WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams are preparing to face a winless Los Angeles Chargers team Sunday, but head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford made it clear Wednesday that they aren't taking their cross-town rivals lightly.
Speaking to reporters before practice, McVay praised the Chargers' coaching staff, defensive talent and offensive potential while acknowledging the challenges of preparing for a team coming off its bye week.
"The film doesn't lie. There's a lot of really good stuff," McVay said. "They're excellent on defense, they're really well coached. I know how good of a coach Mike McDaniel is and how good they are offensively with their personnel."
Despite the Chargers' winless record, McVay believes they are considerably more dangerous than their results suggest, particularly with several players expected to return from injuries following the bye.
"I really couldn't care less what the record says," McVay said. "I see a team that's really good. They've had a chance to win a lot of these games. This league is so open in terms of week in and week out."
Stafford echoed those sentiments, pointing to the Chargers' talented defense featuring Khalil Mack and Derwin James.
"They have a bunch of really good players," Stafford said. "Obviously, I used to be in the division with Khalil back in the day when he was in Chicago. He still looks like he's running around making plays."
Stafford said the Chargers' defense has impressed him despite the team's struggles.
"When you watch the tape, shoot, their defense as a whole runs around, flies around," Stafford said. "I think they've been playing really good defense this year. Obviously, they haven't gotten probably some of the results that they've wanted, but really well coached group."
The Rams are also dealing with several significant injuries as they prepare for Sunday's game.
McVay announced that center Coleman Shelton (hip), tight end Colby Parkinson (rib) and long snapper Joe Cardona (ankle) would not practice Wednesday. Cornerback Trent McDuffie was expected to be limited, while linebackers Nate Landman and Desjuan Johnson were cleared for full participation.
McVay also confirmed that the Rams will not open the practice windows for outside linebacker Myles Garrett or tight end Terrance Ferguson this week, meaning neither player is expected to return Sunday.
Garrett has been sidelined since undergoing knee surgery earlier this season, and McVay pushed back against speculation that the star pass rusher had suffered a setback or might require another procedure.
"He's making good progress and we're just on a week-to-week basis right now," McVay said.
When asked whether Garrett needed another surgery or had experienced a setback, McVay said he had received no such information.
The Rams received more encouraging news regarding wide receiver Davante Adams, who underwent surgery to repair a ruptured hamstring suffered earlier this month.
McVay said the procedure went well and indicated Adams could return closer to the six-week end of his original six-to-10-week recovery timeline.
"He tells me, which I believe, [that] he's Wolverine," McVay said. "He'll heal quick and be ready to go. He's in good spirits, sent me a picture the day of [of him] being able to walk already."
The Rams have also made several roster adjustments to address their injury problems and improve special teams.
Veteran long snapper Jake McQuaid was added as insurance for Cardona, while kicker Joshua Karty was brought back to provide additional flexibility alongside Brandon McManus, who recently joined the team following Blake Grupe's season-ending knee injury.
McVay praised McManus' performance last week but declined to rule out carrying two kickers on the active roster.
"We'll work through all different things," McVay said. "It all depends. When you have 48 bodies and the different guys that are filling in, you have to really ask yourself, 'Okay, does that really make sense? Does it fit?'"
The Rams also signed linebacker Jon Rhattigan to their practice squad, with McVay citing his special teams experience as a potential asset.
Despite several injuries to key players, McVay indicated the Rams are not necessarily looking outside the organization for help before the NFL trade deadline.
Instead, he views the eventual returns of Garrett, Adams and other injured players as potential midseason reinforcements.
"What you look at is hopefully some of those trades will be guys getting back from injury that haven't played for us," McVay said. "That's the way that we look at it."
For Stafford, Sunday's game is another opportunity for the Rams to establish consistency as they navigate a challenging stretch of the season.
He also downplayed the significance of the matchup between Los Angeles' two NFL franchises, joking about the city's notorious traffic when asked whether the game carries additional meaning.
"I think it's a big town to cross," Stafford said. "I don't run into those guys too often, to be honest with you. I don't really want to make that drive, nobody does."
Stafford also expressed confidence in the Rams' running back combination of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, saying he trusts both players to execute any play in the offense without requiring adjustments based on which back is in the game.
"I think you're really comfortable with both those guys doing everything we ask of a halfback in this offense," Stafford said. "It's an awesome feeling as a player, knowing that you're getting a guy who's fresh and motivated and ready to rock and roll."
As the Rams prepare for Sunday, Stafford emphasized that the team's urgency should remain the same regardless of its opponent's record.
"We don't really look at the other team's record and go, 'They're good or they're bad,'" Stafford said. "It's, 'Hey, this is NFL football.' They have Pro Bowl-caliber players on that side of the sideline and they're a team capable of doing anything."
"You have to go out there and earn it and do it. That's our mindset this week and will be for the rest of the year."