Rams-Steelers Preview Capsule
LOS ANGELES RAMS (5-3) at PITTSBURGH (4-4)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
OPENING LINE - Rams by 3 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Rams 6-2; Steelers 4-3-1
SERIES RECORD - Rams lead 17-9-2.
LAST MEETING - Steelers beat Rams 12-6 on Sept. 27, 2015
LAST WEEK - Rams were off; Steelers beat Colts 26-24.
AP PRO32 RANKING - Rams No. 12, Steelers No. 17
RAMS OFFENSE - OVERALL (18), RUSH (11), PASS (22).
RAMS DEFENSE - OVERALL (15), RUSH (20), PASS (15).
STEELERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (28), RUSH (26), PASS (27).
STEELERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (11), RUSH (16), PASS (9T).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Steelers have won each of last three meetings. ... Pittsburgh honoring 40th anniversary of 1979 team that beat Rams in Super Bowl for franchise's fourth title of 1970s. .. Steelers have won three straight since 1-4 start for first time since 1976. ... Streaky Rams have won two straight since three-game losing streak. ... Game is homecoming for Rams DT Aaron Donald, who grew up in Pittsburgh suburbs. Played collegiately at University of Pittsburgh. Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year made seven-figure donation to Pitt last spring. Panthers train at Aaron Donald Football Performance Center, which is adjacent to Steelers' practice facility. ... Steelers LB Mark Barron spent past five seasons with Rams, started in Super Bowl loss to Patriots. ... WR Brandin Cooks will miss first game of season after incurring second concussion of month before bye. Josh Reynolds likely to start, play extensively in place of Rams' deep-ball threat. ... Sean McVay 10-0 in regular season against AFC opponents. ... Rams scoring 32.2 points per game and winning by nearly two touchdowns per game against AFC under McVay. ... Rams' last game of regular season in Eastern time zone or in real cold-weather city. ... Los Angeles backup RB Malcolm Brown expected to return from ankle injury. McVay expects to use Todd Gurley, Brown and rookie Darrell Henderson in backfield. ... Steelers 36-19-1 all-time at home vs. West Coast teams. ... Pittsburgh RB Jaylen Samuels set franchise record with 13 receptions last week vs. Colts, most ever by a Steelers RB. ... Pittsburgh RB James Conner questionable with shoulder injury. ... Steelers second in NFL in takeaways (22). Team created 15 turnovers in 2018. ... Pittsburgh's 29 sacks most over first eight games since 2008 (32). ... Steelers QB Mason Rudolph 10th QB since 1970 to throw TD pass in first six career starts. ... Pittsburgh WR JuJu Smith-Schuster first player in NFL history to reach 200 career receptions before 23rd birthday. ... Steelers K Chris Boswell 17 of 18 on field goals this season. Boswell made 13 of 20 field goals in 2018. ... Fantasy Tip: Sit whoever starts in Pittsburgh's jumbled backfield. Steelers on pace for team's second-worst season rushing total since 1969.
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