Rams Release Kicker Harrison Mevis After Coach Sean McVay Says ‘He Cost Us The Game Tonight’

Sean McVay was not having it after the Los Angeles Rams’ OT loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, saying that the kicking wasn’t good enough and that “it cost us the game tonight.”

On Tuesday, the Rams announced they would release kicker Harrison Mevis and sign Blake Grupe off the New York Jets’ practice squad.

After the game, Mevis said he believes in himself and has a “next game mentality” when speaking with reporters in the locker room. He won’t get the chance to prove that with the Rams and will have to wait to see if he gets another opportunity to play for another team.

Mevis missed a 50-yard attempt earlier in the game before a Bills block stopped a potential game-winner from 48 yards.

Mevis was five-for-nine for the Rams this season, and McVay said he needed better production than that and “we’re hoping to get (that) from Blake” after the signing.

McVay praised Grupe’s kicking with the Indianapolis Colts last year, when he made all 11 field-goal attempts.

McVay also made it clear that even though he said they would evaluate everything with the kicking unit, they would make no changes at the coordinator position, where special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone was hired in January.

McVay did take some responsibility, blaming his play call and saying, “That’s on me,” regarding the play on third down before the kick attempt. He added that he hasn’t been this pissed about a game in a while.

The Rams dropped to 2-3 with this loss, now 3rd in the competitive NFC West that has three Super Bowl hopefuls. At the bottom of the division sits the Arizona Cardinals, who the Rams have up next at home.