Sean McVay Takes Responsibility for ‘Dumb***’ Decision After Rams Win
The Los Angeles Rams have legit Super Bowl aspirations.
That’s why Aaron Donald came out of retirement after three seasons to play for the team. It’s why the Rams have seven primetime games scheduled this season, tying an all-time record. And it’s why every single decision from their first-round draft pick to their opening game travel plans has been under heavy scrutiny.
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Head coach Sean McVay has been one of the most successful young head coaches in NFL history, but even he gets it wrong sometimes.
Prior to their 28-6 victory over the New York Giants Monday night, the Rams had been the subject of much conversation over the previous 10 days after the 27-7 loss to their division rivals.
Win or lose, coaches usually turn the page quickly on the events of the previous week. But McVay addressed the chatter about the Rams’ Week 1 travel plans Monday after the victory.
Sean McVay acknowledges Australia travel mistake
One thing is for sure. Sean McVay hears the chatter.
The Rams were talked about all week after the team’s decision to fly 15 hours to Australia the day before their season opener against the 49ers backfired tremendously with an out-of-character, lackluster performance.
McVay has used that same travel strategy to great success in the past, including last season when the team flew to London the day before their game against the Jaguars, beat the living hell out of Jacksonville 35-7, then flew back to the States the same day.
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But McVay seemed to finally acknowledge that flying from the East Coast to London is not the same as flying cross-Pacific to the Land Down Under.
¨Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn,¨McVay said to close out his after-game press conference Monday. ¨And sometimes you have a dumbass coach that makes travel plans that puts you in a bad position.
Science backed the Rams strategy
According to at least one neurologist, the effects of jet lag result from our bodies trying to catch up to the local day-night cycle of the new location.
“Jet lag isn’t just about losing sleep. It happens when your internal body clock falls out of sync with the local light–dark cycle at your destination,¨ Dr. Lynette Gogol, a board-certified neurologist and lifestyle medicine physician, told Travel + Leisure. ¨Light is the strongest signal to the brain’s master clock, which is why jet lag affects more than sleep alone. Energy, mood, digestion, and mental sharpness are often disrupted as well.”
So one of the best ways to recover from jet lag is through ¨well-timed exposure,¨according to Gogol. ¨Light directly resets the circadian clock, but timing matters. Getting light at the wrong time can prolong jet lag, while getting it at the right time speeds recovery.”
The idea was that the less time the Rams spent out in the sun in Australia, the less jet lag would affect them.
But sometimes what scientific studies say can cloud the truth of what common sense should already tell you. And this seems to be one of those times.
Anyone who has ever taken a long flight to a foreign land knows just how badly jet lag can kick your behind for days after you land. And it’s one thing to be tired while you huff it to the tourist traps around town and a completely different thing to try to coax peak athletic performance out of a group of guys still tired from the flight.
Rams dominate at home
After a week of being able to sleep in their own beds and allowing their circadian rhythms to readjust to LA time, the Los Angeles Rams looked a lot like themselves in Monday night’s win over New York.
A dominant pass rush knocked Giants QB Jaxson Dart out of the game early and kept the pressure up on backup Jameis Winston.
But the Rams’ calling card during the McVay tenure has been their offense, and the team put up 481 total yards, including 327 passing yards and 4 TDs from 2025 MVP Matthew Stafford and 195 receiving yards and 2 TDs from wide receiver Davante Adams.
The Rams’ offense was sharp despite the absence of All-Pro wideout Puka Nacua.
Despite his dumb travel plans, McVay is no dummy. The Rams are legit contenders now that their travel schedule is confined exclusively to the continental U.S.
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This story was originally published September 22, 2026 at 8:53 AM.
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