TEMPE, Ariz. — Everything appeared fairly regular for the Los Angeles Rams throughout Saturday’s apply at their momentary residence on an exquisite afternoon in suburban Phoenix.
The music was blaring, coaches had been shouting, footballs had been flying and even some palm bushes had been swaying within the background to present it a Southern California vibe.
Running again Kyren Williams mentioned the Rams additionally had one thing they have not had in a couple of days: clear minds.
“I felt like I used to be at peace,” Williams mentioned. “We did not actually have to fret about something besides for taking part in ball.”
The Rams are in Arizona this weekend getting ready for Monday’s NFL playoff sport towards the Minnesota Vikings on the apply facility of their NFC West rival the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams made their method to the desert on Friday night time, escaping from days of devastating wildfires within the Los Angeles space.
Now, the Rams know their households are secure, and their hearts exit to these nonetheless affected.
“There’s a sense amongst the workforce: This is for L.A.,” Williams mentioned. “This is for hope again at residence that they’ll cling onto, that the Rams are going to be the individuals who can take them away from no matter they are going by for a couple of hours on Monday.”
Los Angeles (10-7) will “host” the Vikings (14-3) on the Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium on Monday night time. The league introduced Thursday that the sport could be moved due to the continued menace of wildfires and the potential pressure on public providers.
The Cardinals opened their coaching facility in Tempe for the Rams’ use, and there was a giant banner that learn “Welcome Los Angeles Rams” with the logos of each groups on the doorway gate. Cardinals proprietor Michael Bidwill despatched two workforce planes to L.A. on Friday to assist facilitate the Rams’ journey to Arizona, and the gamers had been allowed to convey their households — and even some pets — alongside for the experience.
“It was cool to have that have with my boys and with my spouse,” Rams vast receiver Cooper Kupp mentioned. “Obviously, to be right here, tremendous grateful for the Rams with how they have been in a position to maintain the households within the group.”
The Rams nonetheless hope for a large home-field benefit for Monday’s sport, even when it is roughly 375 miles and a six-hour drive from SoFi Stadium, their precise residence subject in Inglewood, California. The workforce’s season-ticket holders purchased 25,000 tickets within the first hour of availability on Friday, and the workforce has organized for not less than 15 buses to drive followers from Inglewood for the sport.
More journey aids are being contemplated.
In some methods, State Farm Stadium has been the Rams’ residence away from residence for a decade. Los Angeles had received 9 straight video games in Arizona earlier than the streak was snapped earlier this season. Coach Sean McVay mentioned the Rams requested the guests locker room on Monday — despite the fact that they’re nonetheless technically the house workforce — due to their familiarity with the house.
“For essentially the most half, we have performed fairly nicely on this stadium,” Kupp mentioned. “It’s grass too, which is a giant bonus. I’ll take any likelihood we’ve got to play on grass.”
Only a couple of Rams staff had been instantly affected by the fires till Thursday afternoon, when the Kenneth Fire broke out a couple of miles from the workforce’s coaching complicated in suburban Woodland Hills and despatched smoke billowing into the sky with alarming velocity.
L.A. defensive lineman Kobie Turner mentioned wideout Puka Nacua‘s home was in an evacuation warning zone, so Nacua came to visit and slept at his home one night time. Turner mentioned the tight-knit workforce has develop into even nearer throughout the ordeal, searching for each other.
The Rams have confronted adversity on the sector all season, recovering from a 1-4 begin to win the NFC West. This is simply one other hurdle.
And contemplating what so many in L.A. are going by, they don’t seem to be going to complain.
“At the top of the day, it is a playoff sport,” Turner mentioned. “You do not get too many of those.”
