After the Los Angeles Rams’ 21-19 win over the Seattle Seahawks, head coach Sean McVay had plenty of praise for his defense during the postgame press conference. But when it came to addressing the defensive pass interference penalty, he chose a more indirect and carefully worded response.

“You trying to bait me and get me fined?” – Sean McVay on the defensive pass interference penalty that gave the Seahawks a chance to get in field goal range. (So that means… he didn’t think it was DPI),” Lindsey Thiry reported on X.

And much like Thiry pointed out, the coach was hesitant to say anything that might get him fined. This seems an indication that his opinion likely differed from the officials who called the defensive pass interference penalty. This DPI was a key moment that briefly kept Seattle’s hopes alive.

The penalty moved the ball all the way to Seattle’s 49-yard line. So it was one last chance for the Seahawks to rally and try for a winning field goal. But their placekicker, Jason Myers, couldn’t make it, and they missed it in the end.

However, if the Seahawks had made the kick, things could have gotten troublesome for the Rams.

While McVay hinted at his disagreement about the penalty, he didn’t open up about the reason. After all, the Rams were able to walk out with a win. Now, the offense wasn’t as explosive as coach McVay would have wished for.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford had 15 of 28 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, while wide receiver Davante Adams had one touchdown. Running back Kyren Williams rushed for 91 yards and one TD. To make up for the inconsistent offense, the defense had a dominant performance.

The unit racked up four interceptions. And safety Kamren Kinchens had two of those to his name. This was Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold’s first four-interception game since 2019. Punter Ethan Evans also hit a perfect 50-yard punt that pinned Seattle at 1, which was a game-changer for the Rams.

So, it’s understandable why the coach shifted the focus from the DPI, which could have ruined the game, to what led to their win and their improved 8-2 record. He also had a strong message for the players who might be focused on the flaws too much.

Sean McVay had a motivating message for the locker room

Coach McVay is aware of the Rams’ struggles in the game against the dominant Seattle. However, he also took credit for the win. He believes that while the win may not have been pretty but it is still a win.

“No style points in this league. We’ll take it,” he said.

For good or bad, this can help them improve in their standings. During the press conference, coach McVay even said that the stats are for the “losers. He didn’t seem to be bothered by the Rams finishing with zero sacks.

The coach was rather impressed with how the unit put pressure on the Seahawks QB, which ultimately led to the Rams’ four interceptions. This pressure made Darnold uncomfortable throughout the game.

“They were effective, and that’s why I say stats are for losers,” he said.

“Obviously, Sam is a great quarterback, but he was getting off his spot. I thought a lot of the pressure that we did get is what led to some of the decisions where some of our guys made great plays to be able to get those four interceptions throughout the course of the day.”

“Really proud of that group, but I thought our front had a big impact on that game, even if the sacks didn’t necessarily show up,” he further added.

Safe to say this is a strong win for the Rams.