Sean McVay has been labeled a genius ever since he became the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. Despite him being into crunching numbers and creating game plans, McVay explained why he isn't fully on board with utilizing analytics.

“You do you have an understanding of where the analytics fit in, but I think there’s a real feel for the flow of the game,” Rams coach Sean McVay explained. “The matchups, the kind of things that you’re anticipating from a defensive-coverage, fronts, what’s the down-and-distance and what’s the time left in the game. What’s the feel for the flow of the game? I just think that’s such a big part of it. Somebody asked me this and you talk about going into the New England game. If you said, ‘Hey, you’re going to get a fourth down and one of the first drives of the game, would you go for it?’ Well, the answer is easily yes when you see what the first six plays of that drive reflected. . . . There was a good feel and momentum. That was really what went into it. I think you definitely have that as a part of it, but I do think to say that’s the end all be all, I think it minimizes the work that we do throughout the course of the week and some of the things that take part in a game with 22 moving parts on every single snap. I’ll never have that just exclusively guide my decision-making. That doesn’t mean that’s the right approach, that’s just what I believe is the best. Certainly I know that’s not for everybody.”

Coaches use analytics in a variety of ways during game-prep or even during games. However, McVay and other coaches realize that sometimes relying on analytics to have the definitive answer can backfire.

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Of course, McVay evidently uses it to help decide whether or not the Rams should go for it on a certain fourth-down play. Though, he did make it clear that he doesn't allow analytics to be the end all be all when it comes to making crucial decisions.

For years, analytics has become an interesting discussion on how it benefits sports teams. In addition, it's been interesting to see how certain teams use them to their advantage or completely ignore them altogether.

With someone as young and smart as McVay, he knows that there are certain moments that analytics can come in handy. On the other hand, he's also aware that going against analytics has worked for him in other moments.