The Los Angeles Rams (4-5) will travel across three time zones to Foxborough, Mass. to face the New England Patriots on the road for the first time since 2016. Rams head coach Sean McVay became the leader of the team the year after and has never had a chance to head coach at Gillette Stadium.
It has been quite some time since these two teams have met on the east coast. Eight year ago, the quarterbacks for their respective franchises was current Detroit Lions Jared Goff for the Rams and the seven-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Brady, for the Patriots.
The last time these two teams played at all was in 2020, in Inglewood. The Rams came out with a 24-3 win behind 171 rushing yards from former Rams running back Cam Akers. McVay recalled the last time he experienced the Patriots home turf when he was an assistant before getting the Rams job.
"Well, they came here in 2020 so the way that the schedules worked themselves out," McVay said. "I remember going there when I was a coordinator in Washington and [Former Patriots Quarterback Tom] Brady walked out to the 'Hov' song and you're thinking, 'Oh man.' It was impressive. It's a great venue and a historical franchise, so it seems like it's going to be a nice day from what I've heard. It'll be cool, but it just kind of works out that way with how the schedule is situated."
There is a wealth of championship history on that field calling back to the Patriots dynasty days under Hall of Fame head coach Bill Belichick and Brady. McVay has been a student of the game since his coaching career started and has a great appreciation for what that stadium holds.
McVay has postseason experience against the Patriots organization dating back to the 2018 Super Bowl. It was just his second year as head coach of the team, falling 13-3 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It marked Brady's sixth championship and the Rams first Super Bowl appearance since 2000.
Even though McVay would return to the big game just four years later, winning his first ring in 2022, he will always have that chip on his shoulder against the Patriots ever since losing that game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Rams' McVay Sounds Off On First Time In Foxborough as HC.