RAMS (9-1) vs. CHIEFS (9-1)
When: Monday, 5:15 p.m.
Where: the Coliseum
Line: Rams by 3.5; O/U: 63.5
TV/radio: ESPN; ABC Ch. 7; 710-AM, 93.1-FM, 1330-AM (Spanish)
RAMS OFFENSE vs. CHIEFS DEFENSE
This one is pretty easy. The Rams have to protect Jared Goff and get Todd Gurley going. This doesn’t get much attention, but the Chiefs are tied for the league lead with 31 sacks. The Rams need to keep Goff comfortable, particularly since safety-net receiver Cooper Kupp has been lost to a torn ACL. Gurley should be able to thrive against a Chiefs defense that has allowed 5.1 yards per rush this season, third-worst in the NFL. It will be interesting to see how Kupp’s absence impacts Brandin Cooks. When Kupp missed two games with his initial knee sprain, defenses seemed to clamp down on Cooks and he had only seven catches. In the last two games, with Kupp, Cooks totaled 16 catches and 214 yards. EDGE: RAMS
CHIEFS OFFENSE vs. RAMS DEFENSE
Much of the attention will go to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the pass game, and with good reason, but watch out for running back Kareem Hunt, a 1,300-yard runner last season. Hunt has been quiet in recent games, but the Rams’ defense has had tackling issues of late and has been softened up by runners such as New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara and Seattle’s Mike Davis and Rashaad Penny. Plus, the Rams have had periodic problems against tight ends, and they don’t come much better than the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce, who at times seems to be their top target. Then, of course, there’s the multi-faceted threat of Tyreek Hill and another deep-ball threat in Sammy Watkins. The Chiefs are difficult to stop. EDGE: CHIEFS
SPECIAL TEAMS
Yes, the Chiefs have a field-goal kicker, and they even use him sometimes. Harrison Butker has made 16 of 17 attempts this season, and his only miss was from beyond 50 yards. Dustin Colquitt has punted only 28 times in 10 games and has dropped 14 of them inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Hill is a major threat as a punt returner and Tremon Smith is a solid kickoff returner. The Rams continue to do fine in special teams, and it will be interesting to see how quickly they incorporate Pharoh Cooper, now that he is eligible to return from injured reserve. The Rams did OK in the return game without him, with JoJo Natson and Blake Countess, but Cooper is an All-Pro caliber return specialist and should provide an upgrade. EDGE: CHIEFS
COACHING
There’s a lot of quality here, but with very different styles. Chiefs coach Andy Reid, a Los Angeles native who grew up not far from Dodger Stadium, turned 60 this year and is a steady, low-key leader. The Chiefs have been an impressive team under his watch and he’s getting ready to head to the playoffs for the 14th time in his 20 seasons as a NFL head coach. The Rams’ Sean McVay is a 32-year-old ball of energy, and this will be the biggest game of his brief career. This is, again, another chance for veteran coordinator Wade Phillips to show that the Rams can play better defense. They’ll need it this week. EDGE: RAMS
INTANGIBLES
This is a total coin flip, because nothing about the last two weeks has been normal. The Rams certainly benefited from the fact that the game got moved from Mexico City to the Coliseum. They should be able to play in front of a full house of fired-up fans. On the other hand, the Rams spent almost a full week in Colorado Springs, and they haven’t been home since last Monday, when many of them were still dealing with home evacuations. So, this can go either way. Either this will be a cathartic game for the Rams, and they will be fired up to play, or they simply will be mentally exhausted by all the turmoil. EDGE: CHIEFS
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth vs. Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford. This should be a classic. Whitworth’s reputation as a protector of quarterbacks has long been established, and if the Chiefs are going to slow down the Rams’ offense, they have to get to Goff, and that could start with Ford, who plays right outside linebacker. Injuries shortened Ford’s 2017 but he has come back in a big way, with a team-high nine sacks in nine games. Ford was massive three weeks ago against Denver, when he recorded three sacks and forced two fumbles. The Rams have allowed 19 sacks this season, which is 10th-fewest in the NFL.
PREDICTION: CHIEFS 38, RAMS 35
There is a clear path to victory for the Rams. They need to get pressure on Mahomes, tackle Hunt before he breaks long runs, and not make mistakes on offense. Arizona provided the template last week but didn’t have the talent to get it done. The problem for the Rams is, past results indicate they’re headed for an early deficit. The Chiefs have a 92-36 advantage in first-quarter scoring this season while the Rams have a 65-58 deficit. That’s a problem against a team as good as the Chiefs. The Rams showed against the Saints that they have the ability to rally, but they lost that game, and the results of this one could be similar.
