The Los Angeles Rams have made their first significant change following Monday night's devastating loss to the Buffalo Bills, releasing kicker Harrison Mevis after another performance that left head coach Sean McVay furious.
Los Angeles suffered a 37-34 overtime defeat at SoFi Stadium, dropping to 2-3 despite producing one of the most impressive offensive performances of the young NFL season.
Sean McVay calls himself out after one Australia decision came back to haunt the Rams
Mevis missed a 50-yard field goal in the opening quarter before having a potential 48-yard game-winner blocked by Greg Rousseau in overtime, allowing Buffalo to escape with victory.
By Tuesday, the Rams had decided to move on from the 24-year-old, with NFL insider Ian Rapoport reporting his departure and the arrival of Blake Grupe from the New York Jets' practice squad.
Sean McVay's warning leads to Rams changes
McVay offered little protection to his struggling kicking unit after watching another winnable game slip away through mistakes that have become an increasingly familiar problem.
"Not even close to good enough," McVay said of the Rams' field-goal and extra-point operation. "It cost us the game tonight."
When asked whether changes could follow, the Rams coach made his intentions clear without identifying which players or staff members might be affected.
"Yeah, I'm going to evaluate everything," McVay said, leaving little doubt that the latest breakdown would prompt serious consideration of the team's options.
Mevis had converted only five of nine field-goal attempts through five games, giving him a 55.6 percent success rate, the lowest in the NFL.
His departure represents a dramatic reversal after he successfully converted 18 of 19 attempts during nine regular-season and postseason appearances in 2025.
Fixing Rams' kicking problems
The Rams have turned to Grupe, who previously played for the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, hoping his experience can provide greater reliability.
Grupe converted 18 of 26 field-goal attempts for New Orleans in 2025 before making all 11 of his attempts during his subsequent spell with Indianapolis.
However, Los Angeles' problems extend beyond one kicker, with the franchise repeatedly struggling to execute crucial special teams plays over the past two seasons.
Former kicker Joshua Karty was released following similar difficulties, while coordinator Chase Blackburn lost his job before McVay appointed Bubba Ventrone during the offseason.
Despite those changes, the Rams have accumulated a league-worst minus-84.3 special teams expected points added since the beginning of 2025.
Rams waste historic offensive performance
Monday's defeat was especially frustrating because quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 383 yards and three touchdowns, while receiver Puka Nacua recorded a career-high 17 receptions.
Los Angeles also became the first team in NFL history to produce more than 400 offensive yards, at least 30 first downs and five touchdowns without committing a turnover and still lose.
The extraordinary numbers highlighted how costly the kicking mistakes had become, with McVay's team unable to convert offensive dominance into another victory.
Mevis now faces an uncertain future, while Grupe inherits a role that has already proved difficult for multiple Rams kickers.
Whether the latest change finally addresses Los Angeles' persistent special teams problems remains to be seen, but McVay has made clear that another costly collapse won't be tolerated.