The Rams got back on track in their Week 18 victory over the Cardinals, pouring on the points and creating constant pressure on Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett. They leaned heavily into 13 personnel again and the Rams' tight ends contributed heavily in both the run and pass game.
Here are five interesting stats from the Rams' 37-20 victory over Arizona.
The Rams' 60% pressure rate is tied for the fifth-most for any team this season, according to Next Gen Stats
The Rams pressured Brissett 24 times, resulting in six sacks. The Rams achieved this while blitzing just four times, which produced three pressures and two sacks. It was a collective effort from the Rams' front, as 10 different players pressured the quarterback at least once, and nine did so multiple times.
The only two times the Rams have had three players with at least five pressures apiece, it's been in their two matchups against Arizona, according to Next Gen Stats
On Sunday, outside linebacker Jared Verse and defensive end Kobie Turner both registered six quarterback pressures, while outside linebacker Desjuan Johnson had five. In Week 14, Johnson got six, while Turner and outside linebacker Byron Young both created five pressures. The Rams' defensive line has put Arizona's offensive front through the ringer in their two matchups, and they've done so without much help from blitzers.
For the third time this season, the Rams broke the record for highest percentage of plays in 13 personnel in a single game (66.7%) in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016)
Two-thirds of the Rams' plays on Sunday had three tight ends on the field. They averaged 6.1 yards per play and scored three touchdowns out of that personnel grouping. All three of those touchdowns went to tight ends.
"I think it helps our team a lot and just to grind it out the way we had to today a little bit and really lean into the 13 personnel, it felt good to get some momentum going into the playoffs," tight end Davis Allen said postgame. "But it's always a good day when you can do 13."
The Rams' tight ends accounted for 49% of Stafford's passing yards
Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson totaled nine catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns, and Stafford threw for 259 yards and four scores. Higbee's first game back from Injured Reserve since he got hurt in Week 11 was filled with big-time plays.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua's 90.9% catch rate is tied for the highest this year for a wide receiver with at least 10 targets, according to Next Gen Stats
Nacua caught 10 of his 11 targets for 76 yards and a touchdown. Only running backs or tight ends have caught a higher percentage of their targets with that level of volume this season, and Nacua has reached a 90.9% catch rate on 10-plus targets twice this season. He's the only receiver to do so more than once, as only Kendrick Bourne in Week 5 and Justin Jefferson in Week 4 have achieved that level of efficiency.
Nacua brought down his two-yard touchdown with just one hand, and the pass had just a 25% completion probability, according to Next Gen Stats, making it the 10th-most improbable reception of Week 18.
