Jimmy Garoppolo has yet to see action this season, but he’s doing what he can to help the Los Angeles Rams out. In fact, it looks like the veteran QB is playing a part in the development of the team’s defense. This was discussed in detail by head coach Sean McVay, who opened up about Garoppolo’s role with the scout team on Friday.
“I just think it’s the ability for him (Garoppolo) to be able to activate the parts of the field and make quick decisions,” McVay said, per Rams Media Center. “He has such a command too. Sometimes you get some of these younger quarterbacks and they’re not quite as comfortable taking command of the huddle. Even if you just hear the way that he communicates with the guys around him, you can’t help but get better because our defense is seeing a look that’s very much reflective of high-level starting caliber quarterback play with the things that he can do.”
“He has a great way about himself. He has definitely made them better by the way that he handles himself on the field, the looks that he’s able to present them, in terms of just mimicking and imitating the opposing team’s quarterback, and then I think he’s also made the players that he’s around better (by) the way he communicates to them. I don’t think it’s by mistake that when you talk to teammates of his at other stops he’s been at, he’s very well regarded and they want to play hard for him,” McVay added.
Sean McVay and the Rams face a tough test in Week 12
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For more context, scout teams are basically players from the practice squad who emulate the style of play of a team’s opponents. In this case, the Rams are scheduled to play the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12, so Garoppolo and the offensive scout team have most likely been mimicking Philly’s run-heavy game. It may not be a picture-perfect simulation, but it allows the Rams defense to have an idea of what they’ll be up against on Sunday.
And for what it’s worth, McVay and his squad do need a good amount of preparation since the Eagles currently boast the league’s top rushing offense. Nevertheless, the Rams have been a resurging team as of late. They’ve won four out of their last five games and now hold a .500 record. There’s still room for improvement defensively, but the Rams have shown flashes of upside, like how they limited the Miami Dolphins — the 11th-best team on the ground — to just 67 rushing yards on 3.0 yards per carry. The Eagles are a whole different beast, of course, but with how things have gone these past few weeks, the Rams will definitely compete.
Brian Buyawe is an NBA, NFL, NCAA Football, and NCAA Basketball writer for ClutchPoints. His advanced knowledge of basketball, football, and Formula One started at an early age, allowing him to provide in-depth analysis.