The Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up to face the Los Angeles Rams at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 12. It’s the first time these two teams have faced off since their 2018 shootout which had 105 total points scored between the two teams.
To learn more about Kansas City’s opponent, we spoke with managing editor Cam DaSilva over at Rams Wire and asked him a few questions.
Chiefs Wire: I know there was some talk of retirement in the offseason. Is Aaron Donald still himself and how should the Chiefs go about handling him if so?
Rams Wire: He’s still himself, consistently generating pressure and disrupting running plays on the interior. The biggest problem is quarterbacks are getting the ball out quicker against the Rams than any other team. That’s the Aaron Donald effect. He just hasn’t had much time to get home for sacks, which is why he “only” has five this season. The best thing for the Chiefs to do is double-team him inside and force someone like Leonard Floyd to beat them. I know Patrick Mahomes isn’t exactly a quarterback who loves to get the ball out right away, but that can also help neutralize Donald.
Chiefs Wire: The Chiefs have five sacks in back-to-back games. How do you think the Rams offensive line will handle their flourishing pass rush?
Rams Wire: Terribly. Seriously, it’s going to be a sack-fest for the Chiefs. The Rams are down to either their backup or third/fourth-string lineman at four of the five spots, with the exception of right tackle where Rob Havenstein has remained the starter. They’ve already started 10 different offensive line combinations in 10 games, and it’s possible they’ll make it 11-for-11 on Sunday. This is probably the worst offensive line in football.
Chiefs Wire: Who are some of the new faces for L.A. that the Chiefs will need to be aware of in this game?
Rams Wire: Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner are the two big ones. Robinson has had a miserable first season with the Rams, only catching 33 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games so far. Wagner, on the flip side, has been excellent. He’s once again one of the best linebackers in the league and is leading a Rams defense that has played well enough to win, but not well enough to carry the entire team. Rookie running back Kyren Williams could also get more playing time with Darrell Henderson Jr. gone.
Chiefs Wire: Did the Rams sell the farm to just win Super Bowl LVI or do you think they have the pieces necessary for a repeat in the future?
Rams Wire: I think their aggressiveness has certainly made it a challenge to build a strong roster from top to bottom, but it doesn’t mean their Super Bowl window is closed. They’ve just had a terrible season with far too many injuries, particularly on the offensive line. Not to mention, Cooper Kupp is out, Matthew Stafford has missed a game and a half, Robinson has been a dud and the secondary was banged up for the first half of the year. They still have a great core in place with Stafford, Kupp, Donald, Wagner and Jalen Ramsey, but other parts of the roster are weak.
Chiefs Wire: What’s your prediction for this game? Do the Rams have any shot?
Rams Wire: I think it’ll be pretty lopsided. I don’t see the Rams having much of a chance at all, especially on the road in a tough environment without Kupp and with a decimated offensive line. I could see the Chiefs winning this one 31-14 or something in that range. The Rams just don’t have the firepower to keep up.
