The Los Angeles Rams are working to address ongoing issues with their special teams following a narrow 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium on Monday. The defeat was marked by several costly special teams mistakes, including surrendering a 70-yard kickoff return, a missed field-goal attempt, and a blocked field goal.

Rams head coach Sean McVay emphasized the need for improvement in special teams play ahead of their upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals, who hold a 1-4 record. “I want to see this get fixed,” McVay said. “Let’s have solves, let’s have solutions and let’s give our players a chance to be able to have 11-as-one executed in each phase as consistently as possible.” He added that the team will continue striving for better execution in all phases of the game.

Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone pointed to a need for players to return to fundamental techniques. “It ultimately comes down to reverting back to your fundamentals and your techniques that enable you to be able to protect, block, tackle, all of those things,” he said.

The Rams have faced a tough schedule, playing four of their first five games against teams that qualified for the playoffs last season. Their next opponent, Arizona, is coached by former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who is part of a growing trend of coaches with Rams roots ascending to head-coach positions. LaFleur joins several other former Rams offensive assistants who were hired as head coaches recently, including his brother Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers, Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals, Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings, and Liam Coen of the Jacksonville Jaguars. On the defensive side, former Rams coordinators Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris have also moved on to head coaching jobs.

Regarding his relationship with LaFleur, McVay said they communicate frequently but noted he had not spoken to him this week due to an unusually busy schedule. LaFleur, when asked about McVay, joked that he had not thought much about his former coach and assumed the feeling was mutual.

McVay’s recent activities have included roster moves such as releasing kicker Brett Maher and signing kicker Jackson Grupe, as well as managing the suspension of starting left tackle Alaric Jackson. Jackson was initially suspended for two games by the NFL for an on-field altercation in which he struck Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb in the face after Monday’s loss. The suspension was reduced to one game upon appeal.

Veteran offensive lineman David Quessenberry, who has been with the Rams for nine seasons but started only one game in 2023, will fill in for Jackson in protecting quarterback Matthew Stafford’s blindside. “This is kind of why I’m here—when things like this happen,” Quessenberry said. “So I’m ready to go. This is what I’ve worked for ... I’m fired up.”

The Rams will look to rebound from their recent struggles as they prepare to face the Cardinals on Sunday.