Beat-up Rams prepare for Chiefs without top QB
The Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 12 home game against the defending Super Bowl champions Los Angeles Rams likely made fans’ mouths water when the NFL released its schedule months ago.
Now, those same mouths may be offering a collective yawn when pondering today’s game in Kansas City.
While Patrick Mahomes has the Chiefs (8-2) atop the AFC standings, the Rams (3-7) have been an unmitigated disaster.
Oddsmakers weren’t shy about showing the difference between the teams considering Kansas City are whopping 14.5-point favourites.
“They’ve had changes to the team and injuries, those things happen but it’s not something they planned on happening,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of the Rams.
“At the same time, 99 [Aaron Donald], 54 [Leonard Floyd] and 5 [Jalen Ramsey] — these guys haven’t changed. You have to get yourself ready.”
Kansas City have been ready from the get-go this season.
The team lead the NFL in average points per game (30.0) and total offence (429.3 yards), while Mahomes is atop the league in passing yards (3,265) and passing touchdowns (28).
And who could forget the teams’ electric match-up nearly four years ago?
Mahomes passed for a career-high 478 yards and six touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 54-51 loss to the Rams.
Last Sunday, Mahomes connected on three touchdown passes to tight end Travis Kelce to lead Kansas City to a 30-27 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Kelce had six receptions for 115 yards en route to be named the AFC offensive player of the week.
Rookie Isiah Pacheco, who rolled up a season-best 107 yards last Sunday, could see even more playing time with fellow running back Clyde EdwardsHelaire placed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.
While the Chiefs have won four in a row, the reeling Rams have lost four straight games to plummet to the bottom of the NFC West.
To boot, Los Angeles rank fourthworst in NFL in average points per game (16.8) and third-worst in total offence (288.0 yards).
The Rams are mired in a bevy of bad news, ranging from Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp expected to miss six to eight weeks with a high ankle sprain to defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson sustaining a season-ending meniscus injury.
Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said. “These are some challenging times, but you can’t jump off the roller coaster. You gotta be able to stay on track. It’s our job.”
Quarterback Bryce Perkins relieved Matthew Stafford (neck) in the Rams’ 27-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday.
Stafford, who also is in concussion protocol, has been ruled out against the Chiefs.
The Rams rushed for a season-high 148 yards versus the Saints, with Cam Akers grinding out 61 of those.