WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – With the NFC West crown locked up, the Rams announced today that veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will start on Sunday against the Seahawks in Week 18. Matthew Stafford will get the day off; Los Angeles is still working through who else will rest or play.

On Wednesday, Garoppolo and head coach Sean McVay spoke with the media about the upcoming matchup with Seattle and the team's thought process with respect to what this game means for playoff seeding. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, defensive coordinator Chris Shula and outside linebacker Jared Verse also spoke with the media on Thursday.

Here are the most significant quotes and talking points from the press conferences, which can be viewed below:

"I think it's also an awesome opportunity for Matthew be able to get rested, rejuvenated and ready to roll for the playoffs. He's accumulated so much experience, and I think that's the important thing, while also saying 'this is an important game for us, we want to go compete to the best of our ability.' You don't minimize that, but ultimately, you're just kind of weighing the pros and cons and tilted in those scales and those are things that we've kind of done when we've been in similar situations." - McVay

There are a variety of people who McVay went to for input when making the decision of how to handle the Week 18 game, and he said "you try to have a thought process in regards to why you make these decisions." Resting Stafford was one of the main motivations, and McVay said that things may be different if they were playing for a bye, but sitting Stafford seemed like the best option considering they can only get the three or four seed. He added that being the three versus the four seed doesn't make a difference to him because "I know that you're going to play an excellent team either way."

McVay doesn't view this as a tryout for Garoppolo's potential future with the Rams, but "a great opportunity for Jimmy," McVay said. He's been impressed with Garoppolo's professionalism and approach to learning in a role that he hasn't been in since early in his career.

The team won't make any IR moves until after the playoffs, McVay said, when they get two extra return slots and their one remaining one will carry over into the postseason.

"(Being on the bench) gives you a chance to see the defense differently. When you're in there playing, you got to do what you got to do to get the play run right, to find a completion, whatever it is... you get a different view through a different pair of lenses. On the sideline, you get to see things, you're not getting hit. So, there's some new differences there, but it's been good for me. Staff(ord) has been awesome. He's very open with telling you what he seen, what he did on this play, which is rare in this league." - Garoppolo

This will be Garoppolo's first start with the Rams after signing a one-year deal with Los Angeles this offseason. He's been learning from a different perspective this season and McVay "does a really good job of explaining (things) in detail too," he said. "He'll take the time to slow things down." He's studied other quarterbacks on the scout team and experienced the position in a way he hasn't thus far in his career; as a veteran backup in a new offense.

Garoppolo said "you can find something in everyone's game and apply it to your own." He's done that on the scout team, particularly with passers' uses of cadence and motion. Getting back into live action for the first time is "never seamless," Garoppolo said, and he will face adversity at some point. He joked he might get his brother to hit him a little bit this weekend in preparation for his first game action in over a year.

It's "been impressive" learning from Stafford, Garoppolo said, and the Rams' quarterback room is "a tight-run outfit" that takes the little details seriously.

"(Garoppolo) handled his process of making sure he's prepared, because he knows he's always one play away. That wasn't surprising at all. It wasn't surprising how cool of a backup he's been for Matthew, but it's probably understated how great he has been for him in terms of (being) very supportive, probably his biggest fan on the sideline, and I really mean that... He respects the way Matthew goes about his process." - LaFleur

Despite being a veteran himself, Garoppolo has approached this role with a desire to learn and a respect for his elder peer, Stafford. LaFleur said that it'll be "like old times" for him to coach a Garoppolo-led offense, as they worked together in San Francisco, and he expects him "to go play well."

It hasn't been decided yet if LaFleur will call plays, as he did in last season's inconsequential Week 18 game. He said that he ran with quarterback Carson Wentz too much, giving him the most carries of his career and was "a little embarrassed," but it was a great learning experience.

Wide receiver Cooper Kupp hasn't received his usual production recently, but LaFleur said he was "excellent" against the Cardinals, running some good routes despite finishing the game with one catch for 29 yards. The lineup could look different against the Seahawks with Garoppolo under center, and as the team continues to work through which starters will or won't rest against in Week 18.

"Really happy for (Jared Verse making the Pro Bowl), it just shows how much he influences and impacts the game. And having four-and-a-half sacks and still making the Pro Bowl is just a huge credit to him. He has respect of his peers and coaches... we know in this building how much he impacts the game, and it's just good to see he gets that recognition around the league." - Shula

Verse is the Rams' lone Pro Bowl selection after the initial round of invites, and he did it as a rookie. Shula said he's "a true three-down player" who has gotten more comfortable with the pro game and the Rams' scheme throughout his first season.

This defense is extremely young, featuring three-to-four rookies in starting roles throughout the season. Shula said it starts with position coaches "figuring out what (players) do best and trying to put them in the best positions" to succeed. They have over-emphasized communication and the execution that's needed in specific instances so that defenders have become more equipped to play their roles and with their teammates.

With their second matchup against Seattle coming up in Week 18, Shula said that facing an opponent twice involves a "cat and mouse game," as both sides try to anticipate adjustments that the other will make.

"I took a nap after practice and I got like three calls with Coach McVay. I was like, 'oh sh--, I'm getting fired.' Like, I don't know what I did, I thought I was feeling pretty good. I called and he was like 'you made the Pro Bowl.' ... It was really surreal. It felt amazing. Relief was first, though." - Verse

After the shock wore off, the first call he made was to his mom and dad, then his older brother. The Pro Bowl wasn't something that was on his radar, saying "I never really thought about I just always thought, 'go out there and do whatever. Anything else is gonna follow it.'" Verse is one of three rookies to be named to the Pro Bowl in the initial vote this year, along with Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.

He said his position coach, Joe Coniglio, announced that he'd made the Pro Bowl before it was announced publicly, and the outside linebackers erupted into celebratory head pats and Verse said it was "surreal to see how much happiness they had for me" and "it's thanks to them because they helped push me every day."