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 With a second-half lead, a Rams offensive line losing starters in
every quarter and inexperienced quarterback Austin Davis in the St.
Louis pocket, the Kansas City defense knocked him down seven times,
allowed only 116 net passing yards and dominated the game as the
Chiefs pushed their record to 4-3 on the season.
"The defense absolutely dominated the game," Chiefs quarterback Alex
Smith said of his defensive teammates. "To have a defense play like
those guys did today is special. They really dominated and set the
tone."
Setting the tone for the Chiefs defense was outside linebacker
Justin Houston. He added three sacks to the seven he carried into
the game to give him 10 in seven games. That's halfway to the
franchise sack record set by Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas
in 1990.
"This was a game where those sacks came from the whole defense,"
Houston said. "There was great coverage from the secondary and
linebackers and that forced the quarterback to hold the ball and
that allowed us to get to him."
 While the defense stifled the Rams' offense, the Chiefs were also
getting major contributions from the other parts of their game.
Backup running back Knile Davis returned the second-half kickoff 99
yards for a touchdown and Cairo Santos added two field goals,
including a career-long 53-yard kick. Offensively, they had three
rushing touchdowns, including two from running back Jamaal Charles
and Smith completed 24 of 28 passes for 226 yards, connecting six
times with wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. In all, the Chiefs scored 34
unanswered points.
The Rams generated only 200 yards of offense, falling to 2-5 and
they left Kansas City with a roster decimated by injuries. By the
fourth quarter, only one offensive line starter was in the same
position at which he opened the game and an injury-riddled secondary
was minus the two safeties that started the game.
It was a frustrating loss for a Rams team that beat the defending
Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks just a week ago.
"To beat a Super Bowl champion and then come in and perform like we
did today is not what we want," said defensive end Robert Quinn.
Austin Davis led the Rams to a touchdown on the first possession of
the game, rolling 65 yards on six plays capped by a 1-yard touchdown
toss to tight end Lance Kendricks. The key play in the drive was a
43-yard pass play from Davis to wide receiver Kenny Britt on
third-and-1.
"We started fast but we didn't finish," said Rams head coach Jeff
Fisher. "This team is going to have to learn to play consistent
through 60 minutes."
The Chiefs tied the score with a 10-play, 53-yard drive that lapped
over the end of the first quarter and start of the second. A 17-yard
pass from Smith to tight end Travis Kelce took the ball to the
one-yard line, setting up the score as Charles blasted through the
left side.
St. Louis had a great opportunity in the second quarter when Charles
fumbled and the ball was recovered by Rams defensive end William
Hayes at the Chiefs 8-yard line. Two running plays netted St. Louis
two yards and on third-and-goal, Davis was sacked by Chiefs safety
Ron Parker for a 14-yard loss.
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That set up a 38-yard field goal attempt for Greg Zuerlein, but he
pushed his kick wide right and the Chiefs escaped.
"That was the play of the game," Smith said. "To give them that
opportunity and then the defense goes out and stones them. That
established the tone for the rest of the game."
Santos hit his 53-yard field goal with one second left in the first
half, only after overcoming a false start penalty and consecutive
sacks by Quinn to get those three points on the board and carry a
10-7 lead to intermission.
Knile Davis, who had a 108-yard return last season against Denver,
sparked Kansas City's second-half surge with the Chiefs' first
return score of the season. Santos added a 28-yard field goal near
the mid-point of the third quarter and the Kansas City lead grew to
20-7.
A pair of fourth-quarter touchdown runs -- 36 yards by Charles and
3 yards from Davis -- capped the scoring. Houston and his mates
continued to swarm and picked up three more sacks to give them seven
on the afternoon.
"You can see what the conditions are," Houston said. "They were
forced to pass and any time that happens, as a pass rusher you are
trying to take advantage. I really didn't pay attention to their
problems (injuries). I just kept working to get some pressure on
him."
NOTES: Injuries impacted the Rams, who lost WR Brian Quick (arm)
and RG Rodger Saffold (shoulder) in the first half. In the second
half, C Scott Wells (elbow), LT Jake Long (knee), S Cody Davis
(concussion) and S Rodney McLeod (knee) all left with injuries. ...
Late in the third quarter only RT Joe Barksdale was playing the same
position in the St. Louis starting offensive line. ... Chiefs
starting CB Jamell Fleming was lost in the first half with a
hamstring injury. ... Chiefs S Ron Parker had a first-quarter
interception of Rams QB Austin Davis. ... The normally sure-handed
Chiefs had two fumbles in the first half. QB Alex Smith lost a ball
that rolled out of bounds and RB Jamaal Charles fumbled. ... The
teams were playing for the Governor's Cup, awarded since 1968 to the
winner of any game between the Chiefs and the NFL team playing
across the state in St. Louis -- first the Cardinals and since 1995
with the Rams. It was the 45th preseason or regular-season meeting
and the Chiefs now hold a 27-16-2 edge.
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