TEMPE, Ariz. — The sky was clear Saturday when the Rams went by means of drills in preparation for his or her NFC wild-card sport in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings.
The circumstances on the Arizona Cardinals’ coaching facility supplied a stark distinction to what the Rams confronted just a few days earlier, when smoke from wildfires billowed throughout follow at their facility in Woodland Hills.
Due to security considerations attributable to the wildfires in Southern California, the NFL moved Monday evening’s sport from SoFi Stadium to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
“It was eerie,” defensive sort out Kobie Turner stated of exercises earlier within the week, “but to be able to get out here, to get away from all those things, it feels like we’re back to normal a little bit.”
And what’s regular?
“Normal is preparing for a game,” coach Sean McVay stated. “Normal is enjoying the opportunity to prepare for a game when there’s 18 teams that don’t have the luxury of doing that.”
Veteran receiver Cooper Kupp, nevertheless, famous that the state of affairs at dwelling within the Southland and being transplanted to the Cardinals was not regular.
“There’s nothing normal about practicing at the Arizona Cardinals facility and all the implications that are going around,” he stated. “You still feel that but … it is nice to be able to be out here with the guys and have something to work towards.”
For the reason that pandemic, the Rams have traveled the day earlier than taking part in video games. However they left for Phoenix on Friday with a touring occasion of greater than 400, together with gamers, relations, coaches, employees and two canine.
Cardinals proprietor Michael Bidwell made two planes accessible to assist transport the Rams contingent, and the Rams have been welcomed with open arms by their NFC rivals.
The fires that pressured McVay and different coaches and gamers to evacuate their houses, and the change of venue for the playoff sport, had been solely the newest antagonistic conditions the Rams have confronted this season.
Coach Sean McVay has tried to maintain a superb face for the Rams, who’re making ready for his or her playoff sport in Arizona.
(Kyusung Gong / Related Press)
They endured quite a few accidents earlier than and on the outset of the season, and began 1-4 earlier than rebounding to complete 10-7 and win the NFC West.
When Mcvay addressed his crew earlier this week, he displayed a paper weight emblazoned with the phrase “Built For This.”
“This group is built to be able to handle different forms of adversity and overcome, which they’ve done,” McVay stated Saturday, “and we’re looking forward to doing that this week.”
Kupp, an eight-year professional, stated there was one thing highly effective about being collectively within the Rams’ state of affairs.
“Nothing close to things that are happening in the real world,” Kupp stated, “but it is an opportunity for us to draw closer together and say ‘let’s be able to respond from a little bit of hardship here and go out there and do something special.’”
Kupp was among the many starters McVay rested within the season finale in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks so they might be rested for the playoffs.
The Rams will go into Monday evening’s sport with no gamers out or questionable due to accidents.
Vikings linebacker Patrick Jones II is out due to a knee damage, and working again Cam Akers and defensive lineman Taki Taimani are questionable due to sickness and an ankle damage, respectively.
The grass subject can be painted with the Rams colours and emblem, and different elements of State Farm Stadium can be outfitted to make it really feel like a house sport for the Rams.
Regardless of the inconvenience of touring, “it’s a playoff game, and you don’t get too many of these, and a home one,” Turner stated.
McVay, in his eighth season because the Rams coach, has loved super success in opposition to the Cardinals within the venue. So he requested that the Rams gown within the guests locker room.
“We’re familiar with it,” he stated.
Was his request granted?
“We better have,” he stated. “It’s a home game, right?”
