Rams take in fresh air, mountains ahead of showdown with Chiefs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — This was a respite for the Los Angeles Rams but certainly no vacation.

The team kept its plans to train at the Air Force Academy and stay at the posh Broadmoor Hotel in the Rocky Mountain foothills even after the NFL moved their Monday night showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs to the Los Angeles Coliseum because of a frayed football field at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium.

The primary benefit shifted from altitude acclimation to getting away from the wildfires back home and doing some midseason team bonding.

“It’s been a little bit wild for sure, but with that being said, there’s a lot more people dealing with a lot worse than what we’re dealing with right now,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “We’re the lucky ones and we’re having a good time out here in Colorado.”

The deadly wildfires that are surrounding the Rams’ training complex back home affected some players and coaches directly and some indirectly.

“I personally wasn’t affected, but I look at my teammates as family,” Ndamukong Suh said. “So, we all have to deal with it in some form or fashion.”

The trip to Colorado also allowed the Rams (9-1) to do some midseason bonding, something tight end Rob Gronkowski said helped the Patriots refocus down the stretch last season after they spent a week at the academy ahead of their game against the Raiders in Mexico City.

Rams coach Sean McVay said he reached out to Patriots coach Bill Belichick for some tips about how they handled the week away in the Rocky Mountains.

“Anybody like a Bill Belichick, if they’re able to give you a perspective, it’d be silly not to listen and try to apply it,” McVay said.

The Rams will fly home Saturday after what was actually a business trip.