To find the last time the Rams defense gave up a second-half touchdown, you’d have to go all the way back to Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills. The Bears scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter in Week 7, but that was on a Robert Woods fumble, which was returned for six.
By every single measure, the Rams defense has been the best in the league and is a big reason the team is 6-3. Brandon Staley’s halftime adjustments have been remarkably impressive, making the necessary changes to get the defense on track in the final 30 minutes.
Through nine games so far, the Rams have allowed just 36 points. That’s 34 points fewer than the next-closest team (Washington) and 131 points better than the worst second-half defense in the league, the Bills.
The defense has allowed only two second-half touchdowns – both against the Bills – and five field goals. Here’s how many points the defense has allowed in each of the last six games.
- Week 4: 3 points
- Week 5: 0 points
- Week 6: 3 points
- Week 7: 0 points (Bears defense scored a TD)
- Week 8: 0 points
- Week 9: 3 points
Unsurprisingly, the Rams rank among the best second-half defenses in NFL history through nine games. Only three teams since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger have allowed fewer than the Rams’ 36 points in the second half through nine games: The 1977 Broncos (30 points), the 1990 Dolphins (33 points) and the 1977 Falcons (34 points).
The Rams are tied for the fourth-fewest second-half points allowed through nine games, right there with the 1970, 1971 and 1973 Vikings. Only one other team since 2000 has allowed fewer than 40 points in the second half after nine games, which was the 2000 Steelers.
The fewest second-half points allowed in a 16-game season was the 1996 Panthers, who allowed just 56 points in the second half. At the Rams’ current rate of allowing only 4.0 second-half points per game, they’re on pace to allow just 64 second-half points this season. That would be the second-fewest total ever in a 16-game season, ahead of the historic 1985 Bears team that allowed 71 points in the second half of their games during a 15-1 season.
It’ll be difficult for the Rams to keep up their current pace of allowing 4.0 second-half points per game, especially given the level of competition they’ll face down the stretch against the Bucs, Cardinals and Seahawks. But even if they average seven points per game in their final seven weeks, that’ll put them at 85 second-half points allowed this year. That would be the ninth-best ever for a 16-game season, which is still impressive.
Barring a collapse in the final seven weeks, the Rams’ second-half defense is destined to finish as one of the best ever.