The Rams never trailed against the Saints on Sunday, dominating on both sides of the ball.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford carved up the New Orleans defense, especially when they blitzed, for 281 yards and four touchdowns, while the L.A. defense allowed 10 or fewer points for the third-straight game. They stuffed the run (again), while the offense pounded the rock for a season-high 171 yards, helping drain the clock in a blowout victory.
Here are five interesting stats from the Rams' 34-10 win over the Saints on Sunday.
The Rams set an NFL season-high in time of possession (43:53), according to nflverse data
The Saints only possessed the ball for 16:07 on Sunday, meaning L.A. won the time of possession battle by over 27 minutes. It's also the most time of possession the Rams have had in regulation in the McVay era (since 2018), according to nflverse data.
The Rams' 16-play, 80-yard, almost 10-minute touchdown drive to start the third quarter put them in complete control in the second half as they took a 27-10 lead, and then bled significant clock thereafter. But even in the first half, they controlled the ball for 19:38, compared to 10:22 for the Saints. It was the definition of controlled offensive success.
All four of Stafford's touchdown passes came against the blitz, the second-most in a game this season after himself in Week 7 (5 touchdowns), according to Next Gen Stats (NGS)
Over the past two games, Stafford has thrown nine touchdowns against the blitz, three more than any other player in a two-game span in the NGS era (since 2016). He completed nine of his 11 attempts for 97 yards when New Orleans brought extra rushers, and was only pressured on three of his 12 dropbacks (25%).
It was "just another game where he's in total command," McVay said. Stafford didn't have to throw much in the second half, either, as his 215 yards and three touchdowns through 30 game minutes helped L.A. get out to a 20-10 lead.
The Rams' -0.88 expected points added (EPA) per rush allowed was the second-lowest in any game this season, according to NGS
The Rams didn't allow a single first down on third or fourth down runs against the Saints, and defensive end Kobie Turner's fourth-down tackle for loss against gadget player Taysom Hill all but sealed the victory for L.A. early in the fourth quarter.
Overall, L.A. allowed just 57 rushing yards (their fewest of the season) and made first contact with Saints rushers 0.23 yards behind the line of scrimmage on average, via NGS. It was another dominant performance for a Rams defense that sits at the top of the charts statistically against both the pass and the run.
The Rams' 45.5% 13 personnel rate was the highest in any game this season, ahead of themselves in Week 7 (38.7%), according to NGS
The Rams have truly embraced the use of three-tight end sets over the past two games, and it's been extremely effective. They have scored seven touchdowns and averaged 4.8 yards per play out of the formation in that span, and all four of the team's tight ends have caught at least one pass in each of those games.
"If you had 13 personnel out there and you didn't believe in the guys that you had out there, then it wouldn't be that good, but we do," Stafford said postgame. The next-closest team (the Steelers in Week 7) used 13 personnel at just a 27.3% rate, so the Rams truly have been an anomaly in that respect.
Running backs Blake Corum and Kyren Williams combined for a season-high 15 missed tackles forced, according to Pro Football Focus
Williams' eight missed tackles forced were the second-most of his career and his most since Week 14 of the 2023 season. Corum, meanwhile, set a career-best with seven, and had never forced more than three missed tackles in a game prior to Sunday. Corum set career-highs in rushing yards (58) and longest run (21 yards).
It seems the bye week had a pronounced effect on the Rams' backfield, as they combined 172 yards on 38 attempts (4.5 yards per carry) against New Orleans.
