Rams’ red zone defense was ridiculously good vs. Chiefs
Even though the scoreboard says Sunday’s game between the Rams and Chiefs was a complete blowout, it was actually much closer than it could’ve been. If not for the Rams’ red zone defense, the Chiefs would’ve won by much more than just 16 points.
It was an insanely good performance from the Rams’ defense against one of the best red zone offenses in the NFL.
Coming into Week 12, the Chiefs ranked third in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage, finding the end zone on 72.1% of their trips inside the 20-yard line. They scored touchdowns on 31 of their 43 red zone trips, only failing 12 times all year.
Against the Rams, the Chiefs went 1-for-6 in the red zone, scoring one touchdown and four field goals, while turning it over once in the red zone. Imagine what the score would have been had the Rams not become the ’85 Bears in the red zone on Sunday.
PICK SCOTT!
3️⃣3️⃣ @nickmscotty | 📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/AxCDiuYaH8
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 27, 2022
The Chiefs practically lived in the red zone during the fourth quarter, too. They ran 17 plays in the red zone during the fourth quarter, yet they didn’t score on a single one of them. Patrick Mahomes threw a pick on the first trip into the red zone during the fourth quarter, and the Chiefs settled for field goals on their next two possessions after Bryce Perkins threw interceptions.
It’s pretty remarkable that the Rams only gave up two touchdowns to the Chiefs all game long, and one of them was a 39-yarder to Travis Kelce in the first quarter. Sure, they gave up 437 total yards, but this was the definition of a bend-don’t-break defense.
They held up in the red zone and did their job defensively. They just didn’t get much help from an offense that was without Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson.
