How Rams plan to make Australia distant memory

Sean McVay has a suggestion for anyone still struggling to process what happened to the Rams in Australia.Think “Men in Black.”Specifically, the little device that wipes away memories with a flash of light.“It’s almost like you try to do the ‘Men in Black’ thing where you say, ‘All right, hey, I don’t remember what happened.That was so long ago.’”Understandable.If ever a football trip deserved to disappear into some inaccessible corner of the brain, the Rams’ journey to Melbourne qualifies.

They traveled halfway around the world, got pushed around by a division rival and returned home with questions that followed them through customs.Then came the news about Myles Garrett’s knee surgery and impending stay on injured reserve.Unfortunately, no flash of light can erase Garrett’s absence.And no fast-forward button can get Aaron Donald ready for Monday night, with the Rams still deciding whether his comeback will begin against the Giants.And with the suddenly potent G-Men arriving at SoFi Stadium for “Monday Night Football,” the Rams have reached the point where putting Australia behind them requires something more substantial than saying they have.They have to play their way out of it.That is the challenge facing a team whose championship ambitions survived the flight home, even if some of the assumptions supporting them took a beating.The Rams are talented.

They are experienced.Their coach and quarterback have navigated enough difficult stretches to understand the danger of allowing one bad performance to contaminate the next week.But experience also should tell them that moving on means taking the lessons with you.The scoreboard can stay in Melbourne.

The corrections need to make it onto the practice field.“The bottom line is, I like the way that I feel of our preparation,” McVay said.“Eyes moving forward, chest out, chin up, eyes forward, and let’s go be about it, and let’s go prepare the right way.

Let’s have great focus...