Matthew Stafford Summarizes Rams' Struggles in Red Zone vs. Bengals

Quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams were lifeless in the red zone on Monday night, culminating in a disappointing loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Los Angeles Rams were faced with a chance to get back over .500 against a Cincinnati Bengals team that wasn’t as potent as their usual selves. Quarterback Joe Burrow’s injured calf hampered his ability to throw and run, leading to a dismal display of checkdowns and just a single offensive touchdown.

Yet, the Bengals won, 19-16. The Rams' offense was similarly ineffective and ultimately could not overcome a couple of (very) unlucky bounces. They converted on just one third down.

Nowhere was this more apparent than in the red zone. They converted one of four opportunities there, settling for three field goals. Kicker Brett Maher’s farthest attempt of the game was 42 yards.

It was a disjointed venture that, in some capacity, cost them the game. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was quick to take accountability for those struggles.

“Wish I would have either cut that one loose to Van [Jefferson] or thrown it out of the back of the end zone on the first drive of the game,” Stafford said. “Just to stay in normal downs to help us out there.”

That first sack Stafford mentioned was a loss of nine yards, setting Los Angeles back to the 11-yard line. He would be sacked on the Rams’ third red-zone drive, too, losing seven yards and setting up Maher’s final field goal.

Stafford was sacked six times on the night.

Stafford was sacked six times on Monday / USA Today Sports

“I had a shot on the one to Tutu [Atwell] in the back of the end zone,” he continued. “I thought he got tugged a little bit and almost came down with that one on the second drive.”

The offense’s ineffectiveness was not limited to the red zone, but it always stings to come so close while only posting three points. In a tightly-contested game like Monday’s, points left off the board are haunting.

“It’s just the name of the game in the NFL,” Stafford said. “Missed opportunities. And if you don’t get them, then, obviously you let a good team like them stay in the game, especially early on. It’s going to be tough to hold them off.”

As Stafford referred to, the second half didn’t go very well for Los Angeles. It was only a matter of time before Cincinnati’s quartet of stars—Burrow, running back Joe Mixon, and receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins—made the splash plays necessary to win.

Instead of sending a heavy pass rush at a fairly immobilized quarterback desperate to stretch the field, the Rams were forced to endure a quick-hitting offense with the run game to match. Unsurprisingly, it led to their downfall.

Los Angeles will hope to rectify those goal-to-go issues when it returns to the Midwest on Sunday and visits the Indianapolis Colts.