The NFL offseason gives players the chance to reflect on how their season ended. While many will do this in silence, others will voice their opinions publicly. Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse is no exception. The two-time Pro Bowl selection opened up about his second season and his team’s performance.
Jared Verse Discusses His Team’s Disappointing Finish
On the way to the NFC Championship, the Rams needed to win consecutive road games. The season halted in a 31-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, one step from the Super Bowl. In a recent interview with Ratings, Verse did not mince words about how the season concluded.
“We keep beating ourselves. When you stop beating yourself up, you win; it’s easy to win. We have all the pieces we need.”
Few teams compared to what Los Angeles could accomplish on offense this past year. The Rams averaged 30.5 points per game, the league lead. Moreover, Sean McVay’s team parlayed those points into the No. 1-ranked unit, according to PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact metric.
Yet in the NFC title game, it was the Los Angeles defense that could not stop the team that would eventually win the Super Bowl. The defense allowed 396 yards and did not force a turnover. Sam Darnold threw for three touchdowns. On top of that, Seattle converted seven of 13 third-down attempts.
With 8:23 remaining in the third quarter and the Rams forcing a third-and-nine, momentum looked to shift. Darnold found wideout Cooper for a 12-yard gain to keep the chains moving. Seattle capped that drive with a touchdown, their final points of the game. Despite this defensive meltdown, Verse maintained confidence.
“We have all the pieces we need. We got great DB’s, we got great linebackers, our defensive line is the best. We got amazing outside linebackers.
To their credit, the Rams did not allow the Seahawks inside the Los Angeles 35 for the final 23:23 of the game. However, 31 points usually wins games, and by then desperation set in for the Los Angeles offense to create big plays. Months after the game, Verse drove his point home to teammates.
“The only thing that can stop us is ourselves. After the season, I told everybody once we got back, I said, ‘We gotta stop beating ourselves.’”
While the Seahawks didn’t score after the third quarter, they exhausted the clock, which had already started against the Rams. With 4:54 remaining in the game, Los Angeles surrendered the ball on down at the Seattle six-yard line.
Pinned deep in their own territory, the Rams needed a quicker stop, allowing for enough time to start a drive. However, the Seahawks went on a 13-play, 49-yard drive that drained 4:29 off the clock. The defense allowed four first downs, which looked to seal the game.
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In order to bolster their defense, in the offseason, Los Angeles traded draft capital, including a first-round pick, to the Kansas City Chiefs for cornerback Trent McDuffie. Will this be enough for the team to get over the metaphorical hump and return to the Super Bowl?
