Rams fall to Chiefs 26-10
Chiefs 26, Rams 10 ... final
The undermanned Rams held close to the Kansas City Chiefs for much of the afternoon, but Patrick Mahomes and Co. proved too much for them in a 26-10 win at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
With Matthew Stafford injured, the Rams gave third-string quarterback Bryce Perkins his first NFL start. Perkins was ineffective, but also mistake-free, for much of the day before leading the Rams on a touchdown drive, then throwing two interceptions, all in the fourth quarter.
Perkins completed 13 of 23 passes for 100 yards. Mahomes went 27 for 42 for 320 yards and one touchdown with one interception.
Chiefs tack on another field goal
Chiefs 26, Rams 10 ... 1:44 remaining in fourth quarter
An interception by Nick Bolton gave the Chiefs the ball back at the Rams’ 27-yard line with 5:27 left. Isiah Pacheco carried the ball all eight plays as Kansas City milked the clock before Harrison Butker’s 22-yard field goal, his fourth of the day.
Rams hold Chiefs to field goal after teams exchange interceptions
Chiefs 23, Rams 10 ... 6:36 left in fourth quarter
Harrison Butker’s 22-yard field goal increased the lead after the Rams kept the Chiefs out of the end zone twice in a matter of minutes.
The Chiefs drove to the four yard-line with just less than nine minutes left when Rams safety Nick Scott intercepted a pass by Patrick Mahomes in the end zone. It was the first forced turnover by the Rams’ defense in five games, the first since Scott intercepted a pass against the Carolina Panthers.
The Rams, however, could not capitalize.
Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed intercepted a pass by Rams quarterback Bryce Perkins and returned it to the four-yard line.
The Rams’ defense forced the Chiefs to settle for the field goal.
Mahomes has completed 27 of 42 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
Perkins is nine for 16 for 74 yards and a touchdown. He threw his second interception of the day on the drive following the Chiefs’ field goal.
Bryce Perkins gets first NFL touchdown pass as Rams climb back in game
Chiefs 20, Rams 10 ... 14:56 left
Bryce Perkins connected with wide receiver Van Jefferson for a seven-yard touchdown, cutting the Chiefs’ lead to 10 points.
It was the first career touchdown pass for Perkins, who has completed nine of 15 attempts for 74 yards.
The touchdown pass completed a 14-play, 75-yard drive that featured a fourth-down pass to wide receiver Tutu Atwell, who also had a 15-yard reception during the drive.
Perkins has rushed for 40 yards in eight carries.
Isiah Pacheco scores as Chiefs pull away from Rams
Chiefs 20, Rams 3 ... 6:32 left in the third quarter
After the Rams went three and out to start the second half, Patrick Mahomes engineered a 12-play drive that running back Isiah Pacheco capped with a three-yard touchdown run.
Mahomes completed passes of 10 yards to Skyy Moore and 17 yards to Pacheco during the 71-yard drive.
Mahomes has completed 21 of 32 attempts for 257 yards and a touchdown. He has rushed for 35 yards in four carries.
Pacheco has rushed for 44 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries.
Chiefs add a field goal before halftime
Chiefs 13, Rams 3 ... halftime
Harrison Butker kicked a 32-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Chiefs a 10-point lead.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had the Rams’ defense under pressure when the Chiefs got the ball with 3 minutes 16 seconds left in the second quarter.
Mahomes completed passes to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, tight end Justin Watson, running back Jerick McKinnon, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Noah Gray as he drove the Chiefs to the 14-yard line.
But the Rams kept the Chiefs out of the end zone as Mahomes’ passes fell incomplete.
Mahomes has completed 16 of 27 attempts for 210 yards and a touchdown. He has rushed for 29 yards in three carries.
Rams quarterback Bryce Perkins has completed two of five passes for 16 yards, and he has rushed for 38 yards in seven carries.
Chiefs add a field goal for seven-point lead in second quarter
Chiefs 10, Rams 3 ... 9:50 left in the second quarter
Harrison Butker kicked a 27-yard field goal to increase the lead to seven points.
The Chiefs had a first-and-goal situation at the four-yard line after Patrick Mahomes completed a 14-yard pass to tight end Justin Wilson, a 22-yard pass to running back Ronald Jones and ran for a 13-yard scramble.
But a touchdown pass to tight end Noah Gray was nullified because of a penalty, and the Rams forced Mahomes to toss three incomplete passes.
Mahomes has completed nine of 16 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Third-string QB Bryce Perkins leads Rams’ scoring drive
Chiefs 7, Rams 3 ... 14:57 left in the second quarter
Bryce Perkins led a 46-yard drive that culminated with Matt Gay’s 47-yard field goal.
Perkins had a 13-yard scramble and completed a 15-yard pass to running back Kyren William during the 10-play drive, and running back Cam Akers had a 15-yard run.
The Rams will start third-string quarterback Bryce Perkins in a hostile environment while the Chiefs have MVP front-runner Patrick Mahomes at the helm.
Perkins has completed two of five passes for 16 yards. He has rushed for 21 yards in two carries.
Akers has rushed for 23 yards in four carries.
Patrick Mahomes finds Travis Kelce for 39-yard touchdown
Chiefs 7, Rams 0 ... 5:40 left in the first quarter
Rams coach Sean McVay was not feeling great after reserve tight end Roger Carter slammed into him on the sideline during the Rams’ first possession.
McVay felt worse after Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahome connected with tight end Travis Kelsce for a 39-yard touchdown.
The Chiefs got the ball after the Rams failed to capitalize on an opportunity.
The Rams were on their way to going three and out on their first possession when Chiefs kick returner Skyy Moore fumbled a punt. But quarterback Bryce Perkins and the Rams’ offense could not manage a first down and had to punt again.
Rams coach Sean McVay takes hard hit to face
Rams coach Sean McVay took a hard helmet to his left cheek as tight end Roger Carter entered the game during the first quarter. The Fox TV broadcast showed McVay rubbing that area on his face multiple times and reported that the coach had been examined by a team trainer. McVay remained in the game, which remains scoreless after five minutes.
Rams vs. Chiefs: Almost game time
Rams inactives: QB Matthew Stafford, WR Alen Robinson, LB Travin Howard, C Brian Allen, OT Ty Nsekhe.
Fair fight? Rams start Bryce Perkins at quarterback while Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There will be no easing into it.
On Sunday, Rams quarterback Bryce Perkins is expected to make his first NFL start, and it will be against one of the best teams in the NFL, in one of the league’s loudest environments with a front-runner for most valuable player at quarterback for the opponent.
Other than that, not much of a challenge for a player the Rams signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020.
NFL readers Q&A: How did Rams blow it on line? Is Chargers’ Brandon Staley on thin ice?
The Rams don’t appear as though they can “run it back” to another Super Bowl title as they had proclaimed. Meanwhile, the short-handed Chargers played well in consecutive games only to lose. Their next string of games could determine whether they are going to be in a battle for a playoff spot. Rams beat writer Gary Klein and Chargers beat writer Jeff Miller address fans’ concerns and questions with seven weeks to go in the regular season.
Rams-Kansas City Chiefs matchups, how to watch and prediction
Breaking down how the Rams (3-7) and the Kansas City Chiefs (8-2) match up heading into their game at 1:25 p.m. PST on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The game will be shown on Fox (Ch. 11) and streamed on NFL+.
NFL Week 12 picks: Eagles beat Packers; Cowboys take down Giants; Chargers win
The Times’ NFL writer, Sam Farmer, examines this week’s matchups.
Rams’ lack of creating turnovers has become a big problem
It qualifies as more than a dry spell, goes well beyond a drought.
The Rams have not intercepted a pass or recovered a fumble in their last four games — all losses. They have forced one turnover in their last eight games.
Safety Nick Scott intercepted a tipped pass in a victory over the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 16.
Since then, zilch for the Rams defense.
“It seems like forever,” Scott said Thursday. “Seems like a season ago.”
Rams’ Matthew Stafford won’t play against Chiefs but not because of concussion
Sean McVay tried to make himself clear.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is in concussion protocol but does not have a concussion, the coach said Wednesday. The 14th-year pro will not play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs because of a neck condition, not a concussion, McVay explained.
There is no timetable for Stafford’s return.