Players to watch in Chiefs-Rams showdown: LA’s run game in the spotlight
There are plenty of story lines going into Monday night’s Chiefs-Rams game, but make sure to keep an eye on the guy looking for a revenge game and the guys who will dictate the success of the Rams’ run game.
No. 62 Austin Reiter
27 years old, 6-3, 300 pounds, 3rd season
Reiter, slated to make just his fourth start of the season, is going to have his hands full with Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald on the inside of the Rams’ defensive line. Donald leads the NFL with 12 1/2 sacks this season and 67 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF also ranks him as the best interior pass-rusher with a 26.7 percent pass-rush win rate. The Chiefs’ offensive line struggled against the Cardinals’ rush a week ago, and Patrick Mahomes was sacked five times, and at least one was given up by Reiter in the middle.
No. 44 Dorian O’Daniel, LB
24 years old, 6-1, 220 pounds, 1st season
The rookie linebacker has taken on a more prominent role since Terrance Smith’s ACL tear against the Bengals. Against the Cardinals, O’Daniel played in 58 percent of the defensive snaps. This week O’Daniel, a hybrid linebacker-defensive back, could be a key to slowing LA Rams running back Todd Gurley. Though primarily used in passing downs, O’Daniel has shown more comfort in the run game in recent weeks. Against the Bengals, O’Daniel did a good job containing Joe Mixon, another dual-threat running back, and had a memorable open-field tackle-for-loss. He likely won’t be the only Chiefs’ player called on to slow Gurley, but he’ll certainly be in the mix.
No. 22 Marcus Peters, CB
25 years old, 6-0, 195 pounds, 4th season
Remember this guy? Of course you do. The former Chiefs cornerback was traded to the Rams in the offseason for a 2018 fourth-round pick and a 2019 second-round pick. Peters was one of the best corners in the league with the Chiefs, but he hasn’t been able to replicate that success with the Rams this season. Pro Football Focus ranks him as the 106th corner out of 113. Peters will be juiced up to play his former team, and the determining factor in this game could be how well he controls his emotions. If Peters lets the trash-talking and history with the Chiefs get in his head, it could be a long night. Or he could channel it into putting together his best performance of the season. There’s a good chance he’ll be going against Tyreek Hill, whose speed wouldn’t be a good matchup for Peters.
No. 30 Todd Gurley, RB
24 years old, 6-1, 224 pounds, 4th season
One of the three MVP candidates on the field Monday night, this guy is going to be a problem for the Chiefs. Gurley does it all for the Rams: he leads the team — and the league — in rushing with 988 yards, and he’s fourth in receiving yards with 402. He also leads the NFL with 13 touchdowns. The Chiefs’ struggles with slowing running backs has been well-documented this season, and Gurley will undoubtedly be their toughest challenge. Rams coach Sean McVay uses multiple looks in the run game to take advantage of Gurley’s talents. The Chiefs won’t be able to stop him, but they’ll have to hope they can slow him down, otherwise it’s going to be a long night in Los Angeles.
Brooke Pryor
Brooke Pryor covers the Kansas City Chiefs and NFL for The Star.
