couple of weeks ago. So
to two is a you know, big part of our team.

Speaker 8 (12:58):
Cool.

Speaker 4 (12:58):
Thanks, Thanks Act.

Speaker 5 (13:00):
We talked to you last week. You talked about maybe
some of the challenges of not being back in LA
that week getting ready for London. What has it been
like the last couple of days as you get ready
for this.

Speaker 8 (13:10):
I mean, it hasn't been anything crazy.

Speaker 10 (13:12):
It's just like I said, it's just more about being
in your rhythm and being able to stay with the
things that you that you need throughout the week to
have you ready for game day, but they're doing things
for us to make sure we still have, you know,
as much as we can get here.

Speaker 5 (13:23):
What do your last two days look like for you?

Speaker 10 (13:26):
I mean a lot of film, a lot of a
lot of teammate interaction, obviously not having our families here,
and spend a little bit more time together, getting getting
receiver dinners, just kind of having a little fellowship on
the on the off day yesterday, and then uh yeah,
just trying to go about the the the deal about
as smoothly and normal as possible. But it's it's not
always easy when you're away, but yeah, making it work.

Speaker 7 (13:48):
Have you ever practice in a baseball stadium before?

Speaker 8 (13:50):
Uh no, I've not done that before. First off, wa
does is.

Speaker 2 (13:55):
There any what you're out there? Is there any different
with the surroundings being in not on a regular practice
field or in a football stadium.

Speaker 8 (14:03):
I mean, this is grass. We got enough, we got
enough space.

Speaker 10 (14:06):
We're not using really one hundred yards as it you
know normally, so I know the defense probably not the
road about having twenty five yards of field here, but yeah,
I mean they can work on red zone stuff, so
we'll be okay.

Speaker 6 (14:17):
How is this compared to other unique practice settings that
you've had in your career.

Speaker 4 (14:21):
If you've had any that are kind of similar to less.

Speaker 10 (14:24):
Well, I mean it's the optics of it is. Obviously
it's a lot different. But like I said, it's just
grass at the end of the day, bar and nobody
ends up in the in the infield here, I think
will be okay.

Speaker 2 (14:36):
I mean in Oakland they used to play in a
stadium where the baseball field was part of it. Can
you you imagine having to play football games on a
baseball infield.

Speaker 10 (14:45):
I think whoever was the head of the CBA at
that point, we gotta talk. We gotta somehow bring them
back up, and we can't let them get away with this,
because that'd be crazy. I would not want to fall
on this. And they were playing on it when I
was in the league too. I just never had the
privilege of playing on a on a baseball.

Speaker 8 (15:01):
And field before.

Speaker 5 (15:02):
How did you evaluate how you guys have done in
the red zone or the right area this season?

Speaker 8 (15:07):
I mean it hasn't been to our standard for sure.

Speaker 10 (15:09):
I mean it's it's been some some self inflicted there
timing issues of a few different things. I know, that's
that's an area that I pride myself on being productive
in and I gotta make sure I'm doing a good
enough or better job than than what I've done so far,
just making sure we putting up points and converting, you know,
keeping drives going and all this stuff.

Speaker 5 (15:28):
What kind of conversations you had with Sean and maybe
Matthew about the those instances.

Speaker 10 (15:33):
Uh, I mean, we just try to get to the
bottom of it. Obviously, when it's just executing something that's there,
it's pretty simple, just figuring it out. And then if
we obviously don't have a good enough you know plan
going into any situation, which we do, you know, ninety
nine point nine percent of the time. Obviously, with there's
adjustments that are made there as well. But it's not
a panic thing because we know we got what it takes.
It's just a matter of figuring it out.

Speaker 6 (15:53):
You've been through this a few different times, building with
a new quarterback a couple of times at least.

Speaker 7 (15:58):
What how do you think this one has gone or
how do you value it? Kind of your connection with
Matthew up to this point.

Speaker 8 (16:03):
Yeah, not m I mean, it's not how I drew
it up.

Speaker 10 (16:05):
As far as you know, efficiency goes I think I
think we both would have liked to.

Speaker 8 (16:09):
Be a little bit more efficient.

Speaker 10 (16:11):
But I know for myself over the last few just
based off how we started a little bit of pressing,
I think just playing going out and just just playing
and figuring it out. Me being DeVante Adams, him being
Matthew Stafford, and you know, everybody else being themselves and
not feeling the sense of having to fix it and
and doing anything crazy to fix it, but just going
out and making plays.

Speaker 6 (16:29):
Do you feel any I guess sense of urgency to
get it going a little quicker this week just with
giving that Puka, oh you know his status is up
in the air.

Speaker 10 (16:38):
Yeah, well, I mean it, We're not taking our time
by any stretch of imagination. I wouldn't say a sense
of urgency is the necessary term. Uh, given we're we
got a pretty good sense of urgency now we just
it's it's just not easy, man. I played with Aaron
for you know, majority of my career, played nine years
together basically, and it didn't definitely start off first couple
of years, let alone first couple of games the way

(16:59):
that we got going. So not that we have another
ten years to go, but it it takes time.

Speaker 8 (17:03):
It's not easy.

Speaker 10 (17:04):
You know, Pouke and Matthew have been playing together for
years now, and you know they they have a little
better understanding for where one another is gonna be, what
what to expect, and and just making you know, making
it works. It's been a few where it's really no
excuse for you know, me or him or whatever, So
we just gotta put it together.

Speaker 7 (17:19):
In general, what.

Speaker 5 (17:20):
Does a defense do differently or what can they do
differently in the right area that makes it harder there
than uh anywhere else on the field.

Speaker 10 (17:27):
Well, I think it just comes down to space obviously.
Anytime it gets tight or it makes it a little
tougher to score. You think being closer, that's you know,
be easier to have explosive plays. But the you know,
the the the looks get trickier sometimes and it becomes
a little harder execuse cause you know, everybody's hunkering down
the same way that we went down there and stopped
them on the one yard line. You know, it becomes
h a tough game and you gotta make sure you're

(17:48):
doing everything right. Think it's a little bit more imperative.
Everybody you know, dominates their one on one or their
situation whatever it is, if it's zone, or whatever the
case may be, but handles there one to eleven to to
make sure we get it non

Speaker 7 (18:00):
Alright, Thanks, thanks very much,
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