Check out in-game photos from the Rams' Week 12 matchup with the New Orleans Saints at the Coliseum.
LOS ANGELES — It's been a sort of back-and-forth affair for the Rams and Saints at the Coliseum so far, but L.A. has a 17-10 lead heading into halftime. Here are a few notes from the first two quarters.
FAST START
The Rams got on the board with an opening-drive touchdown for the second consecutive week.
Los Angeles' special teams unit got the possession started well with a 40-yard return to the L.A. 40. And from there, quarterback Jared Goff hit wide receiver Sammy Watkins with a 24-yard pass to get the offense into New Orleans territory.
The Rams faced only one third down on the possession, and converted it with a 10-yard Goff pass to running back Todd Gurley.
Watkins capped the drive with a five-yard touchdown reception on a slant on the right side, giving L.A. an early 7-0 lead.
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SACK PACK**
The Rams recorded a pair of sacks on the Saints' first drive to halt it.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald got his team-leading sixth sack of the season on 2nd-and-4 from the L.A. 45, giving New Orleans 3rd-and-10. And then outside linebacker Robert Quinn followed that with a strip-sack of quarterback Drew Brees. Though the Saints recovered the fumble, New Orleans was still forced to punt.
NEW ORLEANS GROUND ATTACK
New Orleans has an elite rushing attack with running backs Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara, and showed why midway through the first quarter.
After the Rams stuffed Ingram for just a one-yard gain to begin New Orleans' second drive, Kamara ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run, which brought the score to 10-7.
REYNOLDS GETS HIS FIRST TD
With wide receiver Robert Woods out with a shoulder injury, rookie wideout Josh Reynolds is one player who appears to have picked up some of the slack.
He made a pair of receptions in the first half, none bigger than his first career touchdown catch midway through the second quarter.
On 2nd-and-goal from the seven, Goff had good protection and pointed for the rookie wide receiver to move just a bit to the quarterback's left in the end zone. Reynolds obliged, then made a diving catch to give the Rams a 17-7 lead.
Also worth noting, fellow rookie wide receiver Cooper Kupp caught a 53-yard pass down the left sideline to put the Rams deep in New Orleans territory.
